I want a goat.
I really, really, really want a goat.
Mr. Crumbs says no. And we don’t have much of a yard, so that’s an issue too. Unless the neighborhood kids won’t mind our goat grazing at their park.
But I don’t think that will work.
Goats make milk. Milk makes kefir and yogurt and cheese. And butter. Mmm… butter.
And they’re smaller than cows.
MUCH smaller than cows.
There are other reasons why I want a goat too. Did you know that you can make goat soap? Did you know it was naturally homogenized by the goat’s digestive system? Now THAT would solve my grass-fed organic milk vs. non-homogenized milk at Trader Joe’s dilemma.
There are plenty other interesting facts about goat milk too, which leads me to think that it very well might be healthier than cow’s milk…
7 Ways Goat Milk is Healthier than Cow’s Milk
1. It’s easier to digest than cow’s milk.
Goat milk has smaller fat particles and more medium chain fatty acids, and together this means a quicker and easier digestion process. For example, goat milk can be digested in as little as 20 minutes where cow’s milk can take anywhere from two to 24 hours. The quicker digestion process prevents the milk from fermenting or causing a imbalance in liquids in our cell walls.
2. It’s less likely to create an allergic reaction.
Goat milk contains about 10% less lactose (milk sugar) than cow’s milk and a lot less casein, which is the protein that most people have issues digesting.
3. It’s better for the immune system.
One 2006 study showed how pasteurized cow’s milk suppressed the immune system in mice, but several articles have been written linking pasteurized cow’s milk to a decline in the human immune system as well.
Goat milk does not produce mucus in the body like cow’s milk so it won’t stimulate conditions like asthma. It also won’t trigger the body’s defense mechanism during digestion. Goat milk is also rich in selenium (with 27% more than cow’s milk), which is required for proper immune function.
4. It contains more nutrients.
The amount of minerals in goat milk is much like cow’s milk, but goat’s milk contains more calcium, more protein, more Vitamin B6, more Vitamin A, more potassium, more niacin and more copper.
5. It’s a natural antacid.
Prairie View A&M published a study in the Journal of Dairy Science that found goat milk to be more effective at balancing the pH level in the digestive system than antacids. Goat milk is also recommended to be consumed regularly to treat stomach ulcers.
6. It’s very similar to mother’s milk.
The nutrient make-up of goat’s milk is closer to human milk than cow’s milk, which makes it a great option when introducing animal milk to still growing tummies and digestive systems. Also, goat’s milk is alkaline (higher in pH) and more in line with the natural pH level of mother’s milk at 7.4. Cow’s milk is acidic (lower in pH) and measures anywhere from 6.7 to 6.5 on the pH scale.
7. It’s less toxic.
Because goat milk has not been commercialized like cow’s milk has, most goat farms don’t use any artificial hormones, antibiotics or contaminants on the animals. This means there’s a much less chance of toxic and harmful chemicals being found in goat’s milk.
In fact, there’s TONS of articles out there that describe the awesomeness of goat milk. There’s so much “good” stuff that the only “bad” that I can find is that some people don’t like the taste. But honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference. We bought a quart of goat’s milk from Trader Joe’s and both kids and I had a glass when we got home. Three thumbs up with two of those thumbs asking for seconds!
I myself only have one big bone to pick with goat milk: the cost.
Seriously, unless you own a grass-grazing goat, this stuff is expensive. I paid $3.49 for one quart. That would add up to almost $14 for one gallon, and that’s not even fresh from a farm! The only way around it would be to find someone local who is a) willing to sell their milk, and b) willing to sell it for less than $14/gallon.
Or…
Convince Mr. Crumbs to let me have a goat.
We have a local farmer who sells raw goat milk to us for $4.50 per gallon, but this is totally unusual. Just a few miles away it costs $12 per gallon, and that is pasteurized. We like the goat milk, but it definitely tastes better in the spring right after the goat has given birth.
Hmmm… maybe that’s the difference people are tasting? I’d be all over that price if I was your neighbor! 🙂
Would you mind sharing more of where you researched for #3? I have a son who has struggled with respiratory issues his whole life, and this really sparks my interest as something to try. Thanks!
Hi Angie! This article may help explain the relationship between cow’s milk and asthma. As it turns out, it could be an allergic reaction: http://www.naturalnews.com/010443_cows_milk_asthma.html
A holistic doctor talked me into giving up dairy for a week 7 years ago, because he said it was causing 90% of my asthma and upper respiratory congestion. I begrudgingly agree to take him up on the challenge. I knew within 5 days that he was right. The constant sinus congestion and phlegm is gone. Take your child off dairy. He’s not a cow. He does not need it. No milk, no yogurt, no cheese. You will see the difference.
