How much do Goats really "stink"?

babsbag

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@Bunnylady I beg to differ on the milk. If the doe is not with the buck, she is milked in a clean manner, and the milked is chilled immediately the difference between that milk and cow's milk is negligible and there should be NO goaty flavor at all.

That being said, there are some goats that have milk that just taste "off"; my Togg for one. But to say that all goat milk taste "goaty" is really not giving goats a fair shake. My girls would be offended.
 

Bunnylady

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@Bunnylady I beg to differ on the milk. If the doe is not with the buck, she is milked in a clean manner, and the milked is chilled immediately the difference between that milk and cow's milk is negligible and there should be NO goaty flavor at all.

That being said, there are some goats that have milk that just taste "off"; my Togg for one. But to say that all goat milk taste "goaty" is really not giving goats a fair shake. My girls would be offended.

Easy, there! Before your goats butt me right over the barn, I said IF you have drunk it AND noticed a significant difference, the smell/flavor that makes it different is "goat." Though I have had goats for years, I never tasted their milk (they are "brush goats;" I don't really want to know what flavor some of the brush around here could impart to milk :sick). I have had commercial brands of goat milk and yogurt; though I liked them both, there was a very subtle hint that I recognized as "goat." It wasn't strong enough to be unpleasant, but it wasn't identical in flavor to cow's milk products, either. I have heard that some breeds tend to produce milk with more of a goaty taste than others; perhaps the dairies had some of the stronger-tasting does in their herds.:idunno
 

Southern by choice

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Easy, there! Before your goats butt me right over the barn, I said IF you have drunk it AND noticed a significant difference, the smell/flavor that makes it different is "goat." Though I have had goats for years, I never tasted their milk (they are "brush goats;" I don't really want to know what flavor some of the brush around here could impart to milk :sick). I have had commercial brands of goat milk and yogurt; though I liked them both, there was a very subtle hint that I recognized as "goat." It wasn't strong enough to be unpleasant, but it wasn't identical in flavor to cow's milk products, either. I have heard that some breeds tend to produce milk with more of a goaty taste than others; perhaps the dairies had some of the stronger-tasting does in their herds.:idunno

Breed of goat does make a difference but really it does have a great deal to do with the milk/chill process. I have tried different products from different dairies in NC. I can say I know exactly what you mean... some product taste like I just kissed a goat! :sick Some products I spit out immediately into the trash. Other products from different dairies no "goaty" anything.
Many people I know have tried different goat products and are very turned off saying it all taste like a goat :sick. When the same people try our cheese or fudge or ice cream they are shocked that it doesn't taste that way.

For us there are times when I will taste a mild goaty tatse, no one else in the family can taste it but I am more sensitive and can.
Just my observations but when we went from using qt jars to 1/2 gallon jars it took a lot longer for them to chill and those were the ones that had just a "slight" taste difference. We are currently working on a system to chill much faster. Yes, diet also makes a difference.

We pasteurize our milk and there again getting it chilled down from 162 degrees to 45 must be done REALLY FAST.
When it takes hours to chill down it tastes "off" IMO.

Goats milk from the store (and I don't care what brand) and canned goats milk is absolutely disgusting and is not representative of what your typical family farm's goat milk tastes like.
We do not leave our bucks with does ever. We hand breed- meaning when the doe is in heat we put her in a pen bring the buck up and in a few minutes the deed is done so to speak. Buck goes back to his pen and same with the doe. This way we have exact dates of earliest date due.
 

samssimonsays

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My goats don't smell at all, granted I have only had them since May 3rd. Their poop area does but only when it is damp and raining, which has been a lot lately :sick but kept clean it certainly helps! They get fresh hay daily when they are traipsing wet and rain into their shelter to help with that. I have 2 does and a wether.

My friend down the road has a buck and he has never smelled "rank" just musky, pees on himself AND the girls :eek: when he is being used for breeding but it is nothing that can't be cleaned.
 

babsbag

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@Bunnylady OK, I will tell my girls to forgive you. :) Goat milk from the grocery stores is usually pretty disgusting, that is for sure. But you might be surprised how the milk from your goats tastes. Boers are supposed to have very good milk in spite of not being "dairy" so your brush eaters might be ok too. I have two doelings this year that are 1/2 boer and they are slated for the dairy lineup just so I can see what their milk is like. Would be nice if they would milk like dairy and have the butterfat of a Boer. We'll see.
 

GLENMAR

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I love my goat milk. I can't wait until the kids are weaned so it's all mine. :) Ahhh. The smell of bucks in the fall. That's how we know the seasons are changing around here. I don't mind the buck smell at all. I try not to handle them too much when they are very stinky. :confused:
 

alsea1

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I think it also depends on the person. I like livestock so the odor does not bother me. However some friends of mine are horse people only and think even my sheep smell bad.
I agree with the others though. Management can be a key issue. The cleaner you can keep the area the better the health and least odiferous the animal pens will be.
 

Sweetened

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As others have said, its the buvks that stink. Of course, if youre loving on a doe who burps in your face or gives you cudd kisses, then they stink.

I dont find buck odor all that offensive if you have one or two -- but walk into a buck pen with 6 or 7 and Ill do nearly anything to remove the onion-like burnig sensation from my nose! Our saanen is super friendly, like a dog, but skunky; ill still cuddle him.
 

goatgurl

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I'm sitting laughing to and at myself. ds4 use to refuse to go to the store with me at certain times of the year and i never knew why, hummmm. and the answer is yes, bucks can smell like ---- but it doesn't bother most of us. bucks can smell like a cross between a strong onion and a skunk when they are in rut but if kept separately the does smell like sunshine and hay. everyone is correct, it is more about how you handle the milk then how the buck smells. don't let others limit your dreams. goats are wonderful. and what lake are you moving to, we may sorta be neighbors.
 

lkmartin1230

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My bucks have never been smelly enough to make the neighbors say anything, but we are in the country, and we have 4 people living on the road. I have horses, goats, pigs, chickens,and cows. All of the animals stink occasionally. Pigs live at my grandparents house thankfully because they get ripe in hot weather. But, as for bucks, last year I had 5 yr old buck, and he had a slight smell, but it wasn't that bad.
 

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