Cows' milk/Goats' milk. How do you choose?
Apple the mini Jersey (Taffy’s baby)
Mini Guernsey goats are the cutest!
You & I can totally agree that cows & goats are both cute! And the milk their mamas produce is delicious.
But, there are advantages & disadvantages to their milk.
So how do you choose? Cow milk or goat milk, which is better?
While raw milk from either species is far superior to pasteurized, some people can still find their tummies upset (or have other problems) after drinking cow’s milk.
"Nooooo! I can't be allergic to milk, can I??!!" I just heard you screaming at your computer..
This "allergy" may be due to a protein in some cows’ milk that goats don't have.
Not to bore you with too much scientific stuff, but most cows (NOT ALL) carry a protein called A1 beta-casein.
That is most generally seen in commercial cows like Holsteins. Cows can be A1/A1, A1/A2, or A2/A2.
A2/A2 is the most desirable.
Yeah, I told you, boring AND confusing!
A1/A1 milk can be harder on digestive systems causing irritation, upset stomachs, and some claims are even worse.
Although not a lot of research has been done on either type of milk, testimonials from actual folks who can only tolerate A2 milk have me believing there’s something to it.
Heritage breeds like our Jersey cows are more likely to carry the A2 protein.
We have tested all 5 of our cows and found that the majority is A2 milk!! A couple of them are A2/A2, A1/A2, and then we have A2/B (who knew that was a thing??)
Now, back to the cow/goat milk debate.
Goats' milk PROS:
Smaller fat globules make it easier to digest
NO A1 protein
Contains less lactose (milk sugars)
Slightly higher in most vitamins & minerals
Goats' milk CONS:
Can have a slight "goaty" taste after about 1-2 weeks in the fridge
Low in Vitamin B 12
Cream does not separate without a cream separator
Harder to find a supply & more costly because they do not produce as much as a cow
We won’t hold those “cons” against them, they’re too cute!!
Cows' milk PROS:
Easier to find a supply
Cream rises to the top making it easy to use in recipes
High in Vitamin B 12
Most prefer the taste of cow milk over goat milk
Cows' milk CONS:
Possible A1 protein can cause digestive issues
Slightly lower in most vitamins & minerals (compared to goats' milk)
Larger fat globules can take 2+ hours to digest (not always a ‘con’)
Another notable difference is, cows' milk is more yellowish & goats' milk is pure white.
This is due to the way the animal processes the beta carotene in the grass/hay they eat. Cow’s milk contains beta carotene, making their cream & butter yellow.
Goat’s bodies convert the beta carotene into Vitamin A, making their milk, cream, & butter pure white.
My personal favorite is our cow’s milk. I like goat’s milk, but it’s just “OK” to me.
Here are a few recipes I prefer to use goat milk..
Coffee Cream
Cajeta (caramel sauce)
Chevre or Bovre (I love both!)