Got Goats? Moo-ve Over Cows!

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Milk and cookies are as American as apple pie and ice cream.  They still are, but now cows and their milk are getting a run for their money and having to mooo-over to make way for dairy goats.  Dairy goats are the decade’s fastest growing livestock segment in America according to the Sun Journal.  The USDA reported that goats have had a 61 percent growth from 2007 to 2017 whereas other types of agriculture livestock like broiler hens and beef cattle were relatively flat in growth during that same time period. 

Dairy goats can be found frolicking everywhere lately from goat yoga to helping clear brush and prevent wildfires in California.  Is there anything this amazing creature can’t do?  I would have to say, probably not, but then I’m a bit biased anyways because I think goats are the neatest thing since sliced bread, but, I digress.  Back to how wonderful goats and their milk is. 

Goat milk, which is easier to digest than cow milk,  is growing as an alternative to those with lactose intolerance to cow milk who are looking for a similar substitute other than plant based options such as almond or soy milk.   It has smaller fat globules which are broken down by the body much easier than cow milk which can also help with inflammation.  It is also more easily digested than cow’s milk because goat’s milk is slightly lower in lactose than cow’s milk and becomes even lower in lactose when cultured into yogurt per Healthline.

And, we can’t talk about goat milk without also talking about goat cheese.  The Europeans have pretty much always been in the know when it comes to great cheeses and have been eating wonderful goat cheeses for what seems like forever.  Well, thanks to great chefs like Alice Waters from Chez Panisse introducing this wonderful fresh cheese to our American salads in the late 80’s, goat cheese consumption has increased greatly.  It used to be a rare, hard to find delicacy only to be found in gourmet and specialty shops, but not anymore.  Thanks to the increase in demand for this delectable goat milk and cheese, America is finally on its way to catching up to this magic milk that the rest of the world has been enjoying forever, or so it seems. 

Cow may currently be queen in the US, but dairy goats are giving them a real run for their money.  Dairy goats leave a smaller hoof print on the environment in that they take up less space and do not pollute the air with as much methane gas as cows do. 

Per the Washington Post, dairy goat herds all grew across the US with the greatest increases taking place in our nations three biggest dairy states:  Wisconsin, Iowa, and Texas.  That’s a lot of milk, cheese, and other non-food items that can be made from goat milk that have health benefits for your body such as goat milk soap which is great for dry skin, eczema, and psoriasis per  Hope’s Relief.  And, if your local grocery store doesn’t yet have your favorite goat cheese in stock yet, you can no doubt find it at one of the many goat product stores online.  Goat Milk Stuff  is one example of the many different online retailers available to purchase your favorite goat milk items from.  They are located on a working farm in Scottsburg, Indiana and they make just about anything using goat milk from goat cheese, to goat milk gelato, to bath, and laundry products.  The sky is the limit as to what can be made from goat milk and all have wonderful benefits for your body both inside and out.

Cow milk does a body good, but goat milk might be doing a bit better, especially lately.  Dairy goat milk is currently the most popular milk consumed in the world and is coming on strong in the US as of lately with no signs of slowing down.  Cows might be bigger stature-wise, but goats are achieving a much bigger expanse of consumer driven demand.  Tiny, but mighty, goat milk, the all in one magic milk that truly does a body good.