what causes foamy milk?

[Goat Servant]

She is almost 5 weeks into lactation. 5yrs old... Just this am there was lots of foam & Im wondering what causes it?

[DairyGoatSlave]

iv noticed(i could be wrong) that when you milk "fast" that it tends to foam up more, if you let it sit it should de-foam. If not iv got no idea! ps- i think the foam is cream??

[jadedhkr]

It's just agitation. If you milk slower and gentler, there won't be as much foam, and it will settle down after sitting awhile. Kind of like the head on a beer

[Goat Servant]

Hmm maybe thats why...I was going a hundred mph this morning!

[desertshi]

I agree..it is because of speed...unless my Holstein just liked to create foam because she liked my DH more than me!! LOL. JK. But really, when I would milk she would never foam up (weak hands?? lol) and my husband ALWAYS came in the house with a bucket FULL of foam. He used to scrape it off and put it in his coffee! lol.

[southerngurl]

And warmth. If it's cold out or you have something cooling the bucking/milk, it doesn't foam near as much, or the foam doesn't last.

[chamoisee]

Healthy milk foams.

[jBlaze]

It is hard when you have a great milker and the foam climbs over the top of your bucket. It makes a good day, but frustrating, lol.

[SheriM]

I have found if you direct the stream of milk against the side of the bucket rather than into the pool of milk, it doesn't foam as much.

[jadedhkr]

I have found if you direct the stream of milk against the side of the bucket rather than into the pool of milk, it doesn't foam as much.

Yeah, that! Another thing that helps in the summer months, I keep a cold pack in the pail, that seems to fizzle out the foam rather quickly and keeps the milk from spoiling on me. I have had milk go bad in the few minutes it took me to go from the barn to the house on a hot day. Now I keep an ice pack in the pail on hot days and have the added benefit of less foamy milk

[DairyGoatSlave]

jadehkr, i noticed your sig, do you have a daughter and call her punky? sorry weird question, but thats what my mama calls me

[jadedhkr]

lol, yep. I've called her that from day one and once had someone e-mail me a nastygram, claiming I stole her daughters nickname. My dh was also called that as a small child. Small world, popular term of endearment

[cjb]

I've been told that foam is an indication of good milk. Anything to that?

[Goat Servant]

Good question...But why? I mean is caused thru feed? Hay? Unscented baby wipes??
Or cause she's the herd queen and only purebred Nubian?

Thanks for some of your suggestions especially trying to hit the side of the pail.

[DairyGoatSlave]

jadedhkr thats funny! iv never herd anyone else call thier kid punky except my mom...people give her nasty looks in public when she calls me punk lol!
goat servant and cjb, i belive its just because of speed and high cream content probably in the bloodlines and good feed :P