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Saved as a Baby by Goat Milk, Zezinho Transforms the Farm into a Living Laboratory, Shows Rustic Goats Producing Up to 13 Liters Per Day, Reveals Precise Management, Highly Profitable Economy Compared to the Cattle Herd, and Decisive Digestive Benefits for Those Who Struggle with Cow’s Milk.
In the rural area of Cássia, Minas Gerais, Zezinho transformed a childhood drama into a life project by betting on goat milk, raising rustic dairy goats, achieving production of up to 13 liters per day, and showcasing digestive, economic, and nutritional advantages over cow’s milk in the body.
About three decades ago, the Minas Gerais producer reorganized the family farm, a little over 20 acres, to focus on dairy goats. In a recorded video conversation, he details how goat milk saved his life as a baby, explains why he considers goats more efficient than cows in food use, and shares the management that allows for high production, milk quality, and animal welfare.
Goat Milk Saved the Breeder While Still in the Cradle
Zezinho’s relationship with goat milk begins in early childhood.
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Now 57 years old, he recalls that, at about one month old, he was in critical condition, “just skin and bones”, refusing mother’s milk and other offered milks.
The family heard from doctors that there was nothing more they could do.
At the hospital door, a lady overheard the mother’s despair and suggested trying goat milk. She donated half a glass, which was offered to the child.
For the first time, the baby latched on and did not vomit. The following day, another half glass had the same result.
The father then sought out a farmer in the region with a large herd of goats, and the farmer, moved, chose “the best goat” to be taken to the family.
“I owe my life to these little animals,” sums up Zezinho when explaining why he still keeps goats today, even though he no longer operates on a commercial scale as he did at the peak of his activity.
Since then, goat milk has transformed from an emergency solution into a health pillar in the household, and later became the foundation of a production model that also serves other individuals with cow’s milk restrictions.
Farm Reference for Rustic Dairy Goats in Cássia
The property in Cássia, partially inherited from his father, encompasses about 20 acres with pasture areas, chicken coops, granaries, and goat management structures.
At one point, Zezinho managed to keep about 200 heads of adult goats and kids, with the animals managed in pens by lot: heifers, males, lactating goats, and dry goats.
The farm operated on an intensive system, with goats confined in collective pens and milked twice a day. According to him, daily production reached 60 to 70 liters of goat milk, a volume considered significant for a family property.
Organization by lot, monitoring what each goat consumes, and the constant selection of breeding and reproduction makes the area a regional reference in rustic dairy goats.
Even after reducing the herd, Zezinho maintains a core of high milk-producing goats, primarily directed at personal consumption, homemade cheese, yogurt, and chancliches, and addressing specific needs for families requiring goat milk for health reasons.
Pasture Management, Worms, and Goat Welfare
The breeder emphasizes that correct management is the critical point for goat milk quality. At night, the goats sleep closed, receiving silage and balanced feed.
Grazing in paddocks occurs only after 9 or 10 AM.
The goal is to reduce contact with fungi and parasites that accumulate in the morning dew on the tips of grasses.
Goats and sheep are very susceptible to worms. Zezinho explains that at night, fungi rise up the plant with the humidity, and with the sun, they come back down.
By releasing the herd only with the drier grass, the goats consume the upper part of the plant, with lower parasite loads, which reduces cases of anemia, “jaundice”, and severe diarrhea.
The herd receives specific feed for dairy goats, with about 27% protein, in addition to quality roughage.
The goal is to maintain balance: droppings in the shape of “pellets” indicate a suitable diet. Soft droppings, according to the producer, signal excess feed or management issues.
The focus is to produce goat milk in volume without sacrificing the health and longevity of the breeding stock.
Rustic Goats, High Fertility, and Production of Up to 13 Liters Per Day
The foundation of Zezinho’s herd consists of crossbred goats, combining breeds like Anglo-Nubian, Saanen, Alpine Brown, and rustic animals adapted to the Minas climate.
He highlights that goat gestation lasts about five months and, at one year of age, a well-raised goat may already have given birth, which accelerates genetic gain and herd renewal.
In the goats on the farm, it is not uncommon to find twin or triplet births. In some cases, up to four kids are born, especially when the mothers undergo gestation in good body condition and with proper nutrition.
This pattern of fertility is one of the pillars of rustic dairy goats, allowing for a greater number of offspring throughout their productive life.
In terms of production, Zezinho reports goats producing 6.5 to 7 kilos of milk per day, measured in two milkings, and cites records of animals capable of reaching 13 kilos in specialized systems in the Northeast.
Within his own herd, there are reports of females that, in a single milking, filled 3-liter jugs three times, achieving a respectable volume for a family herd.
