Everyone who enjoys the wholesome, goodness of goat milk needs a
good, strong sanitary procedure as part of their milking routine.
While maintaining cleanliness is important regardless of what kind of
animal you're milking, goat milk is particularly sensitive to
“catching” bacteria or odors that will give the milk an off or
“goaty” taste.
In all the years I've been enjoying raw
milk, I've NEVER once been sick from our milk or dairy products made
from it. It doesn't mean it can't happen though, and if it does, my
first suspect would be how the equipment, conditions, animal and
storage containers were sterilized. Which is why I decided to share
with you what has worked for us. Being very, very careful to follow
proper sanitation with our milk has treated our family to many happy,
healthy years of fresh milk and we believe the same is more than
possible for you. Raw milk is one of the most nourishing foods God
has gifted to us, but its quality and taste is destroyed without
proper sterilization.
All raw milk (cow, goat, sheep, etc.)
is:
Prone to the same bacteria strains
(such as Coxiella ,
Salmonella, etc.)
Require
cleanliness, prompt storage and cooling for healthy raw milk
In
addition to the above, goat milk is also be susceptible to odors and
bacteria that cow milk is not as sensitive to requiring goat milkers
to leap above and beyond the extra mile with sanitation. Some
boil their equipment; others try commercial cleaners and formulas.
This is the solution we have used for years and have found it to be
the best of both worlds.
Sanitary
Procedure
Note: this method is for hand milking.
If you use a milking machine, please consult your owner's manual for
proper cleaning and sanitizing.
Wash milk pail, strainer, jars and lids
with hot, soapy water.
Fill a clean sink with 4 gallons of hot
water.
Add ½ cup of regular Clorox bleach (no
dyes, scents, etc.) to the hot water.
Place your pail, strainer, jars and
lids in the bleach water and let set for 5 minutes.
Remove the pail, strainer, jars and
lids and allow to air dry (so the bleach can dissipate) for about
15-20 minutes before use.
This is the sanitation procedure we
have followed for 11 years and have always enjoyed
great results. Sanitation is not the only cause for unhealthy milk
(which, if the Lord wills, we will be covering in a future post), but
it is a big, big, BIG one. Ours is certainly not the only method out
there and you're more than free to use the one that works best for
you. But if you are having trouble feel free to give it a try
and drop a comment about how it worked for you. :)
Disclaimer: This post is for
informational purposes only based on our own personal experience and
study. There is no fool-proof method for destroying or eliminating
all risk (including FDA approved pasteurization) and this is not a
guarantee against the downfalls of living in a fallen world.
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