I am asking because just now I read in Home Cheese Making fron Ricki Carroll, page 10 and 11, that cow's milk will yield butterfat 3.8 % and goat's milk will yield 4.2% which is higher than the cow's milk.
Am I missing something ? :-\
In advance, my friends, thank you!
Goat's milk is naturally homogenized, meaning that the fat globules are suspended in the milk and don't rise very well, so you don't get that cream layer that you do with cow's milk.
I have heard that cream separators will work, though
I use a cream separator and get about a quart of heavy (a spoon will stand in it) cream per gallon of milk. The yield varies depending on the stage of lactation.
Ricki Carroll must only be referrring to one breed of dairy cow - most likely the Holstein Fresian. The Holstein would average about 3.8% butterfat, maybe. In NZ the Holstein probly averages a tad more - maybe 4.2%
Generally all other breeds of cow would be higher with Jersey being the highest.
It depends on what they are being fed too.
Here in NZ on our all grass based system, we have 450 cows of mostly Jerseys, but there is Fresian,Ayshire and others.
Our current butterfat test is 5.8%, this will rise in the next few months as they progress with their preganancies, should peak at about 7%
Sorry, I do not know that site well. It is so VERY overwhelming!!!
Nevertherless, here I am, with many thanks for your contributions! :)