From Farm to Factory – Goat Milk Quality Assurance

We consider the quality of our goat’s milk formula very important. That is why we are happy to share with you how we actually guarantee this quality. In this blog we tell you how we do this.

The Dutch goat milk dairy sector is unique in its quality control. All our goat farms work according to the goat milk quality system. This system is called KwaliGeit or Qualigoat and sets the highest quality standards and control for each individual goat farm. The health and welfare of the goats is a high priority for our farmers. In addition to Qualigoat, our goat milk collecting company Holland Goat Milk (HGM) pays the farmers an extra price for the highest quality milk to guarantee the best basis for our Kabrita products.

How does this work?

As a company we are a member of the Dutch Dairy Goat Organization (NGZO), which means that all our farmers work according to the protocols of Qualigoat. Qualigoat contains criteria for milk production and cooling, industrial hygiene, veterinary medicines and antibiotics, animal health and welfare, good production practices, feed and drinking water. The performance of our goat farms is monitored by an accredited third party according to the protocols of the Qualigoat.

The milk is collected by our trained and certified drivers. Before the milk from the truck enters the factory, each batch of milk is checked for the absence of antibiotics and the organoleptic properties. This refers to the taste, color and smell. Before we continue processing, our goat milk is also checked for various additional parameters, such as protein, fat and bacteria.

Is the milk GMO free?

GMO means genetically modified organism, which contain animals, plants or microorganisms. Our goat farmers are not certified to produce GMO-free milk, but the milk produced by our goats does not contain GMOs. Even if the goat food is not 100% GMO free, none of this will be detected in the milk the goats produce. In the Netherlands, only 8% of goats are kept on an organic farm. This means that the goat milk supply for our Kabrita products cannot be guaranteed by only using organic goat milk.

Outside or inside?

Most of our farmers keep their goats indoors in the barn all year round. The farmers are not organic, but they keep their goats comfortably inside for certain reasons:

• By nature, goats are used to climbing, as in the mountains. There they eat leaves from the trees and from the bushes and little grass from the ground. When they will be in a meadow, they will automatically look for trees and bushes before grazing in the grass.
• Keeping goats indoors reduces the chance of and keeps you in control of getting parasites and worms.
• The health of the farmer can easily be checked when the goats are indoors. The climate can be well regulated. An adult goat feels most comfortable between 10 and 20 degrees with a humidity of 60 to 70%. These factors can be controlled if the goats are kept indoors. In addition, they can be protected against too much rain or too much sunshine. Daylight and fresh air are kept in the barn as much as possible.