I agree that some do see relief by giving up dairy, but not everyone does. And unless you react to it, there’s no reason to give it up. 🙂
All dairy is an excellent source of MCT’s. Helps developing brains in children and has had tremendous impacts on aging brains. So among the many other nutritional positives of consuming dairy, it does a brain good! For those that do not have allergies, dairy is a nutritionally dense food.
Sorry that you have to find dairy substitutes.
We live on an off grid homestead and just started our dairy goat herd. Even with a very hungry kid we are getting over a quart a day. This will jump in a few weeks when Annabelle is weaned. We will breed three does next year.
Plus goats are super friendly and provide hours of entertainment.
I like goat’s milk too. My in-laws had goats until just about a year ago, and we could always mooch “extra” milk from them for free. When I had to wean my 10-month-old baby, I put her on goat’s milk and she LOVED it. Drank it like her life depended on it. The only reason I switched her to cow’s milk once she got older was the cost of goat’s milk once we had to buy it from a store. I should do some more research on where to find good goat’s milk, as another baby is due in a few weeks and I may need to supplement again.
I have two milk goats along with my Father – in – law’s meat herd. They have been a huge blessing to our family and 2 little girls at church who were raised on them after their mother’s milk ran out. They are really more of pets now though I still milk them once a day when their babies are not getting it all.
We got them originally when our daughter was weaned and seemed to be allergic to cow’s milk, she is actually lactose intolerant so she can’t drink goats milk either, but the rest of our family enjoys it very much. I have never had enough cream to make butter abs have failed at cheese a few times but now I an taking a course to learn how to make kefir and cheese among other things. Goat’s milk soap is my one biggest success. I love it and enjoy making it very much!
Hi there!
I’m a brand-new reader from the East Coast and a backyard goat farmer myself… I cannot recommend them (and goat’s milk) enough! There’s a couple books that I can recommend for micro-scale goat farming, starting with The Backyard Homestead from Storey Publishing and The Backyard Goat by Sue Weaver. Both have really practical advice for keeping them on very small lots, and as long as you don’t keep a buck, the milk should always be excellent; nearby intact boy goats do impact the flavor. As for convincing the Mister, I have little advice – my husband was a goat person before I was, and we got started with a doe who lived in our house for the first eighteen months of her life (a strategy I do not recommend). Good luck! 🙂
We have an intact male lamancha in with our dairy goats and the flavor is not impacted. He’s not in rut however and we plan on moving him to his own pen before rutting season.
I just got the OK from my hubby for goats. I’ve been pleading for several years now, something always seems to get in the way. Our plan is for next year though. I grew up on goat’s milk. My saint of a mother drove 45 min. each way every week to get me a quart of milk. (I was very allergic to cow’s milk). I think it will save us over the long run vs 5-6 half gallons of organic each week (about $23 weekly) I’m also just very excited about doing it myself. We have hens and raise meat birds 2-3 times a year. It’s nice to know where it came from. Love your blog too!
GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR HUBBY!!
Part of me would love to have a dairy goat, too! But then I think of milking twice a day added on to everything else, and I think I’ll wait until I can send my older children out to do it! 🙂
LOL – good point!
We have several goats on our little backyard farm, and the milk is great. We also make more goat cheese than we could possibly use (my freezer is full of cheese). Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to make butter from goat milk because the cream doesn’t separate like cow’s milk.
Let me know if you need someone to take that extra cheese off your hands CW 😉
I am with you. I want dwarf pygmy goats really bad–they are supposed to be good for small scale farming. I could convince my husband because we have a couple of acres and he likes the idea, but we need a fence. We need a garage more than we need a fence or goats, so I guess it’s way down on our list, not happening anytime soon. Darn!!
LOL, hold on to the hope that it’s still ON the list, and not completely fallen off! 🙂
Have no idea where it is available now a days or what a fair price is but my daughter loved it when a friend gave us some.
My knowledge of goats is limited to this; (1) get more than one as goats are very social animals and get lonely if they are the only goat; (2) miniature goats are great for small backyards but not for milk; and (3) they are very good for keeping predators away from your chickens. My dream has been to have chickens and goats but, alas, we live in an area that does not allow them. (Sigh!)
I am trying to find Goat Soap.i live in Oklahoma city