How much milk needed for goat cheese

I am retired and getting my pasture fenced and building a goat shed. I plan on getting two nigerian dwarf does with the intention of milking them. From breeders this should give me about a quart per doe or 1/2 gal of milk per day.

Given that figure, how much milk should I save up before making cheese? My wife and I cannot drink that much milk so making goat cheese is the logical result. What we are trying to do is balance the size of the herd, with the amount of milk produced daily and being able to make cheese at home as a whey to use the milk and store it. Besides we LOVE cheese.

So your advice and comments are appreciated. We are new to goats.

In brief:

At home to use our time well, how much milk do we need to make cheese? (assuming we make cheese once or twice a week) with two does we they will produce 3-1/2 gal per week.

With no experience in cheese making, how many times a week do you make goat cheese, how long does it take and recommendations to set up efficiently.

With having to breed the does from time to time we can save some of the kids for milking does, but given our situation what will you advise?

I have started building a goat shed and am getting help fencing the pasture so will be getting kids in the spring when we are 100% ready to provide excellent home and care.

For cream cheese (soft cheese), I make it when I have a gallon. Half a gallon does ice cream. Any amount for ricotta (farm cheese). How much for yogurt will depend on your yogurt maker. You can freeze milk for later for soap, no-milk pre-kid months, and ice cream. Some have said not all cheeses respond well with milk that has been frozen. Just my way of doing it with only two girls milking, and I always have lots of ice cream (use whole milk). When I do skim milk to make butter, I use the skimmed milk with whole milk for ice cream; flavored, no one seems to notice. To clarify, I make custard base ice cream so it is completely cooked to avoid any raw milk/raw egg discussions with friends (arguments I think are silly but still respect the wishes of others). Hopefully, that gives you ideas.

Later, I hope to make cheddar and Swiss since my middle son is lactose intolerant and we love Gustov's fondue and he can no longer eat it. When we have sauerbrauten (an event at our house, not just a meal), he eats cream cheese and gluten free crackers while we eat fondue and rye bread. (He is also gluten intolerant with a deadly tree-nut allergy, and, if that is not enough, subject to repeated attacks of kidney stones. So I am trying to fix it so he can at least have fondue. He can have all the ice cream he wants and all the cream cheese he wants, courtesy of my sweet four-legged girls.)

Replies

Glenna Rose January 1, 2014 at 3:49am

For cream cheese (soft cheese), I make it when I have a gallon. Half a gallon does ice cream. Any amount for ricotta (farm cheese). How much for yogurt will depend on your yogurt maker. You can freeze milk for later for soap, no-milk pre-kid months, and ice cream. Some have said not all cheeses respond well with milk that has been frozen. Just my way of doing it with only two girls milking, and I always have lots of ice cream (use whole milk). When I do skim milk to make butter, I use the skimmed milk with whole milk for ice cream; flavored, no one seems to notice. To clarify, I make custard base ice cream so it is completely cooked to avoid any raw milk/raw egg discussions with friends (arguments I think are silly but still respect the wishes of others). Hopefully, that gives you ideas.

Later, I hope to make cheddar and Swiss since my middle son is lactose intolerant and we love Gustov's fondue and he can no longer eat it. When we have sauerbrauten (an event at our house, not just a meal), he eats cream cheese and gluten free crackers while we eat fondue and rye bread. (He is also gluten intolerant with a deadly tree-nut allergy, and, if that is not enough, subject to repeated attacks of kidney stones. So I am trying to fix it so he can at least have fondue. He can have all the ice cream he wants and all the cream cheese he wants, courtesy of my sweet four-legged girls.)
Angela lesh December 27, 2013 at 8:19pm

Two milking does should give you milk, cheese, soap supplies and a little to give away. We only had two last year and we had plenty. I didn't make hard cheese yet, will try with 4 does milking thus summer. Two first freshness gave us about 1/2 gallon a day.
Julia @Woody Glen Farm December 26, 2013 at 9:31pm

I've only had my goats since last spring and I have only one milking now. I get about a quart a day from my doe who is in milk. From that I make cheese every week at least once, often twice. I make chevre with a half gallon of milk and get two 10 ounce containers, one of which I freeze for when she dries up before my next ones kid. I also make soap and caramel coffee creamer (recipes in Deborah's fabulous book listed on this site!) and also have milk to drink. It's too good not to drink-- it's the best tasting milk I've ever had (by FAR). I have 3 does but the thought of not having milk now puts me into a panic! Waiting for each one to kid so you can milk is the hardest part ;) Good luck with your new adventure! I'm loving it!
Jedi Clampett December 26, 2013 at 5:35pm

another thought, everyone has to start somewhere, experience we know is a wonderful teacher. Our concern is that these creatures that come into our care have the best home and life possible. They contribute to our family and provide wonderful dairy and soap for our family which means contributing to our kids and grandkids as we see them.

We are doing our best to prepare. In asking about making cheese efficiently, likely it is as much effort to make a little bit of cheese as it is alot more. What we don't know is what is an efficient amount of milk to have on hand to make cheese? It may be that with only two Nigerian dwarf does that we need to plan on more goats to produce more milk? We don't know, but are looking to your experience and advice.

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