[tenfairytoes]

Just wondering who's in favor of pasteurizing the goat milk and who isn't. I have raw frozen milk just wondering if I should pasturize it. I cleaned the goat I cleaned my hands but I am still freaked out to drink it.

 

[goathiker]

I was raised on raw milk and have drank it my whole life. My children and now my grandchild all drink the raw milk I produce. I can't stand the taste of pasteurized milk at all.
Either way, milk that you produced fresh yourself is much healthier than store bought commercial milk.

 

[Axykatt]

I don't pasturize. I keep sanitary collection procedures and chill or freeze the milk right away. Haven't had any issues so far, but my only milker lives in the house as a pet, so maybe she's extra clean.

I'm sure someone more experienced can give you detailed advice on the pros and cons, I'm a newbie.

 

[Rusty]

Curious how do you keep your milker in the house? I love bringing a baby in the house now and then, but haven't figured out how to keep the goat berries in check

 

[WarPony]

I pasteurized the first few milking when i FIRST started to milk. It changed the flavor and texture and I didn't like it, so i stopped. I've been drinking it raw now for years with no issue.

 

[AmyBoogie]

We drink raw too.

 

[Axykatt]

Curious how do you keep your milker in the house? I love bringing a baby in the house now and then, but haven't figured out how to keep the goat berries in check

My Peggy Sue is a registered Pygmy and she's only 16 inches tall, so she is indoor pet sized. I couldn't keep a standard dairy goat inside...or could I? Hmmmmm....

She's lived in the house since she was 3 days old and I trained her to do "business" outside. Pee is no problem, but we do have occasional berry accidents. The way I avoid them is by taking her outside IMMEDIATELY when she stands up after lying down for a bit. I also try to walk her at least every two hours. She pees on command and she always poops right after she pees, so I don't have to wait forever like I do with the dog.

When we do have berries (usually because she got excited and forgot to hold it) I have a Dustbuster and a can of Lysol handy for quick clean up. She poops overnight, but she sleeps in a tiled room, so I just sweep up the pile in the morning and Swiffer. It's no worse than the cat box.

 

[enchantedgoats]

we do not pastuerize the milk we drink. but we do heat the milk for cheese and yogurt.

 

[ksalvagno]

You have to do what you feel is best for you.

I drink it raw but there is nothing wrong with pasteurizing if it makes you feel safer.

 

[MesquiteTreeHill]

I pasteurize and have gotten a lot of grief for it. The reason I do is because my teenage daughter keeps the house full with her friends. I'm sure my milk is fine but there is always a chance and I don't want to take it with other people's kids...

 

[lovinglife]

Raw here. After reading about how pasteurizing changes it so much, turning a living food into a dead food, why would I want to do that? If I was worried about it being unhealthy I would just have a sample tested, and my goats tested. My girls work hard to make wonderful milk for our family, I think I will keep it as pure and healthy as possible. I do understand why some do though, I just choose not to. The reason for pasteurizing started with big dairys with cows that were not in the best of living environments, we can control that with a small goat dairy.

 

[liz]

Raised on raw goat milk and still drinking it raw

 

[OakHollowRanch]

My sister and I drink it raw, my dad drinks it pasteurized, and my mom can sometimes be convinced to take a sip of pasteurized. It is personal preference, and how much faith you have in the sanitation process during milking. People with a weak immune system, babies, and elderly people should not drink it raw.Then there are people like my mom, who is just slightly paranoid.

 

[Axykatt]

What can happen if you don't pasturize? If your animals are clean and disease free and you sanitize properly is it that risky to go raw?

 

[milk and honey]

There can be very serious consequences that I have read about...I don't know details...just wanted to chime in that I drink it raw.
I'm confident in my milking procedure. Trouble happens with unclean procedure...

 

[Little-Bits-N-Pieces]

My grandkids were raised on raw goats milk, they were allergic to formula (which is really just powdered cow milk, and it is expensive), allergic to cows milk, threw up all them time when she breast fed them, so they drank goats milk, it was the only thing they could drink. They are perfectly healthy boys, they are now 7 going on 8 years old, and they got over their allergy as they got older.
As long as your goats are clean, and you practise sanitary procedures and conditions, I dont see why you can't drink raw milk.

I personally prefer to drink cows milk, but I will drink goat milk. If I do drink goats milk, it has to be raw, the smell and taste of pasturized goat milk makes me nausious.

 

[TDG-Farms]

I like it either way. There is a difference in taste but not a bad difference.

 

[GreenMountainNigerians]

I'll be interested to know the taste difference. When I had dairy goats decades ago I and my children drank it raw. I have RA and am on several drugs that leave me susceptible to infection. I've been advised not to drink raw milk. Next year I'll have goat milk again! Can't wait!

 

[tenfairytoes]

Good to know. We have been doing raw also but my daughter woke up throwing up yesterday and I freaked out. That was the only change in food. I sanitize everything so I am confident there and my goat is also clean. I have her blood drawn and all of that I am on it. We have been drinking it for a week only since my other doe was being milked all out by her babies. Okay I feel better now. Thanks everyone!