Weird tasting milk

mammabooh · #1 04/10/13, 07:12 PM

Our son informed me this evening that the milk tasted weird. I took a swig and agreed with him. It's not salty, just a bit sour and odd. I have been out of minerals for about two weeks. Could that be the problem? I noticed tonight that Mudge's milk didn't foam while I was milking. Is that related? The pasture has started growing, so I suppose they could be eating something that is making their milk taste bad. It wasn't bad just a couple of days ago.

The feed store guy called and said that my Right Now Onyx minerals were in, so I'll be picking them up tomorrow.

Cyngbaeld · #2 04/10/13, 08:27 PM

Yes, it is lack of minerals. Mine will get almost musty smelling and tasting if I forget to watch the minerals.

mammabooh · #3 04/11/13, 04:44 AM

Any idea how long it will take to get back to normal?

Cyngbaeld · #4 04/11/13, 07:10 AM

Couple days, usually.

TroutRiver · #5 04/11/13, 09:46 AM

Could be minerals. I always found that my milk tasted off when it wasn't cooled quickly enough, not sure what your cooling method is. But if you are out of minerals and nothing else has changed, that is probably the culprit.

"SPIKE" · #6 04/11/13, 11:06 AM

Around here this time of year, it could always be the wild onions coming up every where.

SPIKE

Cyngbaeld · #7 04/11/13, 12:30 PM

Mine eat onions and just about every conceivable weed. Milk only tastes weird when I forget to fill the mineral feeder for a few days. Sometimes I drink it warm from the goat, sometimes I chill it first, makes no difference.

Oat Bucket Farm · #8 04/11/13, 12:38 PM

I only notice an off taste if mineral levels aren't what they should be. I don't usually have a problem in my girls, but I often notice it if a new goat comes in.

mammabooh · #9 04/18/13, 04:24 PM

Well, I thought the problem was fixed, but it's not. I got their minerals a week ago, then it was time for worming so I did that and dumped the milk for three days. Started keeping it again Monday and it seemed fine. However, I gave milk to a friend today and she just sent me a message and said that it tasted goaty (but, for some reason, they thought it was fine last week when we thought it was bad). I tasted what is in the fridge and agreed. This was the milk from this morning and I handled it the same way I always do. Any more ideas for me?

Cyngbaeld · #10 04/18/13, 05:05 PM

When was the last time you copper bolused and are you giving extra calcium?

mammabooh · #11 04/18/13, 05:26 PM

The hay I have been feeding for the last two months is 75% orchard grass and 25% alfalfa. They also get alfalfa pellets. I just got new hay today that is 80% alfalfa and 20% orchard grass, so was thinking of dropping the alfalfa pellets. Sound like a decent idea, or not?

Snicket was bolused on March 20, but it's been since September 23 for Mudge. However, when we tried them separately last week, my son and I both thought Snicket's tasted worse than did Mudge's. I'm going to keep it separate again tomorrow morning and see of we think the same thing.

Cyngbaeld · #12 04/18/13, 06:53 PM

Give some extra calcium. Dolomite is best because it also has magnesium and you need to keep those balanced.

mammabooh · #13 04/23/13, 07:56 PM

That will improve taste? Right now, Mudge's isn't horrible, but it's not like it used to be. Snicket's is icky. It is very frustrating to spend all of that time and effort on the goats and then have undrinkable milk!

Cyngbaeld · #14 04/23/13, 08:59 PM

Should improve it, yes. Also check on your cobalt levels. If the dolomite doesn't do the trick give each goat some yeast (any kind) and see if it helps. If so, you need to give them cobalt.

mammabooh · #15 04/29/13, 05:48 PM

I started them both on yeast this morning (read somewhere not to feed it for more than a week) and located cobalt blocks at the TSC in the next town over. We had planned to go tomorrow anyway to pick up a bunch of fenceposts for the new pasture, so I'll get a block then. I sure hope this clears up soon!

andabigmac · #16 04/29/13, 06:08 PM

Why can't you feed yeast for over a week? Mine have been getting a teaspoon or so a day of Diamond V for a while. All's I can think is, "Crud, what am I doing wrong now?"

Alice In TX/MO · #17 04/29/13, 06:09 PM

I'm the person who rotates the cobalt block in and out of the pen, but it's primarily because they don't eat the regular minerals as well if the cobalt block is out there.

mammabooh · #18 04/30/13, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andabigmac

Why can't you feed yeast for over a week? Mine have been getting a teaspoon or so a day of Diamond V for a while. All's I can think is, "Crud, what am I doing wrong now?"

This is baking yeast. I read that it can cause a phosphorus defficiency if fed for too long.

andabigmac · #19 04/30/13, 08:50 AM

*big sigh of relief*

mhoward1999 · #20 05/01/13, 07:05 AM

I've been having the same problem for almost two months now! I *think* I've finally gotten to the bottom of it. BEET PULP!!! I read somewhere that beet pulp, or too much of it, can sometimes cause off tasting milk. When I bought feed on Monday I did not use beet pulp in our new mix, and yesterday the milk was good! :-D I'm praying this is the answer, because milking to dump is REALLY getting old! (I tried Diamond V Yeast Culture right off because I thought the problem was from cobalt deficiency. It got better for three days and then went right back to being nasty.)