Goat milk production is a good source of income other than raising livestock. Aside from the goat milk being consumed, it’s processed into yogurt, cheese, lotion, and soap.
With its unique taste and health benefits, there’s no wonder that many people crave goat milk. Thus, dairy goat breeders strive to meet the demands.
How much milk does a goat produce per day? The amount of milk that a goat produces depends on its breed, amount of care received, and season. A regular doe can give 2 liters of milk a day. One liter can be collected in the morning and the other one at night. Therefore, the milk that you can get from a doe ranges from 1.9 to 2.8 liters.
There are eight major goat milk producers in the US, but there are more in other countries. Does an average of 2 liters of milk a day fulfill the needs and demands? You’ll find the answers as you continue reading.
Is Goat Milk Farming Profitable?
Based on the study regarding goat milk production in Asia, it’s confirmed that it’s profitable farming. One billion goats are found in both developing and developed countries in Southeast and East Asia.
These animals are beneficial even for low-income earners due to the high price of goat milk. The pricing is generated by its medicinal and healthy properties.
It favors them a lot even though these farmers struggle with the supply of quality feed, diseases, and good goat genetics. These problems are overcome by Western countries like the United States because of well-established goat vaccines and the advanced supply chain of feed, medicine, and machinery.
However, the goat dairy industry in the US is small when it’s compared to the worldwide scale. As mentioned in a study, it’s behind other countries because of significant limitations among producers, policymakers, and manufacturers.
On the other hand, the dairy goat industry in Europe has positive foresight when it comes to profitability, sanitation, and modernization.
Despite the slow progress in the US, it can’t be exempted from the growth of the global market for goat milk production. Even if it’s noticeable, it continues to work its way to the mainstream.
How Do Goat Farmers Make Money From Milk Farming?
Goat farmers make money from milk farming by pasteurization. Some venture to processed products like cheese, yogurt, lotion, and soap. They also sell goat milk to the processors based on their regions.
How Much Does Goat Milk Sell For?
According to NIFA or the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, raw goat milk costs $3.20 per gallon. Nevertheless, the byproduct of this substance has a higher price. An ounce of goat cheese is sold at $16, while 18 bars of goat milk can be bought at $320.
How Often Do You Milk a Goat?
You can milk a goat once or twice a day. Milking twice needs to be scheduled 12 hours apart. Based on the findings of a study, there’s a higher yield of protein, casein, fat, and solids when milking a goat twice a day.
This applies when the goat that you milk only once a day is on its mid or late lactation. It will also happen when you deal with older goats.
All in all, milking twice a day is recommended since goats produce milk throughout the day. It only stops when there’s no available storage for more milk.
But you can milk the high milk producers thrice a day during the lactation period. It should be done eight hours apart.
How Long Do Goats Stay in Milk?
The breed and period of pregnancy are factors that can affect the milking period of a goat. The peak of milk production is after the weaning of babies when they’re 8 weeks. After this period, the amount of milk that you can get from a goat will dwindle.
In half a year, your doe will only give you half or ¾ of milk of its primary milk output. Nonetheless, she can continue giving milk for two years after pregnancy. If she conceives again, the same process will take place.
How Many Litres Does a Goat Produce a Day?
A goat can produce an average of 2 liters a day.
Proper Milking Technique
Here’s the step-by-step guide to milk a goat:
Step 1: Put some grains in the stanchion so the goat is compelled to be in an ideal posture at a milk stand. When the goat’s head is steadily placed at a headgate, you can sit comfortably while milking.
Step 2: Goat udders should be kept clean, so regular clipping and shaving are advised. Before milking, you have to clean them with a dry paper towel. Never opt to use water for cleaning as it can contaminate the goat’s teats.
You may if the need arises, but it should involve disinfectant wash, and the udder must be dry before milking.
Step 3: Wear disposable gloves when milking a goat. They should be changed when milking another doe.
Step 4: Once the teats are clean, dip them in 0.5% iodine solution. Let the whole teat get in contact with the solution for 30 seconds.
Step 5: To ensure that the teats are free of bacteria, utilize a strip cup when collecting the first milk stream. Examine if there are issues like flaking, watery consistency, or clots.
Step 6: Remove any dirt by twisting the teats downward with a paper towel or cloth.
Step 7: The preceding step is the initial stimulus of taking out the milk. In connection with it, you need to give the release of oxytocin for 20 to 60 seconds. After the dipping to iodine solution, milking must be done in 60 to 90 seconds.
Step 8: When milking, you have to use your first finger and thumb in squeezing the upper part of the udder. Trap the milk with the said fingers and squeeze it out to fill the bucket. Stop the process when the udder is empty.
Step 9: Use the same sipping solution after milking to reduce the number of bacteria that blend with the milk.
Step 10: Pour the milk into a clean jar but let it pass through the filter. When washing the bucket and strainer, you can rinse it with 1:10 bleach to water solution or boiling water. Next, you have to air dry these things.
What Are the Best Goat Breeds for Milking?
- Alpine – You can get a lot of milk from this breed, but the taste may vary.
- Anglo-Nubian – Though it relatively produces less milk than the other breeds, its milk has remarkable butterfat content that carries out the creamy taste.
- Boer – Despite a smaller milk supply, the flavor is fantastic because of its high butterfat content.
- LaMancha – Due to this goat’s friendly temperament, you can easily get sweet and creamy milk from it.
- Nigerian Dwarf – This gives the sweetest goat milk.
- Oberhasli – Many people are after its sweet milk.
- Saanen – This is a heavy producer of milk that is on the milder side.
- Sable – It produces a high supply of milk with a lot of fat content.
- Toggenburg – It’s known for its tasty milk with a strong flavor.
Which Goat Breed Is Best for Milk?
Swiss Saanen is the best goat breed for milk because it produces the highest amount of milk. It can provide 11.3 liters of milk in just a day!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Milk Does a Nigerian Goat Produce a Day?
A Nigerian goat is only half the size of regular goats, but it can deliver up to 1.9 liters of milk daily. Hence, it’s a perfect choice for those who have small farms.
How Much Milk Can a Boer Goat Produce?
Although Boer goat is a meat breed, it can give around 1.5 to 1.9 liters of milk per day.
Do Goats Produce Milk All The Time?
Goats can’t produce milk all the time as the milking season is over when two years have passed since the pregnancy.
Is Goat’s Milk Better Than Cow’s Milk?
Milk from goats and cows has a little difference. Goat milk has a higher amount of protein, calcium, and fat than cow milk. Aside from protein and more calcium, most people in third world countries depend on goat milk for phosphate that is not available in cow milk.
Goat milk has lower lactose content than cow milk, but still, lactose is present. Both of them can cause allergies. The evidence of the nutritional advantage of goat milk is not enough, so it can’t be confirmed that it’s better than cow’s milk.
What Are The Disadvantages of Goat’s Milk?
Since goat milk has more fat, it has higher calories than other kinds of milk. This content can cause weight gain.
Summary
The goat’s milk production and its taste are based on the breed since there are heavy milkers. The time is another factor as the peak is during the lactation period, and the amount of milk wanes down when it passes.
To meet the expected milk supply, the goat should be healthy. It also means that it can provide nutrition enriched milk.
List of Sources
Women in Agriculture Teach Others about Value-added Goat Milk Products