Nasty Goat from New Goat

[NannyMcFee]

We just picked up a new Nubian Doe who is in milk. We have 2 other full Nubians and their milk is wonderful. This goats milk is nasty. Do different goats have different tasting milk? She had her triplets in March. How can we get it to taste better? Is she sick maybe? She doesnt seem sick other than nervous about her new home. The previous owner said she was on alfalfa pellets and sweet feed once a day. It is really hot right now in Az but my other goats don't taste bad. Any thoughts?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Here's the list off the top of my head:

Transition her to something other than sweet feed. Molasses will make some goat's milk nasty.

Deworm her thoroughly. Copper bolus. Get a good LOOSE high-copper mineral and put it out free choice.

If you think there might be sub-clinical mastitis, then send a sample in. Instructions are in the sticky at the top of the goat page.

Taste her milk right after milking and then later after chilling to see if it's bad from the beginning or after storage.

Don't shake milk in the jars, as it causes a structural breakdown that can cause goatiness.

What kind of bad flavor are you tasting?

Send her back, get your money back, and taste any goat's milk before buying her.

[Cliff]

Yes different goats have different tasting milk. There's much more variability among goats than among cows as far as this is concerned. Always taste milk before buying.

[April]

I also like Vitamin E supplementation for milk flavor improvement.

[NannyMcFee]

Lesson learned for sure! So it astes kinda metal taste. Hard to explain.

The following would be my thoughts if I had her:

Chemical dewormer
vaccination
who knows what feed
mastitis
mineral deficiency
when freshened


Without knowing what the prior owner did regarding the above, you might consider giving a copper bolus, good loose mineral, Selenium injection if you are in a deficient area, check for mastitis and treat if found, inquire on recent vaccinations or deworming and what used.

Then keep her on the same everything as your other 2 and it will likely clear up.

I always hear people say taste the milk before you buy. I have always purchased kids, never adults. This is also very subjective. If you go to look at a goat for sale in milk, the owner milks her right there by hand and then you drink it on the spot? If it comes out of the fridge then is it the milk from that one goat or pooled together from the other milking does on the property. Then how clean is the milk handler. I never understood that advice.

Hope this helps and good luck.

[Cliff]

What's wrong with tasting the milk on the spot? I'd want to milk the doe myself then taste the milk. And I'd probably want to take some home to chill also.

We don't have any goats specifically for milk anymore, we have a nubian/kiko meat herd. But we know who makes the best milk out of the bunch and most of them have been milked at one time or other so they are pretty cooperative. But if I was ever going to buy a doe specifically for milk again I wouldn't do it without tasting the milk. It's just too big an investment for a goat for a specific purpose to take a chance to me. But for me it's because I can't tolerate goaty whatsoever, other people might not be so sensitive to it.