Goat milk plays an important role in the world nutrition. It has unique properties and multiple benefits for human health that we will review here.

Figure 1. Goat milk plays a fundamental role in the economy of many regions and families with small and medium production systems.

How much goat milk is there in the world?

Some data estimate that there are almost one billion heads of goats in the world, most of them are located in Asia and Africa. The FAO estimates that goat milk occupies 4% of total milk production worldwide, which was calculated at around 800 million tons in 2018. It is recognized that 95% of goat production is concentrated in tropical developing countries.

It is important to remember that goat farming is humanity’s oldest art of domestication of food-producing animals. This is due to the great adaptive capacity of goats to arid environments and rustic conditions, environmentally demanding for other animals. This capacity has allowed goats to occupy a special place in productive areas with economic difficulties, as they support families and small and medium-scale productions.

On the other hand, goat milk has two main directions. In the eastern regions of the world it is intended for direct consumption; while in western regions, such as Latin America, this milk is mainly used for the manufacture of derivative products such as cheese or yoghurts, although there is also some direct consumption.

What characteristics does goat milk have?

Goat milk, like that of other mammals such as bovines and even humans, varies in its composition depending on several factors such as: food and nutrition, the environment, genetic and breed conditions, reproductive management, among others.

In the following table, we can observe some nutritional values ​​of goat milk per 100 grams. There we see that 87% is water and the rest is classified as total solids. Goat milk is characterized by being a rich source of energy, high protein values ​​(especially casein) and an important lipid profile that will determine the final use of the milk: direct consumption or manufacture of derivatives such as cheese or yoghurt.

Table 1. General nutritional table of Goat milk. Adapted from: USDA, 2017.

In the following table we can see some nutritional characteristics at a mineral level that goat’ milk has for every 100 grams of it. It is reported that it has a greater amount of minerals than human and bovine milk, especially calcium. However, it presents lower values of Iron and Cobalt.

Table 2. Nutritional table of minerals in Goat milk. Adapted from: USDA, 2017.

At the vitamin level, it is reported that goat milk has similar levels of Vitamin C and D compared to that of bovine origin; on the other hand, it has a greater amount of Vitamin A and B. In addition, it is a rich source of riboflavin (B2) and niacin (B3) important in the development of children.

What properties and benefits are known at the human level?

• Ideal for allergies

  It is estimated that up to 8% of people are allergic to cow’s milk. Goat milk is a great alternative for these people as it has a significant percentage of proteins that are structurally different from those of bovine origin.

• Avoid heartburn

  Goat milk has a slightly alkaline pH, compared to bovine milk which is slightly acidic. This provides a great alternative for people who suffer from heartburn and want to consume dairy products, since goat milk will stabilize the acidity in the digestive system of people with said gastrointestinal pathologies.

• It is easy to digest

  Goat milk has smaller fat globules compared to cow’s milk and a rich profile of short and medium chain fatty acids, for this reason its digestion is facilitated and it is a good alternative for people that suffers digestive problems.

• Excellent nutritional contribution

  It is recognized that goat milk is one of the most complete foods that exist in the world due to its high nutritional profile (of macro and micronutrients). It is also an excellent nutritional source for children and pregnant women due to its high amounts of high-quality protein that can meet their daily protein requirement.

• Alternative for lactose intolerant

  It is estimated that up to 75% of people in the world are lactose intolerant and therefore should consume lactose-free cow milk. As goat milk has lower level of lactose it represents a great option for lactose intolerant people.

It is recommended to consume goat milk duly treated under safety and hygiene standards dictated by each country.

Recommendations for the producer

Some recommendations that are focused on goat farmers are:

1. Correct and complete sanitary management of the sheepfold to avoid diseases in the herd, through periodic vaccination and deworming; in addition, veterinary medical evaluation required for the proper management of possible diseases
2. Application of Good Livestock Practices (GMP) that improve the productive performance of the farm, ensure the safety of the milk produced and grant quality recognition to the productive system.
3. Focusing efforts on the prevention of infectious diseases associated with goat dairy herds such as: brucellosis, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, listeriosis, herpesvirus, Q fever (Coxiella burnetii), Coccidiosis. On the other hand, monitor the pathologies caused by nutritional imbalances or poisonings from the forages used in their diet.
4. Separate animals into two groups depending on their productive level: a high production group and a low production group, to provide appropriate management to each one from zootechnics and veterinary medicine (nutrition, zootechnical management, health plans, etc.)
5. Avoid the presence of male goats in milking places to avoid changes in the milk that may affect its organoleptic quality.

Conclusions

Globally, goat milk is less produced compared to cow milk. However, it plays a fundamental role in the economy of millions of people in developing countries due to the great adaptability of goats to difficult environments. In addition to that, knowing the great amount of properties and benefits that goat milk brings to human health allows increasing its consumption. It is one of the most complete foods that exist in the world and its production should be enhanced.

References:

• Asociación Cubana de Producción Animal, 2006. Manual del Caprinocultor. Capítulo 7: producción de leche y carne. Disponible online en: https://biblioteca.ihatuey.cu/
• Bedoya Mejía, O., Posada, S. L., & Rosero Noguera, R. (2012). Composición de la leche de cabra y factores nutricionales que afectan el contenido de sus componentes. In Desarrollo y Transversalidad serie Lasallista Investigación y Ciencia. Corporación Universitaria Lasallista.
• Bidot Fernández, A. (2017). Composición, cualidades y beneficios de la leche de cabra: revisión bibliográfica. Revista de Producción Animal, 29(2), 32-41.
• FAO, 2019. Perspectivas agrícolas 2019-2028: lácteos y productos lácteos. Capítulo 7. Disponible online en: http://www.fao.org/
• FAO, 2020. Portal lácteo. Portal de recursos sobre la leche y derivados. Disponible online en: http://www.fao.org/dairy-production-products/
• Martinez, G. M., & Suarez, V. H. (2018). Lechería caprina: producción, manejo, sanidad, calidad de leche. Ediciones INTA.
• Meneses, R. 2017. Manual de Producción Caprina. 136 p. Boletín INIA Nº 05. Institutode Desarrollo Agropecuario (INDAP) e Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA). Santiago, Chile
• USDA, 2017. FoodData Central: Goat’s milk, whole. Disponible online en: https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/
• Zoratti, O., Palmero, S., Gómez, L., Juárez, Á., Grille Peés, L., Carro, S., … & Iglesias, C. (2016). Leche de cabra: producción, tecnología, nutrición y salud. Ciencias de la Salud.

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