How to Pasteurize Goat's Milk for C.A.E. Prevention

Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE), is a common viral disease that infected nanny goats can pass to their offspring in milk. Signs of this untreatable, milk-borne disease include leg paralysis in infected kids and swollen, arthritic joints in infected adults. Pasteurizing goat's milk before bottle-feeding goat kids kills CAE and helps prevent the kids from contracting the disease. Many infected goats don't show symptoms, so it's important that you raise all of your goat kids on a strict CAE-prevention feeding program to help minimize the spread of this disease in your goat herd.

Things You'll Need

  • Ice cubes
  • Measuring cup
  • Stainless steel pail
  • Candy thermometer
  • Stainless steel stirring spoon
  • Large cooking pot
  • Stove
  • Timer
  • Goat milk bottles
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Instructions

    • 1

      Fill your kitchen sink with cold water. Dump several trays of ice cubes in the cold water to keep the water frigid.

    • 2

      Measure the desired amount of goat milk into a measuring cup and pour it into a stainless steel pail. Submerge the end of a candy thermometer in the goat milk and secure the thermometer to the side of the pail using the thermometer's built-in metal clasp or hook. Insert a tall stainless steel stirring spoon into the milk, being sure to use a spoon long enough to reach the bottom of the milk pail without having to submerge your hand in the milk.

    • 3

      Place the milk-filled pail in a large pot. Fill the pot with enough water to equal the height of the milk in the pail. Place the pot on a stove burner and turn the burner on to a medium heat.

    • 4

      Heat the milk to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir the milk frequently to help promote even distribution of the heat. Check the thermometer every 30 to 60 seconds; once the milk reaches the desired temperature of 165 degrees, maintain the temperature for a minimum of 30 seconds; use a timer to ensure timing accuracy.

    • 5

      Turn off the stove burner and remove the stainless steel pail from the water bath using hot pads. Place the pail of hot milk in the ice-cold water in your kitchen sink. Cool the water to 100 degrees Fahrenheit before pouring it into bottles to feed to your goat kids.