Drinking their own milk is not something that every goat does or enjoys but there are a few that do.
Why would goats drink their own milk, is it safe for them to drink their own milk, what are some of the nutritional values of goat milk for goats, and are there benefits to drinking goat’s milk?
We are going to explore all of these questions and more in this article as we dive deeper into the topic of can goats drink their own milk.
Let’s get started!
Why do goats drink their own milk?
While an uncommon occurrence, goats do sometimes drink their own milk.
When this occurs, it is usually by female goats (does) and this could be due to a couple of reasons.
After giving birth
After giving birth, some does start to self-nurse and drink their own milk.
This may be due to them feeling weaker or malnourished after the birth.
Excessive milk production
Some does start to self-nurse and drink their own milk if they are over producing milk and constantly have full udders.
If they are not being milked properly or enough, and they don’t have kids to feed, then this sometimes results in them self-nursing.
As a treat
Some goats start drinking their own milk simply because they are given it as a treat by their owners or caretakers.
If they like it then it is hard to get your goat to stop drinking milk or seeking it out/ craving it.
Is it safe for goats to drink their own milk?
The answer to this question is yes, it is perfectly safe for goats to drink their own milk.
It contains a large number of beneficial nutrients and can be a good treat for your goat.
Care should be taken with the quantity your goat consumes, however.
What is the nutritional value of goats’ milk?
Recently, goat’s milk has been becoming more and more popular, competing with cow’s milk and alternative forms of milk such as almond and soy milk.
What exactly are the nutritional benefits of goat’s milk for goats?
Goat’s milk is highly nutritious and contains high quality proteins and fats, as well as different quantities of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and carbohydrates.
Goat’s milk is also a great source of vitamin A and vitamin B5
Proteins and fats
Goat’s milk contains a large amount of high-quality proteins and fats per serving which greatly increases its digestibility.
This is beneficial to your goats as it improves their digestion and assists with their digestive health and comfort.
Calcium
Goat’s milk is rich in calcium which is extremely important for the health, development, and maintenance of your goat’s bones and teeth.
It also works to support normal muscle function and helps the body to produce energy.
Potassium
Potassium’s main purpose is the regulation of fluid balance in the body.
It is beneficial to goats as it helps to protect against the loss of muscle mass as well as lower blood pressure and improve bone density.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an extremely important mineral that is found in the sea, plants, and the earth.
It is involved in hundreds of reactions in the body and works to improve your goat’s energy levels, increase their muscle movement, and lower their blood pressure.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is an essential mineral, and it is extremely important to consume foods that contain it.
When it comes to your goats, phosphorus is important for the filtering of waste and the repairing of cells and tissue.
It is important for the health and strength of your goat’s bones and works to improve energy levels.
Carbohydrates
Goat’s milk contains a high proportion of “prebiotic” carbohydrates.
These carbohydrates help promote the beneficial bacteria that live in your goat’s stomach and work to improve digestion and digestive health and comfort.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a vital vitamin and can be very beneficial to your goats.
It is a fat-soluble vitamin and positively impacts your goat’s vision, as well as improving its immune system and organs such as kidneys and lungs.
Consuming vitamin A also helps to reduce the risk of your goat developing cataracts.
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that helps to maintain a healthy digestive system.
It also positively impacts the eyes and energy levels.
This vitamin is lesser known but can be very beneficial to your goat.
What are the positives to goats drinking their own milk?
Goats drinking their own milk is definitely not a common occurrence but there are a few benefits that can come about as a result of them consuming their own milk.
Health benefits
As stated earlier, goat’s milk contains a large amount of beneficial vitamins and minerals, as well as contains high level proteins and fats.
This means that goat’s milk is highly beneficial for goats and drinking it can help to boost their immune systems.
Helps goats put on weight
Consuming their own milk helps goats that are thin or struggling to put on weight at a much faster rate.
Drinking their own milk causes them to gain weight very quickly, however, so it is important to monitor the amount they are consuming and the rate at which they are consuming it.
Helps goats that are sick
For goats that are sick, or are not feeling particularly well, drinking their own milk is an excellent way for them to recover quicker.
This is because goat’s milk contains many beneficial vitamins and minerals that positively impact the health of your goat.
What are the negatives to goats drinking their own milk?
While there are many positives of goats drinking their own milk, there are also a couple of negatives associated with this habit.
Gaining weight
As mentioned above, if goats consume too much of their own milk then it is possible for them to gain weight at a rapid pace.
This can negatively affect their health, as well as reduce their mobility and ability to do simple tasks.
It can also be difficult to get your goat to lose weight once it has become overweight.
They can become addicted
While it sounds overly dramatic, it is common for goats that drink their own milk to constantly crave it and seek it out at every opportunity.
They begin to hunt down the bucket once you finish milking them and self-nurse whenever they get a chance.
To avoid this, limit the amount of milk you allow them to drink and the frequency with which you give it to them.
How to stop your goat from drinking her own milk
While there are benefits to does drinking their own milk, if consumed in excess it can negatively affect them.
If you believe that your goat is drinking too much of their own milk, there are a couple of things that you can do/ implement in order to stop them.
Tape
Using medical tape to tape your goat’s teats can be an excellent way to stop them from self-cursing if this is the main way that they are drinking their own milk.
Udder salve
Another way to stop them from self-nursing is to use a petroleum-based udder salve on your goat’s udders.
The smell and taste of the salve will effectively deter you goat from self-nursing
Keeping them away from the bucket once you finish milking
Other than being given their own milk directly as a treat, one of the main ways in which goats drink their own milk is straight out of the bucket once they are finished being milked.
You should, therefore, keep a close eye on your goats once you finish milking them and should keep the bucket an appropriate distance away from them to ensure that they are not sneaking sips!
Goats drinking their own milk is not a common occurrence, but it does happen.
When it happens, it is usually by female goats, ‘does’, that are self-nursing or have taken a liking to their own milk.
It is safe for them to drink their own milk and there are actually benefits associated with this as goat’s milk has many positive vitamins and minerals within it.
There are also negatives, however, and it is a good idea to monitor how much milk your goat is drinking and how frequently they are drinking it.
Overall, goat’s milk can be an excellent treat for your goat and, if they like it, can be given to them regularly in a controlled manner.
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