Guest guest Posted December 6, 2008 Report Share Posted December 6, 2008 I was able to buy the unused gallon Jugs at one of the bottling dairies and we froze milk for all of our customers and they knew that from December to the first of March we would be in short supply. I had families that picked up 25 gallons every 2 wks all frozen.It is the best way to go. We also cool out milk as it comes into the milk can . We make a heavy brine solution by heating water on the stove and adding allot of kosher salt to it and stir it until it disolves and let it cool to room temp. Then we pour it into cleaned water bottles and put it into the freezer(it will not freeze with the salt in it) store them in gallon zip lock bags to keep them fresh. We take out 2 per doe we are milking and add them to the bottom of the milk can and as the does are milked the milk pours over the Brine solution that is below freezing temp but not frozen and cools the milk down.New bottles are added as needed and then the older ones are removed and cleaned when the milk machine is cleaned. We have found this to be the best way to cool our milk the fastest. I have strained milk with ice crystals in it many a time and came back an hour later and the jugs were frozen solid. Our secrete is out- this is better than a cooler. The milk is not adjitated in any way just cooled as natural as it could be.We try to use heavy duty bottles and they usually last 4 to 6 mths for this process. Our friends have kept it frozen dated back 6 mths and tell me that they cannot tell the difference in the taste.. I have also heard about the jugggling of the milk makes it have a tainted smell. I have never had that problem and have traveled as long as 6 hours with fresh milk iced down in a cooler and never had a problem at all with smell.Ice cream was made with it the next day after the 6 hour drive.. We do not milk by hand and always use the machine. The machine is cleaned daily with a small amount of Bleach and Cascade ran through it and broken down every night and thoroughly cleaned. Cleanliness is the key to having a good tasting milk. We have always had Nunians and are not familiar with other breeds but have been told that the Toggenburg milk has a tainted smell. Any of you have that have Toggs and another breed might comment on this. I have never smelled the difference just was told this by someone who does have them and also has Nubians. She seperates the 2 milks and does not mix it. If anyone has any good hard cheese or other cheese recipe's I would be interested. We are trying to find a Pepperjack recipe to use. We are in TX where it is not legal to sell milk unless you are selling it for animals use or for the use of making soap. I am also new to the group and am anxious to read and find out new info. We are also trying to figure out a way to grow all of the food for our animals and possible go all organic!! Any ideas welcome.. Floyd Beaumont TX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Do you copper bolus? I raise Saanens and their milk is supposed to be close to Toggenberg milk. However, I learned that proper levels of copper and cobalt are as essential as cleanliness for 'non-goaty' tasting milk. Last season I could detect 'goat' in the milk after about three days in the frig. But since I have been supplementing the copper and cobalt, there is no 'goatiness'. I was using a mineral mix from Kellogg, in OK, but it got too expensive. I now use a Sweetlix meat goat block. It seems to work pretty well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Yes, I use them and it does make a difference. Are you copper deficient in your area? If you are, the animals can't get enough copper from a block or loose mineral. No, I've never used them but know folks that do, with good success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Have you looked into copper bolusing? It's much, much cheaper than bying specialized mineral they can't get the full benefits from. It is a pain in the butt to give but it's only given 2 maybe 3 times a year. If the goats are copper deficient they can't raise the levels by eating mineral blocks, etc. Yes to the copper deficiency - I'm in SW Ohio. I'm much happier with theis block than the loose mineral for sure. I will probably go back to using Kellogg's Maxi-Min Caprine mineral since it's winter and they need more of everything. It's just too costly for all year - $2+/day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 I raise Saanens and their milk is supposed to be close to Toggenberg milk. However, I learned that proper levels of copper and cobalt are as essential as cleanliness for 'non-goaty' tasting milk. Last season I could detect 'goat' in the milk after about three days in the frig. But since I have been supplementing the copper and cobalt, there is no 'goatiness'. I was using a mineral mix from Kellogg, in OK, but it got too expensive. I now use a Sweetlix meat goat block. It seems to work pretty well. Cleanliness is the key to having a good tasting milk. > We have always had Nunians and are not familiar with other breeds but have been told that the Toggenburg milk has a tainted smell. Any of you have that have Toggs and another breed might comment on this. I have never smelled the difference just was told this by someone who does have them and also has Nubians. She seperates the 2 milks and does not mix it. > If anyone has any good hard cheese or other cheese recipe's I would be interested. We are trying to find a Pepperjack recipe to use. > We are in TX where it is not legal to sell milk unless you are selling it for animals use or for the use of making soap. > I am also new to the group and am anxious to read and find out new info. > We are also trying to figure out a way to grow all of the food for our animals and possible go all organic!! > Any ideas welcome.. > Floyd > Beaumont TX > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 No, I've never used them but know folks that do, with good success. > > Do you copper bolus? > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Floyd, I give my goats trimmings off our acacia trees and they really love those..Better than hay... You could grow them in Texas..You could also grow mesquite trees for them.. They'd much rather eat trees than grass or hay...I'm waiting on an order from Banana Tree Seeds,Inc. I ordered all the varieties of acacia they had..I have a plant nursery license,so can sell the seedling trees after I grow them up in my greenhouse..Which reminds me,I need to go turn the electric back on for my greenhouse heater..Then if my does decide to have kids when it's too cold outside,I can dry them up in the greenhouse..Plus I need to start moving some frost sensitive plants in there.. I have one toggenburg doe..But haven't tasted her milk yet..She is bred for her first time this year.. Her kids should have good milk..I bred her with my registered nigerian dwarf buck..For some mini toggs..Look online for cheese recipes,there's lots of them,I'm sure you could find one for pepperjack.. I have two books I use for my cheesemaking..Got a good recipe to try this year for feta,from a friend on the homedairygoat group.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 Yes to the copper deficiency - I'm in SW Ohio. I'm much happier with theis block than the loose mineral for sure. I will probably go back to using Kellogg's Maxi-Min Caprine mineral since it's winter and they need more of everything. It's just too costly for all year - $2+/day. > > Yes, I use them and it does make a difference. Are you copper deficient in > your area? If you are, the animals can't get enough copper from a block or > loose mineral. > > > > > > No, I've never used them but know folks that do, with good success. > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 It does sound much easier - I'll look into it. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 10, 2008 Report Share Posted December 10, 2008 according to this it is legal to sell raw milk in TX. http://www.realmilk.com/happening.html#tx > We are in TX where it is not legal to sell milk unless you are selling it for animals use or for the use of making soap. > I am also new to the group and am anxious to read and find out new info. > We are also trying to figure out a way to grow all of the food for our animals and possible go all organic!! > Any ideas welcome.. > Floyd > Beaumont TX > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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