looking for corn-free goat milk

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I'm new to the group. I live in St. with my husband and 10 month old

daughter. I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations for how I could go

about finding a source of raw goat milk from goats that are not fed any corn.

My daughter has had a number of digestive issues from birth including

sensitivities to cow's milk, soy protein and corn. For reasons it would take me

too long to explain she had to be switched from breast milk to formula at 3

months old. She is currently on the only commercial formula available in the US

that has hypoallergenic protein AND is corn free. She is not thriving on it

but it is the only formula she can at least tolerate. Several months ago I

tried making a modified version of the raw (goat) milk infant formula on the WAP

website. Unfortunately she didn't tolerate it well. The milk was from from

Poplar Hill's farm and I know they do supplement their goats' diet with corn.

The thing I don't know is whether she was reacting to the goat milk protein or

to trace amounts of corn from the goat's diet. (She would react to corn in my

diet when she was breastfeeding.)

I would love to be able to find goat milk that is corn-free so I can do a true

test to see if she can tolerate goat casein. I'm willing to make a long drive

if necessary. I assume it will be easier to find pasture-fed goat milk in the

spring/summer than it would be right now and that's ok I don't have to have it

immediately. I'm just not sure how to go about locating a source. If anyone

has any advice I would really appreciate it.

Thank you,

Jill

[Guest guest]

The main problem you are going to have is getting good quality goat milk if

looking at pasture only. Goats are not grazers but browsers and will make milk

without grain of course but the nutrient level in their bodies will go down,

milk will not be as great, and the goats tend to look like crap. IF the pasture

contains good browse it can be done but most people can't plant that many

trees/shrubs/bushes to make it work. Or have a woods that will support goats

for that long of time. And goats do not do well at all on a grain based

program--which is one reason why you don't see them in feedlots to fatten up.

They don't need much grain to make a good diet but they do tend to need some

additional protein. Especially when milking out a good portion of their body

weight each day.

Poplar Hill is good but they feed GMO's. And about 80% of the corn grown in the

US now is GMO, 93% of soy is GMO. Scary huh?

I feed corn that is non-GMO. There is corn in the mix but oats are the main

grain, linseed is added for protein content to replace the soy. The entire farm

is soy free and GMO free.

Our modern day goats (can cows) are far removed from the creatures of the late

1800's and early 1900's. They have been bred to produce more, longer, and eat a

different diet efficiently than their ancestors.

[Guest guest]

Kathy..maybe others,

Can you educate me as to why 'we' don't feed sprouted grains for milk

production(or meat production for those who feed grain)? Is the time input, $,

or other?

I ask because I'm looking to start a " farm " ; and livestock wise(other than

cattle), I know the basics...

----- Reply message -----

From: " Paradise " <paradisegoats@...>

< >

Subject: Re: looking for " corn-free " goat milk

Date: Tue, Feb 28, 2012 4:13 pm

The main problem you are going to have is getting good quality goat milk if

looking at pasture only. Goats are not grazers but browsers and will make milk

without grain of course but the nutrient level in their bodies will go down,

milk will not be as great, and the goats tend to look like crap. IF the pasture

contains good browse it can be done but most people can't plant that many

trees/shrubs/bushes to make it work. Or have a woods that will support goats

for that long of time. And goats do not do well at all on a grain based

program--which is one reason why you don't see them in feedlots to fatten up.

They don't need much grain to make a good diet but they do tend to need some

additional protein. Especially when milking out a good portion of their body

weight each day.

Poplar Hill is good but they feed GMO's. And about 80% of the corn grown in the

US now is GMO, 93% of soy is GMO. Scary huh?

I feed corn that is non-GMO. There is corn in the mix but oats are the main

grain, linseed is added for protein content to replace the soy. The entire farm

is soy free and GMO free.

Our modern day goats (can cows) are far removed from the creatures of the late

1800's and early 1900's. They have been bred to produce more, longer, and eat a

different diet efficiently than their ancestors.

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[Guest guest]

I sprout whole grains for 75 laying chickens. It & #39;s a lot of work and takes a

fair amount of heated space. Multiply what I do for large animals? It would be

a serious undertaking. The weight issue alone is daunting. 5lbs of dry grains

becomes 15+. That wouldnt go very far with large animals. And in winter?

You & #39;d have to have an elaborate set up.

And, at least in the case of ruminants like cows and sheep, they shouldn & #39;t

eat grain at all. Sprouting would be a ton of work in the wrong direction.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

The reason I don't use sprouted grains for feed is that it (1) takes up way too

much time to do it efficiently, (2) I think uses up a huge amount of water which

is scarce in some areas, (3) if a batch goes bad it can flavor the milk--not

limited to sprouts, herbs, shrubs, etc., can change the flavor of milk quickly,

(4) if I ever want to go somewhere and have to hire someone to come and do

chores for me, there is no way they are going to be sprouting anything. Trust

me! It is hard enough to find someone willing to milk with a machine. And

finding anyone to even show up is like pulling teeth!

You can also use an herb called Goats Rue for increasing milk production. The

USDA doesn't like this herb and it is on their bad list. But you can find seeds

for it and ya know, if the USDA doesn't like it I think I will LOVE it and have

a packet of seeds here to try.

Those are just my personal reasons. My entire income/living comes from the farm

so what I do has to be feasible either money-wise or time wise. I have not

found any great info on sprouted grains being better (being for milk production)

but this could be due to sprouting not being " main stream " as well.

I also have a large herd of goats, I think I am up to 91 with the new

babies--many more to come. I prefer to base my feeding program on forage first

(which is pasture/grass and hay) and then building up from there what is missing

or lacking. I do this for all the animals--cows (milk and meat), sheep, pigs,

poultry, and even the rabbits. It works for me, everyone is different. I also

do not feed a ton of grain to the animals, my program is no where near the feed

lot types of feeding.

It is also going to depend on if you farm as a full time job/living or if you

work a " regular " job and then farm. If you are just raising a few critters for

yourself and maybe an extra to cover your expenses, then you can more easily

cover your expenses. My little farm project has to cover all the expenses from

the equipment payments, feed, labor, housing, etc. since I do not work off the

farm.

I was going to look into the grass blocks that you can grow on the farm. Not

sure if that is worth the effort either, being in MN and having to have a source

of heat to keep water from freezing and things germinating can be problematic.