Is it true that getting a hair in the milk taints the flavor?

[perplexed]

I was planning on milking right into a chesecloth covered mason jar to avoid anything from falling in it then straining it again once I got back in the house.

My goat as small teats and it is hard to aim into the jar. I was thinking of getting a pail but wasn't sure about putting cheesecloth over it so I though well, maybe I'll just milk into the pail then strain it in the house. THen another friend told me that one hair sitting in the milk can taint the flavor. Is that true?

[CookingPam777]

I don't find it to be true but have heard that as well. Most people I think would say to shave your goats udder. I know 2 people personally that do this. I don't shave my goats udders though.

[mpete]

Anything that can fall into the milk can carry bacteria that can taint the milk. Definetly keep it covered...

[CookingPam777]

I agree that covering it is wise but if a hair falls in isn't that what the straining is for?

[draggahaus]

I have a small horse brush that I brush them with before I milk them. The biggest thing that I have to worry about is random stuff blowing in, man have we had a lot of wind lately.

[tioga12]

Cleanliness is very important in preserving the freshness and flavor, but I think the doe's diet has more of an impact on flavor than hairs getting in the milk. We do shave here, but occasionally a few get in the milk. We strain and refrigerate immediately after milking and it tastes good. I can't imagine trying to milk with a cheesecloth draped over the bucket...it would fall in so many times that I think messing with that would compromise the flavor more than a couple of hairs.

[nappint]

I have a screen colander that fits perfectly over my pail. I drape a birdseye cotton cloth over the colander and milk through that. The colander fits in the pail and the edge protrudes just a little past the top of the pail so I don't have a problem with bulkiness.

I'm SO glad I do this - you would be amazed at all the "nasty's" that are caught by the cloth even after brushing and a full udder wash.

I also strain my milk through a dairy filter when I bring it in the house just in case anything gets through the cloth. I agree with mpete - once the bacteria have been introduced to the milk through hair, dirt, bugs etc. you can't strain it out - it's best to keep the milk as clean as possible from start to finish for food safety as well as taste.

[mygoat]

Stuff is gonna fall in the milk no matter what you do. The most you can do is shave the udder, wash before milking, brush her underbelly, and keep the milk pail mostly covered and strain it afterwords. One or two hairs isn't going to taint the milk but the less the better, because the lest bacteria that infects it.

[A'sta at Hofstead]

We bought an udderley easy milker - the milk goes right into the bottle so there is no hair or debris in it. We do still strain though, and of course wash the teats before and after milking.

[perplexed]

I am not planning on ever shaving an udder That's not my cup of tea.

The very thin cheesecloth my friend uses is secured to the mason jar with a rubber band and the milk goes right through it. She milks a 1/2 gallon from wash to dip in under 10 minutes. Nothing gets in it and then she strains it a second time just to be extra neat. She didn't find using a bucket was the right way for her.

I called her today and she says she's had a hair in the milk (before the straining cheesecloth) and it didn't do anything to the flavor of the milk.