Goat Milk

 

The table below represent the lactation trend curve for goat  milk yield in total kg, over time, represents actual records in the database for selected  animals that had a record of 230-305 days in goat milk.

 

Lactation length and milk yield and composition for selected breeds of goats.

Breed,Length,d  Total milk,kg  Milk yield%, Milk fat%, Milk protein%, Lactose% Total%Energy kcal/kg
Alpine	248	106	2.66	3.33	3.10	4.53	11.05	679
Anglo-Nubian	270–305	592	0.90	3.71	3.29	4.23	12.10	716
Boer	–	–	1.72	5.88	4.02	4.95	14.73	907
Canaria (Canary)	251	183	0.79	3.96	3.72	4.66	12.77	754
Damascus	270	378	1.88	4.46	3.82	3.60	12.94	795
La Mancha	270–305	720-800	2,63	4.95	3.34	–	13.67	807
Maltese	250	283	2.23	3.77	3.14	4.60	–	713
Murciana-Granadina	231	368	1.70	4.59	3.48	4.84	13.01	788
Nordic	250–300	600-700	1.92	4.28	2.87	4.29	11.25	736
Saanen	250	615	2.55	3.28	2.94	4.28	11.52	667
Toggenburg	245	424	1.82	3.37	2.96	4,26	13.14	675

 

The six major dairy goat breeds are the Saanen, Nubian, Toggenburg, LaMancha, Oberhasli, and Alpine.

 

Volume and composition of milk produced is controlled by the goat’s genetics but greatly influenced by the diet consumed. To maintain milk production and good health, goats should be fed a diet balanced for energy, protein, minerals, and vitamins based on requirements. To reduce costs, forages such as hay, silage, and pasture should constitute a majority of the daily diet. Goats are efficient browsers and can select a high-quality diet from lower-quality forages, especially when consuming nontraditional pasture plants.

 

Supplementing the diet with grain mixes to provide additional energy and protein is important, especially during lactation. Grain mixes may also contain supplemental minerals and vitamins. Feeding grain should be limited because a high-grain diet with low fiber intake can lead to rumen health problems (e.g., indigestion, acidosis) and lower milk fat content. Availability of dietary energy is important for high milk yield, while protein and fiber affect milk quality. High-producing does require quality forages and supplemental grain at a rate of 1 pound per 2.5 to 3 pounds of milk. Forages generally do not contain sufficient minerals to meet dietary requirements, so supplements are usually required.

 

To ensure efficiency and productivity of a dairy goat enterprise, the three most important recommendations are as follows:

 

• Manage young does to have them ready for breeding at 7 months of age. This increases the total lifetime herd production of milk and meat and reduces the number of non-producing animals in the herd at any one time.
• Encourage freshening of the does over as wide a time span as possible. This provides the customers with a year-round source of milk.
• Cull animals to eliminate low producers. This can increase the herd productivity if animals are culled for genetic reasons.

 

 

 

The alpha s1-casein is a protein polymorphism of goat milk, and is one found in all dairy goat breeds.

 

The a s1-casein is a protein polymorphism of goat milk first described in Europe, in the French Alpine and Saanen breeds, in the early nineteen eighties.

 

These polymorphisms have been found to affect cheese-making due to differences in protein content, renneting properties (faster coagulation and firmer curd) and a possible connection in relation to cheese flavor. Researched conducted on homozygous individuals for the various alleles confirmed the effects of genotype on the casein content in milk by showing the cheese-making yield observed in milk produced by those animals with strong alleles was 7 per cent higher in comparison with those with medium alleles and 15 per cent  higher than those with weak alleles. In addition, there have been studies that suggest that the genetic variation resulting in low or null levels could contribute to milk with a lesser antigenic burden and be of potential benefit to those with milk sensitivities.

 

Knowing the specific genetic polymorphism at goat casein loci on breeding stock would allow the breeder to set up breeding and selection programs targeted towards the improvement of cheese-making yield by selecting for high expression alleles, or selecting for animals with low levels which will be of benefit to those with milk or casein  sensitivities.

 

Fortunately, Veterinary Genetics Laboratory at University of California, Davis, makes such testing possible in the United States.  The test would detect low level variants for casein – E, F, and N. High level variants for casein  – A or B, which represent several specific alleles. If you are interested in this testing for your does or buck you can approach ADGA.

