Do you have to have a cream separator for goat's milk? I have heard you can pasturize as usual and let it sit in a shallow pan? How long will it take to separate and how shallow of a pan? How much (just a ball park idea) cream will you get a day from a nubian? Will get getting our goats soon and I have had no luck finding a cream separator for under $200 and then I am not sure all the parts are there. I did find a Plaava Cream Separator for $125 (new) but it is almost all plastic. Has anyone had any experience with this one? I am not using it for any commerical use, just home use with 2-3 goats. Any help is really appreciated!

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), July 04, 2001

Answers

Ah, the big do we need a cream separator for goats milk debate again. IMHO- No. I pasturize and keep mine in 2 quart, wide mouthed jars. In four days I have a few inches of cream at the top (depending on where I am in the lactation cycle with which goats as some have very high butter fat content and others less). People who don't pasturize will tell you that you need a separator because the milk goes "goaty" before the cream rises enough to skim.

The variables are so great I won't even venture a ball park for daily cream production. It varies with feed, time into lactation, individual animals etc. etc. etc. In my herd the average is a little over a pint of cream for each gallon of milk, but I am not pushing them in the least and I know that others achieve a better percentage. Lots of luck with your Nubians, I sure love mine.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), July 04, 2001.

Someone on the forum mentioned if you have access to fresh, raw cow milk, adding some to the goat milk will help the cream separate. Something to do with enzymes in the cow milk.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), July 04, 2001.