Goat milk is more nutritious compared to cow milk and its highly medicinal. It is particularly good for children who are lactose-intolerant.
Feeding dairy goats
Optimum growth, good health and high milk production are the results of sound feeding practices.
Young goats need to be fed to get enough energy for growth, while mature animals should also be fed well to maintain a fairly constant body weight.
Provide enough protein, minerals and vitamins in a balanced feeding programe to maintain healthy animals. This gives a stable milk production and productivity during gestation and lactation for foetus development.
Advantages of goat milk
- It is naturally homogenised (cow milk is chemically homogenised which sometimes makes it unhealthy).
- Goat milk has got more calcium and phosphate, which is good for bones and blood production.
- It contains more tryptophan, an acid that gives the consumer a feeling of calm, relaxation and sleepiness.
- Good for adults as well. If the body lacks calcium, it will make the blood run freely.
It is a complete protein containing all the essential amino acids with low fat content.
Dairy goats
There are six types of dairy goats which are;
- Nubians; have very long, floppy ears and they can be any colour. Their milk tends to be higher in protein and butter fat than other breeds.
- LaManchas; they are calmer and more gentle than other breeds.
- Alpines; are a medium-large breed and popular with dairies due to the amount of milk they produce.
- Oberhaslis; have a black dorsal strip, udder, belly and are black below the knees.
- Toggenburgs; have the smallest height requirements of all the breeds. They grow a shaggier coat than other dairy goat breeds.
- Saanens; they usually have a large udder capacity and are popular with dairies due to the quantity of milk they produce.