Goat Milk vs. Cow Milk in the Body
From the producer’s perspective, goat milk “wins” over cow milk in the body in various aspects. He emphasizes that the fat molecules in goat milk are smaller, facilitating digestion, and that the lactose content is naturally lower, although not zero.
The reported experience is of lighter consumption, without a heavy stomach sensation.
Zezinho asserts that goat milk is usually digested in about 30 minutes, compared to three to four hours for cow milk in many individuals.
According to him, this explains why children with reflux and adults with slow digestion tend to adapt better to goat milk.
Goat cheese, unlike cow cheese, does not usually worsen cases of constipation and, in various reports, helps regulate both constipation and very loose stools.
Another point raised is the similarity between goat milk and breast milk in terms of composition, which historically led doctors and families to use goat milk as an alternative when the mother could not breastfeed.
Zezinho also emphasizes that goat milk is known for its higher calcium content and good absorption, favoring bones and metabolism, especially in children and the elderly.
Bucks Management, Smell, and Sensory Quality of Goat Milk
One of the biggest consumer resistances is the supposed “goat smell” in goat milk. The breeder explains that this is directly related to improper management.
Bucks have glands in the horn region that release a strong-smelling hormone, responsible for stimulating the estrus of females.
If the male remains close to the goat herd, the odor permeates the environment, the goats’ fur, and even the milking equipment. Therefore, he advocates that the buck should stay at least 50 meters away from the dairy herd, being brought closer only at the correct moment for breeding.
Bred, separated. With that distance and hygiene in milking, Zezinho claims that goat milk becomes “odorless and tasteless,” similar to fresh cow milk, especially when consumed cold or in preparations like coffee with milk.
Economics: One Cow’s Feed to Feed Ten Goats
In economic terms, the producer describes a direct relationship between feed cost and selling price.
According to him, “the feed of one cow can feed ten goats” in terms of food demand.
In a scenario he experienced, the liter of cow milk paid to the producer was around two reais, while goat milk could be negotiated at fifteen reais per liter, frozen and distributed to neighboring cities.
In simple numbers, a cow producing 20 liters per day and receiving two reais per liter generates about 40 reais daily.
In contrast, ten goats producing an average of two liters per day each, sum up to 20 liters of goat milk, which, sold at fifteen reais per liter, amounts to 300 reais per day at similar feeding costs.
In addition to milk in nature, processing it into products like goat cheese, yogurt, and chancliche increases profit margins.
The producer mentions that, with 10 liters, he could produce about 17 to 20 units of chancliche, sold at a price that doubled the revenue compared to crude milk sales.
Freezing the pieces also allowed for better management of supply, avoiding losses.
Kid Meat and Total Utilization of the Herd
Zezinho also advocates for the full utilization of the goat herd.
Males not used for breeding were castrated and fattened for slaughter, resulting in more tender and valued meat.
He recalls a study conducted in South Africa that pointed to goat meat as one of the most favorable for heart patients, with a good fat profile and a positive impact on cholesterol.
For the producer, part of the problem of the low presence of goat meat and milk on Brazilian tables is cultural prejudice, often fueled by negative experiences in management and processing.
He insists that when well-raised, slaughtered at the right time, and prepared correctly, kids and goat cheese deliver texture and flavor that surprise consumers accustomed to beef.
Simple Routine, Technical Courses, and a Life Structured Around Goat Milk
After working for 30 years in an electric power company and retiring, Zezinho began to dedicate more time to the farm, cooking, and technical improvement.
He participated in SENAR courses in areas such as food production, pulp preservation, crafts, and machine maintenance, applying part of that knowledge to the goat farm and the property’s routine.
Today, life revolves around simple yet planned activities: milking goats, preparing cheese, caring for chickens, managing the mules he uses for long pilgrimages, and welcoming friends for freshly brewed coffee, homemade bread, and conversation around the wood stove.
The producer defines this routine as a form of therapy and believes that many dream of the tranquility he has managed to build.
While slowing down commercial production, Zezinho remains committed to providing goat milk to those in need for medical or nutritional reasons, whenever he can.
The goal is to give back to other families the same chance he received as a baby.
In light of Zezinho’s story and all that goat milk offers in production, health, and economy, do you think Brazil should invest more in dairy goats and reduce the exclusive reliance on cow’s milk on farms and at family tables?
Excelente matéria! Carne maravilhosa de cabrito, eu gosto muito, meu pai 102 anos é o prato preferido dele.
Materia muito boa! Tai, carne que gosto bastante de cabrito. Meu pai tem 102 anos e o prato preferido dele.
Parabéns pela boa matéria!
Ca de Teresina Piauí.
Não conheço esse senhor, porém seu depoimento eu posso afirmar que é a pura vdd. Sou testemunha minha filha, até parece a história da minha filha quando bebê. O leite de cabra salvou minha filha.