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MILKING THE NICHE
Nevada dairy goat farmers find big success with small animals.
WRITTEN BY SUE EDMONDSON
PHOTO BY JEFF ROSS AND COURTESY OF FAGUNDES DAIRY
Dairy goats may be the new dairy cow. USDA reports show that dairy-goat inventory has grown 10 percent each year since 2007. In 2012, dairy goats numbered 413,540 nationwide.
The surge makes sense. Consumers are eating more adventurously. And they’ve discovered National Institutes of Health studies that show goat’s milk is a good alternative for those prone to certain allergies or lactose intolerance.
Its popularity is no surprise to commercial dairy-goat farmers such as Dan and Anne Fagundes of Fagundes Dairy in Fallon, or Paula Terrell of Creamcup Mini’s in North Reno.
“Goat’s milk has a higher butterfat content than cow’s milk, which makes for excellent cheese, yogurt, kefir, and ice cream,” Terrell says.
A major production
It’s 10 a.m., and all is quiet at Fagundes Dairy, where the smell of fresh alfalfa pervades. If you didn’t see thousands of goats, you wouldn’t know they were there. Surprisingly, goats are clean, virtually odorless animals. That is, except for bucks during mating season, when they use their urine as perfume to attract females.
They’re also silent, most of the time anyway.
“Goats are like dogs — they’re good at training people. If you don’t reward them for bad behavior, they’re quiet unless something is wrong,” Anne Fagundes says.
Apparently, goats at the certified-humane Fagundes Dairy have nothing to complain about. They’re eating a mix of alfalfa hay, grain, minerals, vitamins, and almond hulls after being milked for the first time that day. It’s a 10-hour process to milk all 2,900 goats.
The milk is sold to creameries located in California (none exists locally), where it’s made into cheese, yogurt, and kefir. For the past several years, the dairy has shipped 600,000 gallons per year.
To supply that much milk, you need a lot of lactating goats — about 2,900. It takes another 2,000-plus goats to guarantee consistent production, which is why Fagundes Dairy produces more than just milk. Dan and Anne breed from their own stock, raise the kids, and grow the alfalfa that feeds them.
“It’s a 24/7 job. Goats are more labor intensive than cows per gallon. You have more animals to handle every day, and goats give birth to multiple kids,” Anne says.
She knows about both — she and Dan owned dairy cows first. In the 1990s, when cow’s milk prices plummeted, goats seemed like the perfect alternative. Despite initial marketing challenges, they worked their way to owning one of the largest goat dairies in the country.
“To us, it’s not a big deal. It’s what we do,” Anne says.
The mini market
Paula Terrell’s 100-goat farm is not only smaller than Fagundes Dairy, but the goats are smaller, too. She raises mini La Manchas, whose height averages 25 inches. At about 100 pounds, they’re half the weight of full-sized goats.
Terrell doesn’t sell the goat milk she gets daily from her 45 or so lactating goats. Still, none of it goes to waste. What she doesn’t use, she feeds to her other animals. Her business is selling dairy goats to breeders and to individuals for home use.
“The minis are a perfect size for milking, and easily handled by children or older people,” she says. “You get at least half a gallon of milk a day, which is as much as most households use. They’re friendly, docile, make less noise, smell cleaner than a dog, and fit in the back of a Subaru!”
She admits there are some challenges.
“Goats are notoriously picky eaters,” she says. “If they sneeze on their food, they won’t eat it. They’ll chew on anything, including electrical wiring. They’re also escape artists. There’s a joke that if a mosquito can get through a fence, so can a goat.”
Freelance writer Sue Edmondson has written for various publications in Nevada and California. She had fun learning to milk a goat, and was amazed that the milk smelled so fresh and sweet, like a spring morning.
Sidebar
Get a goat
But check regulations before taking one home.
Thinking about buying goats?
First, make sure your home is zoned for livestock. According to Reno Planning Department representative Aimee Luan, Reno has no livestock regulations, and, therefore, no restrictions. Washoe County, Sparks, and Carson City all have varying limitations.
“Goats actually are very easy to keep,” Terrell says. “You need two because they’re herd animals, good fencing, a trough feeder to keep food clean, and shelter to protect them from getting wet. They not only detest it, they’re susceptible to respiratory infections. Otherwise, they need minimal care.”
Milking takes less than 10 minutes per goat. Good husbandry and hygiene keep the milk bacteria free. Terrell’s goats will produce milk for 18 to 24 months before needing to be bred again.
Amy Monette of Monette’s Menagerie, who raises and sells Dwarf Nigerians, only milks her goats in the spring, summer, and early fall. She freezes milk not immediately used for drinking, desserts, and cheese.
“It’s a choice, and I don’t like to milk when it’s freezing outside,” Monette says. “I just defrost milk as needed. The taste is as good as fresh.”
Recipe
Amy Monette’s Mexican Hot Chocolate Ice Cream
(Makes about 5 cups)
“This ice cream can be spicy for some, so adjust the cayenne to your personal taste,” Monette says.
1½ cups heavy cream (If you don’t have a cream separator for your goat’s milk, use cow’s cream)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 to 2 pinches cayenne
⅔ cup granulated sugar, divided
5 large egg yolks
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, whisk together cream (or substitute milk), vanilla, spices, salt, and ⅓ cup sugar. Bring mixture just to boil.
While milk mixture is heating, combine yolks and remaining sugar in medium bowl. Using hand mixer on low speed or whisk, beat until mixture is pale and thick.
Place chopped chocolate in separate mixing bowl.
Once milk mixture has come to slight boil, whisk about ⅓ of hot mixture into yolk mixture. Add another ⅓ of mixture, and then return combined mixture to saucepan. Using wooden spoon, stir mixture constantly over low heat until it thickens slightly and coats back of spoon. This mixture must not boil or yolks will overcook. The process should only take a few minutes.
Pour mixture through fine-mesh strainer into bowl of reserved chocolate; whisk to combine and then bring to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate minimum of 1 to 2 hours and up to overnight.
Process in ice-cream maker to consistency desired.
Resources
For details about mini goats, visit http://www.Creamcupminis.webs.com and http://www.Mmenagerie.com
Fagundes Dairy’s goat’s milk is used by Laura Chenel’s Chevre. Find its cheeses at stores such as Whole Foods Market, Costco, Safeway, and Raley’s.
