Goat’s milk, also called caprine milk, has a number of nutritional advantages when compared to cow’s milk. It has been shown for example, that goat’s milk has better digestibility in non-caprine animals, compared to cow’s milk. In addition, caprine milk shows better buffering capacity due to its different chemical composition. Another feature of goat’s milk is the smaller fat globules when compared to cow’s milk. This may be one of the reasons for the improved digestibility of goat’s milk. The smaller fat globules become better distributed in the watery medium of the milk and the improved emulsion may improve the digestibility of not only fatty acids, but any fat soluble vitamins present. Compared to cow’s milk, goat’s milk also contains a higher concentration of short-chain fatty acids, and this may have health benefits relating to improved gut health. The lactoperoxidase content of goat’s milk is also high, and this improves the antimicrobial effects of the milk.
A number of minerals are present in goat’s milk at higher concentrations compared to cow’s milk. These include zinc, iron, magnesium and calcium. Caprine milk also contains higher levels of whey fraction and this may cause improvements in gut health.
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