Mozzarella From Milk Powder - Opaque & Goat Milk Yield Problem

[Tobemeghan]

Hello!
I am hoping someone can help me out. I have been making some mozz and it works beautifully (stretches perfect, etc.) when as soon as I wrap it and put it into the fridge it turns into a clear rubber ball (see pic). Anyone know what I am doing wrong? I am using powdered milk (I know not the best) and vegetarian rennet. 



ANY help would be wonderful!
Thanks so much!
Tobey

[tnsven]

If the powdered milk is skim, that is likely your problem. When I made moz with skimmed milk (from my cow), it was yellow/clearish and rubbery. Can you add some cream to the milk?

Kristin

[Tobemeghan]

If the powdered milk is skim, that is likely your problem. When I made moz with skimmed milk (from my cow), it was yellow/clearish and rubbery. Can you add some cream to the milk?

Kristin

That is probably it. I have a goat but 7 wks into her production she has dropped down to half of what she was giving. Do you think that if I went half goats milk half powdered it would help? How much cream would you add if I was just using powdered? I can't wait until my Dexter cow freshens here soon!

Thanks for the help!

[tnsven]

I would not think your goat should drop off so fast.   

I think 1/2 goat milk, 1/2 powder would work great! I'm guessing someone else can answer better on the cream addition but if it were me, I'd add 2-4 cups of cream for every gallon of milk.

Do you have a "milky" Dexter? You may find that you need 2 with the cheesemaking. 

Kristin

[JohnnyBHammerer]

If you don't mind me asking, how did it taste?

[Tobemeghan]

I would not think your goat should drop off so fast.   

I think 1/2 goat milk, 1/2 powder would work great! I'm guessing someone else can answer better on the cream addition but if it were me, I'd add 2-4 cups of cream for every gallon of milk.

Do you have a "milky" Dexter? You may find that you need 2 with the cheesemaking. 

Kristin

I don't know why she is dropping so fast! The weather has warmed up but still, she is a Toggenburg and I have never been very impressed with her. I had a lovely lovely 50% Oberhasli 50% Alpine that milked like a dream but lost her this year to pregnancy complications. She aborted her kids and even though we rushed her to the vet he couldn't save her. Loved that goat!

I have a Dexter that is in milk now but I bought her from a guy who never looked at her and she is wild as can be! She is getting better and will eat grain from my hand and while she is eating I can carefully get a couple of squirts. Much better than she was when I first got her and she went though 10' high chain link with telephone pole post (snapped off one of these post).When I got her no one knew she was pregnant so when she calved I didn't have my milking shed ready. If it would just quit raining I could get it finished, I think (maybe) that she I had the right set up I could milk her. She had a lovely dun heifer, hopefully another future milker! The Dexter that is expected next is her first calving so hopefully she will be a good milker (is 5yrs).

ANYWAY thanks for the cream tip, I will try it out!

Tobey

[Tobemeghan]

If you don't mind me asking, how did it taste?

Don't mind at all. It was okay, tasted better when it was melted but the rubber texture makes it hard to chew without choking! If I could just get the right texture I would be REALLY happy!!!!

Thanks!

[iratherfly]

Is this a traditional Mozzarella or a quick one (acidifies with citric acid)
Why are you using powdered milk?
Mozzarella works best with raw water Buffalo milk, or with raw cow's milk. It works ok with creamline (non-homogenized) pasteurized milk, and hardly works at all with supermarket milk, so I assume that powdered milk may totally kill it. Also, powdered milk often has additives such as anti caking agents and synthetic stabilizers. I don't quite get why you are using this. Even cheesemakers who attempt to make goats and sheeps mozarella still use some cow's or buffalo milk to stabilize the curd.

[tnsven]

I don't know why she is dropping so fast!

This happened to one of my Jerseys. I believe it was because she needed more protein in her diet. I have not had this problem since changing to a higher protein mix. Bummer on the good goat loss!

I have a Dexter that is in milk now but I bought her from a guy who never looked at her and she is wild as can be!

I know there are "milking lines" and "meat lines" when it comes to Dexters. If you have not, I suggest you visit www.keepingafamilycow.com and search around. There are a few very knowledgeable Dexter owners/breeders there that may be able to assist you. Lots of great info on training new milkers too. My first cow ran away when we got her too...looking for her herd. 

Let us know how your next batch turns out!