 

However, the test is not designed to detect subvariants of A and B. The animal above (A/E), if a doe, would be expected to produce intermediate levels of the casein and pass on either the A or E to their offspring.  The animal above, if a buck, would have daughters that would inherit either the A (high level) or E (lower level).  The variant inherited from their dam would determine whether they were an intermediate or high level producer of casein.

 

Milk is a super drink for All! Packed with essential nutrients, milk is healthy for everyone from pregnant mums and seniors to teens, kids and newborn babies. Plus its rich, creamy flavor is undeniably delicious.

In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, working individuals are prone to neglect proper diet or regular meals. High reliance on fast foods often results in high consumption of saturated fats, cholesterol, simple sugars and sodium. Those who skip meals are also certain to miss out on vital nutrients for their bodies.

A complete and balanced nutritional formula can help achieve a balanced and appropriate intake of necessary nutrients, especially when a meal itself is inadequate. Milk and diary products are rich sources of calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and protein, which are all essential for healthy bone growth and development.

Our bones store calcium. When we do not get enough calcium from our daily meals, our body uses the calcium that is stored in our bones. Unfortunately, our bones start to lose calcium at a much greater rate when we reach our thirties. This causes our bones to weaken, thus increasing the risk of getting osteoporosis. By drinking goat milk regularly, we supply our body with the calcium it needs, therefore reducing the amount of calcium removed from our bones.

 

How much daily Calcium does your body need to maintain bone health?

Calcium Level Requirement To Take	Note :
19 to 50 years old	1,000mg a day (male and female)
51 to 70 years old	1,200mg a day (female) and 1,000mg a  day (male)
70 years above	1,200mg a day ( male and female)

How much Calcium do you get every day? Is it enough?

To get 100 percent daily Calcium requirements :

Fried chicken	x 71 pieces
Anchovies	x 690 pieces
Minced beef	x 28 cups
White bread	x 91 pieces
Cheese	x 11 slices
Soy bean milk	x 20 cups
Soy bean curd	x 6 pieces
Rice	x 200 bowls
Fresh goat milk	x 4 glasses

We lose calcium everyday. But, because we can’t see, or feel the damage being done to our bones, people often start taking preventive measures once it is already too late. Every day our bones are going through a natural process of breaking down and rebuilding. For that rebuilding we need Calcium.

 

In addition, our bodies are losing Calcium on a daily basis through our skin, nails, hair, sweat, urine and in other ways. As our bodies cannot produce Calcium, therefore it is vital to get adequate Calcium from the food we eat to protect our bone strength like milk, yogurt, cheese, certain green vegetables, bean curd, whole canned mackerel, canned sardines and salmon with soft edible bones. Fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, sardines and tuna are also good food sources of vitamin D.

 

How Much Milk Do Kids Need?

From the age of 4 to 12 years old, kids are learning actively. They love to explore things around their environment. Therefore, they will need to have sufficient nutrients to support their rapid growth. Giving them goat milk helps support the 10 signs of good nutrition, which leads to a healthier child.

 

• 1 to 3 years old: 2 cups of milk each day
• 4 years old and older: 3 cups of milk each day

 

10 Signs of good nutrition:

1. 1. Right Weight For Their Height – Being overweight or underweight is not good for your kids. Give them a balanced diet for optimum growth.
   2. Clear Skin – Apart from Vitamin C, Vitamin A which is found in milk is important to maintain healthy skin.
   3. Good Muscle Development – Having sufficient exercise and nutrition encourage good muscle development, which enables kids to be stronger as they get more active.
   4. Good Eyesight – Good nutrition and good habits help maintain good eyesight. Ensure that your kids keep a good distance from the screen when watching television.
   5. Strong Bones and Teeth – Goat milk contains calcium and Vitamin D, two important nutrients for building stronger bones and teeth.
   6. Shiny and Lustrous Hair – On an average, a child’s hair grows 0.6 cm a month. Good nutrition can helps the hair look healthy.
   7. Good Appetite – Be more creative in how you serve milk to whet your kid’s appetite. For example, make them milkshakes and smoothies.
   8. Good Posture – Teach your kids to sit up straight. When lifting heavy things, do not bend over. Squat and lift instead.
   9. Alert and Cheerful – Encourage your kids to play games that stimulate their thinking, like puzzles, to help them develop a sharper and more alert mind.
   10. Sound Sleep – Apart from good nutrition, sleep is essential for growth. Ensure that your kid gets 10 – 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night.

 

Now we all know that milk is great for kids and also great for adults.  Let’s start drinking goat milk daily. Homemade Yogurt