M2505

Educational Tips for Farmers: Dairy Goat Versus Dairy Cow

Dairy Goat Udder Anatomy

70% of milk is stored in the udder/gland cistern.
30% of milk is stored in the alveoli.
Goats have two teats.

Cross-section diagram of a goat’s udder with labeled parts, including alveolar lumen, myoepithelium, secretory alveolus, interlobular duct, lobar duct, secretory lobe, suspensory ligament, gland cistern, annular ring, teat cistern, and teat orifice. — Goat udder anatomy.

Dairy Cow Udder Anatomy

60% of milk is stored in the alveoli.
20% of milk is stored in the ducts.
20% of milk is stored in the gland cistern.
Dairy cows have four teats.

Cross-section diagram of a cow’s udder with labeled parts, including inner and outer walls, alveoli, ducts, connective tissue, gland cistern, teat cistern, and streak canal. — Cow udder anatomy.

Dairy Goat Versus Dairy Cow Milking

Cows require stimulation to move the milk from the alveoli to the cistern. This is accomplished with oxytocin or the presence of the calf, depending on the breed.
With goats, milking is easier because most of the milk is stored in the gland’s cistern, which makes it easier to release.
Goats are smaller and easier to handle than cows; however, they are more social and playful, which can make milking difficult.

Other Differences

Goat milk has more cytoplasmic fragments, similar to human milk, and more milk fat globules.
Bioactive components secreted with goat milk include epidermal growth factor (EGF), polyamine, and free amino acids.
Goat milk is considered hypoallergenic. It has lower levels of the protein alpha-s1 casein than cow milk, making it easier to digest.
The iron and calcium components of goat milk are easier to absorb than those of cow milk.
The composition ranges of cow and goat milk may vary depending on factors such as breed, diet, and lactation stage.
Goat milk contains prebiotic oligosaccharides, which are carbohydrates that feed good gut bacteria.

Differences in goat and cow milk composition.
Variable	Goat Milk	Cow Milk
Solids (%)	12.0–15.4	12.3–15.6
Fat (%)	3.2–6.0	2.7–4.8
Protein (%)	3.0–3.8	2.8–3.9
Casein (%)	2.4–2.8	2.0–3.0
Casein/Protein (%)	70–80	65–79
Lactose (%)	3.6–4.8	4.2–5.2
Ash (%)	0.7–0.9	0.6–0.8
Energy (MJ/kg)	2.93–3.49	2.72–3.39
Somatic cell count (× 10^3 cells/mL)	200–1000	< 750
pH	6.6–6.8	6.6–6.8

M2505 (POD-03-26)

By Jill DeGayner, Bachelor of Science Graduate; Leyla Rios, PhD, Assistant Professor, Animal and Dairy Sciences; and Carlos Alvarado, PhD, Dairy Product Specialist, Langston University.

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