Kristin

[Tobemeghan]

Is this a traditional Mozzarella or a quick one (acidifies with citric acid)
Why are you using powdered milk?
Mozzarella works best with raw water Buffalo milk, or with raw cow's milk. It works ok with creamline (non-homogenized) pasteurized milk, and hardly works at all with supermarket milk, so I assume that powdered milk may totally kill it. Also, powdered milk often has additives such as anti caking agents and synthetic stabilizers. I don't quite get why you are using this. Even cheesemakers who attempt to make goats and sheeps mozarella still use some cow's or buffalo milk to stabilize the curd.

I am using it because I have a lot of it. Around here raw milk is illegal to sell and if you can get it it cost between $8-$10 per gallon which is way more than I can afford. My cows aren't milking yet and my goat has dropped off in production. I have 50lbs of dry milk so I an trying to find ways of using it. Most people around here don't even know you can milk a goat non the less a water buffalo. But until I get fresh milk of my own I am stuck with the dry I know its not the best but some of us have to make due with what we have. 

[Tobemeghan]

I don't know why she is dropping so fast!

This happened to one of my Jerseys. I believe it was because she needed more protein in her diet. I have not had this problem since changing to a higher protein mix. Bummer on the good goat loss!

I have a Dexter that is in milk now but I bought her from a guy who never looked at her and she is wild as can be!

I know there are "milking lines" and "meat lines" when it comes to Dexters. If you have not, I suggest you visit www.keepingafamilycow.com and search around. There are a few very knowledgeable Dexter owners/breeders there that may be able to assist you. Lots of great info on training new milkers too. My first cow ran away when we got her too...looking for her herd. 

Let us know how your next batch turns out!

Kristin

I will try the higher protein, she gets good quality hay and is tethered out (pasture fence on the mends) in a shady spot all day and always has fresh cool water so I couldn't figure out what was wrong.

I know one of my Dexters is from a milking line and I'm not sure about the other (the wild one). I know he bought it out of state to breeding stock for meat but rather she came from milking I don't know. I will check out the website, I have that book and need to sit down to read it, always seems I have just enough time to flip through it to specific information rather than reading it from cover to cover.

Thanks for all of your help!

Tobey

[Tobemeghan]

tnsven
I forgot to ask, what high protein would be in terms of goat feed or supplements? Also what do you add to the animals diet to make it higher protein?

Thanks!

[tnsven]

Most dairy rations are 16% protein. If that is what you are using, it could be something else. If you are tether the Tog and only started recently, perhaps she is not getting the browse she needs to maintain milk production. Since she's a purebred, her nutritional requirements could be higher than the mixed breed goat you lost. This could mean she needs "better" hay, higher protein feed, etc. Check the website....lots of the cow owners there have goats too.

For me, I switched from feeding corn/oats/barley to a mix that included grains with alfalfa, wheat mids (higher in protein) and a little soy (which I prefer to avoid but haven't had the time to eliminate).

Good luck!

Kristin

[Oberhasli]

Maybe you could mix in some shredded beet pulp or calf manna into her grain to help raise her protein level.  You would need to introduce it slowly, but my goats love it.  It is odd she dropped so quickly.  I have two goats I have milked through for going on two years and they are still giving me a gallon a day and these are obers which milk similar quantities to toggs.  They get the best alfalfa I can buy and a 16% dairy ration along with the added goodies to their feed I mentioned.  They get some pasture, but it is not their sole source of roughage.  Do you have other goats?  Could she be lonely?

Bonnie

[Tobemeghan]

Maybe you could mix in some shredded beet pulp or calf manna into her grain to help raise her protein level.  You would need to introduce it slowly, but my goats love it.  It is odd she dropped so quickly.  I have two goats I have milked through for going on two years and they are still giving me a gallon a day and these are obers which milk similar quantities to toggs.  They get the best alfalfa I can buy and a 16% dairy ration along with the added goodies to their feed I mentioned.  They get some pasture, but it is not their sole source of roughage.  Do you have other goats?  Could she be lonely?

Bonnie

WOW your picture reminds me so much of Norma Jean (Oberhasli Alpine mix). Norma Jean use to milk for two years as well barley ever dropping below a gallon. This Togg hit a gallon within about 1.5wks of kidding and now (6wks later) is giving 2 quarts, barely. She never has been a great milker but geesh! Since I lost NJ (almost 4 months ago) she is alone but I once I have her kid weaned she will have her, she is with two Dexters cows and a calf.

I will start looking for some better feed for her, we live outside of a very (very, 230 pop) town so it can be hard to get good grains. Someone told me once that goats shouldn't have alfalfa but I am sure they did know what they were talking about. How much should they be given?

Thanks again for all of the info, I am off to see what I can get my hands on!

Tobey