Goat cheese are seldom available here in the Philippines and with the proliferation of dairy goats let’s learn the art of making goat cheese. Goat cheese ranges from a quick and simple process, to a long and complicated procedure. The soft spreadable form of goat cheese known as chevre is probably the best known of the soft cheeses; however, many other forms of soft cheeses can also be easily made with goat milk.

The large quantities of three fatty acids, known as capric, caproic and caprylic acid, are responsible for the unique aroma and tangy taste of cheese made from goat milk. Cheeses made from the milk of other animals can not duplicate the taste of goat cheese, because the other milks do not have the abundance of these three medium-chain fatty acids.

Water comprises almost 90% of milk. The water portion of milk is known as whey. Cheese is made from the solid portion of milk, called the curd.

There are two methods for separating the whey from the curd for making cheese, but both methods work by acidifying the milk. In the first method, bacteria are introduced into the milk and allowed to multiply. The bacterial action converts the milk sugar, lactose, into lactic acid. The longer the bacteria are allowed to remain active, the more lactose is converted.

This process reduces the lactose content of ripened and aged cheeses to about 5% or less. Because most of the lactose has been removed from these products, they are often recommended as milk alternatives for lactose intolerant individuals.

The second method uses an acidifying agent, usually vinegar or lemon juice, to create the separation. As the acid is introduced into the milk, curds begin forming almost immediately. When drained, these curds make a soft, spreadable cheese.

Although some forms of goat cheese do require carefully controlled conditions and special ingredients, there are several soft cheeses that can be easily made with simple ingredients found at the grocery. Two recipes are given below.

Recipe 1. Goat Milk Ricotta Cheese. Heat 2 quarts of goat milk to 185° F. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice. The milk should begin to immediately form small curds that stick to the whisk or spoon as you continue stirring. If not, add a few more drops of the vinegar or lemon juice until curds form.

Pour the mixture into a cheesecloth-lined colander placed over a bowl, or in the sink, to drain. Let drain at room temperature for several hours until the desired consistency is reached. Remove the curds from the cheesecloth, and store in a closed container in the refrigerator. Use as a spread, or in recipes that call for ricotta cheese.

Recipe 2. Goat Milk Quark Cheese. Heat 2 quarts of goat milk to 88° F, and stir in 2 tablespoons buttermilk with active cultures. The buttermilk will work better if it is fresh. If the buttermilk is nearing its expiration date, add an extra tablespoon or two. Cover the pot, and let set at room temperature for 24 hours.

Pour the thickened mixture, which should look similar to yogurt, into a cheesecloth-lined colander placed over a bowl. Cover, and refrigerate for 12-24 hours until drained. Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Quark cheese is similar to a thick sour cream, and is excellent in baked goods, including cheesecake. It can also be used for dips, or as a substitute for ricotta.

If desired, a small amount of cheese salt, kosher salt, or other non-iodized salt may be mixed into the cheese according to taste.

Enjoy your easy, homemade goat cheese!

In the U.s., the most popular variety of milk for consumption is cow’s milk. This of type milk is popular among Americans of all ages. Nevertheless, if you are going to compare it with the rest of the people of the world, you will realize that in terms of global popularity, goat milk outshines cow milk by a large margin.

Unlike cow’s milk, goat’s milk is much easier to digest as it contains smaller fat globules. Furthermore, the good cholesterol and Vitamin A that can be found in goat milk are readily absorbed by the body and brain than cow milk, meaning it could be used almost instantly. Other advantages of goat milk over cow milk include: its alkaline reaction which is similar to a mother’s milk not like cow milk which has an acidic reaction; goat milk is better suited to asthmatics and people with allergies as it does not cause mucus build-up; it also contains more natural germicidal properties as it is richer in chlorine, fluorine and silicon; and goat milk aids in preventing constipation considering that it is beneficial to the intestinal tract.

Taking all these benefits into account it is no wonder that goat milk is one of the primary reasons why a lot of farmers are into raising goats than any other livestock in the world; and it is growing in popularity in the U.S. and here in the Philippines. The American Dairy Goat Association recognizes six types of goat breeds as dairy goats or those that produce good quality goat milk.

Here are dairy goat information for your appreciation:

1) Nubian goat – breed has different colors with long, floppy ears, convex nose, and large structure. The breed is known to be more stubborn compared to other dairy goat breed and their unique noise sounds like the goats are complaining. Its milk has higher butter fat and protein content than other dairy goats.

2) Alpine goat – breed can have different colors except all white and light brown with white markings. It has a straight face, standing ears, and medium body built. It is a common dairy goat breed because of the amount of milk it is able to produce.

3) La Mancha – breed can be of any color. One of its distinct characteristics is that it has almost unnoticeable ear. It is relatively small but very sturdy and still able to produce milk while undergoing a great deal of hardship. Its milk is high in butterfat.

4) Oberhasli – breed is chamois colored. It is medium built, energetic and active, and has a straight face. It is a Swiss dairy goat.

5) Toggenburg – breed varies in color from light fawn to dark chocolate. It is medium built, sturdy, energetic, and active. It is know to be the oldest dairy goat breed and noted for its highly developed udder and high level of milk production.

6) Saanen – breed is usually pure white in color. Its size is medium to heavy built, with straight or dished face. Its does are heavy milk producers and yield best in much cooler environment.

The many dairy goat breeds provide the goat raiser with a lot of choices; thus, making it easier for him to find out the most suitable breed of dairy goat depending on his requirement and farm environment. Given the right dairy goat, the goat raiser will then profit in the many benefits of goat milk. Pioneering dairy goat producers in the Philippines successfully breed and produce profitable volume for the local market.

Every goat raiser needs to have proper recording system from the start in order to enter the goat raising venture the right way. Goat Farm Supply is now ready to serve you in your goat raising venture basic gadget needs. Available online and can be ship anywhere in the Philippines for FREE. Goat Farm Supply is an official sponsor of FGASPAPI website which you are accessing right now. FGASPAPI.com website is online for almost three years now and will continually provide you informations about goat raising venture in the Philippines.

Raising goats in the Philippines for meat does not need to be a very painful or expensive process… if you know how — that is. Although goat meat farming can entail a lot of your time, the profits from this venture are indeed noteworthy. In order to successfully launch your goat farm, here are a couple of things you need to do first.

1. Develop a forage area in your farm that is large enough to sustain the number of goats you plan to raise. Common rule of the thumb is for every twenty five goats you have, you need one hectare of forage area to sustain there feed requirements.

2. Choose goat breeds that you can take care of with minimal fuss. Most novice goat farmers immediately choose animals which they think will have higher meat yield and are imported. That choice could be favorable — if you can make your farming practice work, that is. But the truth is: when it comes to raising goats for meat though, your first area of concern is the type of breed you can raise.

Boers (also known as South African Boer goats) and Anglo nubian goats are the most favored meat producing breeds in the country. These animals have larger bodies and not prone to become fat even on an intensive diet. Goats like these also grow up very quickly, which means that their meat can be harvested in a short amount of span only. These animals are indeed noted to have the highest amount of harvestable meat per animal. However, Boers, Saanen and Anglo nubians would also need extensive care and a very specific kind of diet.

On the other hand, there are some people who favor raising Philippine native goats instead. Unlike Boers and Anglo nubian goats, these animals have adapted to the tropical weather in our country, diet or temperature. Although not as heavily built as the Boers or the Anglo nubian, the Philippine native goats do have a high reproduction rate; and that is always a plus factor when it comes to raising goats for meat.

If you are not particularly sure as to what breed you ought to get, you can start with a high breed Anglo nubian or boer buck and breed it to your native goats to improve there offspring.