All a matter of taste – or why is goat so popular?
If you ask “goat’s milk lovers,” the first thing they often mention is the unmistakably distinctive, slightly tangy taste of goat’s milk products. (If you ask those who don’t like goat’s milk, it’s exactly this characteristic that defines goat’s milk for them—and divides opinions. It really is a very particular flavour.) Many of the mums and dads who applied last year for the big Töpfer “Goat’s Milk Porridge Test” also wrote that they simply enjoy eating goat’s cheese and other goat’s milk products.
The rumour that goat’s milk tastes “goaty” has persisted for a long time. But where does this come from? Milk absorbs surrounding odours very easily. That’s why both animal husbandry and the methods used to obtain the milk play an important role.
What goats eat influences the flavour of the milk
Do you remember the fairy tale The Table, Set Yourself? “I’m so full, I don’t want another leaf: baa, baa!” … that pretty much sums it up: goats are picky eaters. Fresh grasses, herbs and even the tasty bark of young branches are happily on the menu when goats are out grazing. And just like with cows, the flavour of the milk changes accordingly—sometimes more robust, sometimes sweeter, depending on what’s on offer!
With organic goats and ecological farming, particular attention is paid to feed quality. Feed mixtures that meet EU organic standards and are free from genetically modified organisms are mandatory. An optimal mix—such as maize, beet pulp, linseed, alfalfa, wheat bran and more—ensures the best nutrient content and, ultimately, excellent milk quality.
Tastes like goat…!?
Did you know that very fresh goat’s milk straight from the farm has little to no “goat” smell at all?
This aroma becomes more noticeable only during the processing of the milk. So for anyone who has the chance to buy goat’s milk fresh from a farmer: give it a try!
Germans once drank an average of 8 litres of goat’s milk per year
Goat’s milk has been used as a food source for thousands of years and has long been a good basis for infant nutrition. Looking back over a long period of time, it’s likely that more young children in Europe were raised on goat’s milk after breastfeeding than on cow’s milk. A few goats were simply common household animals and far more widespread than cows in many families.
In the 1950s, Germans drank an average of eight litres of goat’s milk per year. Over time, goat’s milk lost importance and was almost completely replaced by cow’s milk in the 1980s and 1990s.
Especially in Central and Southern European countries, goat’s milk is still widely used today—not only in the form of flavourful goat’s cheese, but also as drinking milk. In Germany too, goat’s milk has been gaining renewed attention over the past few years.
The rediscovery of goat’s milk
Today, goat’s milk is slowly being rediscovered—as a tasty dairy product.
In Southern European countries in particular, goat’s milk is still consumed more frequently than in Central Europe and remains a fixed part of traditional dietary habits.
In many non-Western countries, goats are considered the primary source of milk. This is also reflected in the widespread use of goat’s milk products in Mediterranean and Arab cuisines around the Mediterranean region.
In our part of the world, goat’s cheese has long been popular, and in recent years yoghurt and quark made from goat’s milk have also been on the rise. Since 2012, goat’s milk has also been officially approved in the EU as a base for infant formula.
Why was cow’s milk consumed much less in the past?
For thousands of years, goats have lived alongside humans as uncomplicated livestock—and goat’s milk was naturally consumed as a result. The goat was already considered a very “practical” domestic animal back then: it doesn’t produce large quantities of milk, but it produces milk consistently, even without a kid. And with a kid, the goat still produced enough milk for both the kid and the children in the household.
Goat’s milk for baby tummies?
When we talk to mums, we often hear that goat’s milk products (milk, cheese, etc.) are commonly used within the family.
Important not to confuse the two: fresh goat’s milk and goat’s milk–based infant formula are not the same.
Since 2012, goat’s milk has been officially approved in the EU as a base for infant formula.
