Raw Milk vs. Pasteurized Milk

Beckygoats · #1 10/22/11, 12:20 AM

Hello all, I have been doing my Goat research for about a year now and have recently acquired my very own goad herd (yippee!!) My question is if people drink raw goats milk successfully without illness. I have been researching the US pasteurization laws and am thinking that politics during the 1930's were more influential than research on the actual safety of the milk. At any rate I would prefer to drink our goat's milk raw, but would never forgive myself if I got my family, my precious 18 month old daughter or a future baby sick from raw milk. I am extremely clean when handling the milk and my herd appears healthy. Opinions?

LearningLife · #2 10/22/11, 12:36 AM

You can find studies and reports by "experts" on both sides of the raw milk question. I'm not daring enough to claim definitively that raw milk is safe/unsafe. What I can tell you is that we milk our goats in a clean environment using clean and sanitary equipment. It is strained during milking and again when we bring it inside, and then it is chilled immediately. We do not pasteurize it. We have not gotten ill from our milk or from products made from it. However, we did not have dairy goats until our children were much older than your daughter is. I don't know how comfortable I would have been giving the boys raw milk at 18 months. All I can suggest is that you do lots of research, decide who you believe, and make the decision that you think is best for your family and your situation.

And congratulations on your new goats! Would love to see pictures. What breed did you get?

Oat Bucket Farm · #3 10/22/11, 12:39 AM

We drink it raw, even my three year old. The kids love it. In fact, because the one doe in milk right now is slowly drying up, we bought a gallon of store milk. My ten year old looked in the fridge and made a disgusted sound. I asked what the problem was and said, " I am NOT drinking that!" He was very relieved when I pointed out the quart of raw goat milk on a different shelf of the fridge. I be far more worried about the listeria/ecoli/salmonella/etc that you might get off the lettuce on your hamburger from a fast food joint or the spinach or lunch meat at the grocery store.

LoneStrChic23 · #4 10/22/11, 01:09 AM

We too drink it raw........ I've tried pasteurizing several ways & simply do not like the taste of pasteurized goats milk......plus I personally believe raw milk, handled properly, from healthy animals is much better for you than pasteurized.

I'm not sure where, but I know you could have samples of your milk sent for testing if that would make you feel better about trying it raw......

As far as drinking raw milk during pregnancy...... I did with my son, but it was milk I was getting from a friend of my mom's & I had been drinking the milk from her 5 does 4 months before I got pregnant & the first two months of pregnancy (didn't know I was pregnant)......OBGYN said my body was accustomed to the bacteria & such from those goats and I could continue to drink it.... I did with no issues what so ever........

With my daughter I hadn't been drinking raw milk prior to pregnancy & didn't have a source from someone I knew & trusted as well as my moms friend, so even though I found someone who I could buy from, I played it safe & avoided it.

My son drank raw goats milk from 11 months old until about 2 years old & thrived on it, but it was the milk I had been drinking since before I was pregnant with him & I fully trusted the source & sanitation.

I think this is one you need to research & decide for yourself based on what you feel comfortable with.

If anything, if your not ready to take the raw plunge you could pasteurize at a lower temp for longer instead of the 165° for 15 seconds...

Congrats on your new goats!!!

LFRJ · #5 10/22/11, 03:56 AM

Only two posts? You're obviously new here. This debate goes on and on. I think most folks here drink raw because they trust their own handling of the milk. Some don't because they are not comfortable with the risks, particularly with an infant, elder or other. Nothing wrong with THAT decision!

You didn't ask about the health benefits either way, so am not sure your query. It's a personal choice, and one based on the trust you have in how the milk and animals are handled. We drink raw, but we bought a pasteurizer so we can provide pasteurized milk in the event we have customers that want it (not that we sell a lot). No judgement either way.

I would forget the research, and the politics of the 1930's. Focus on your own milk source, observe how the milk is handled and decide. If you're losing sleep at night - pasteurize!

steff bugielski · #6 10/22/11, 06:07 AM

We drink and sell our goat milk raw. We have a license and it gets tested monthly.
If you are un sure of the safety of your milk you can always test it yourself. You Cornell Cooperative Extension should be able to direct you.

Just remember if you were breast feeding you baby it would be raw milk. If you had a cold or a stomach virus you would still breast feed.

If they are your animals you should feel comfortable with their health. Have a vet check them for the basics, brucellosis is an important illness in goats. E coli is fecal related so cleanliness is key. Listeria comes from rotten vegetation, like moldy hay or pasture so again cleanliness. And salmonella is usually chicken related. It is suggested to keep poultry away from goats.

We have many infants ,some just weeks old, who thrive on our raw milk.

Alice In TX/MO · #7 10/22/11, 07:46 AM

Five years on raw goat milk with two immune suppressed folks in the family. NO problems. Get the testing done like Steff said.

Blue Run Farm · #8 10/22/11, 09:30 AM

We all drink our goat's milk raw here, including my fourteen month old son. Before I started drinking our raw milk, I had our goats tested for TB and Brucellosis to be safe. That is what my vet recommended. While most vets don't seem to know squat about goats, he used to breed dairy goats so I value his input. Many people also test for Johnne's, we don't because our goats are not exposed to cattle and my vet said it is not a big problem in goats in our area. But you might want to consider that too.

Blue Run Farm · #9 10/22/11, 09:31 AM

Oh, forgot to say, congrats on your new goats!!!

julieq · #10 10/22/11, 10:08 PM

Raw goat milk, yogurt and kefir here exclusively. We have done our research over the years. Our two grand babies who live locally were both weaned from breast milk right onto raw goats milk, no problems.

Here's a list of the books that have helped in our education as a family:
http://www.qsfdairygoats.com/suggested%20reading.htm

LFRJ · #11 10/23/11, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Run Farm

Oh, forgot to say, congrats on your new goats!!!

Yes! Do share with us what you have, and if you have pics, please post them so we can see! WE LOVE pics. I should have said welcome earlier. A warm welcome to you.

Beckygoats · #12 10/23/11, 10:09 AM

Thank you for the warm welcomes!!! I'll go out later and take pics on my phone to put up. I think, based on your comments and on my research that we will drink the milk raw! I will ask my Dr. if I EVER get pregnant again and may end up pasteurizing during pregnancy or may not depending on what Dr. says. She raises goats so she'll probably give the ok anyways. Again, thank you for the warm welcomes! I'm excited to learn from all of you.

Now I'll go give my "goat's foot milk" to the dogs.

Oat Bucket Farm · #13 10/23/11, 10:32 AM

Can't wait to see pics of your new goats! And welcome to wonderful, wacky world of goats.