The Background of Our Goats
The goats that supply the goat’s milk for Kabrita are treated with love. Our goat farmers care for the goats with passion. You might already know that our goat milk comes from Dutch goats! But do you want to know more about our goats? Where do they come from and what do they eat on the farm? Then read on quickly.
Dutch goat farms
Our goat farms are exclusively located in the Netherlands, the country of dairy. According to the CBS, there are a total of more than 346,000 goats in the Netherlands, located on a goat farm and spread over 487 farms. This also applies to hobby farms. In total there are about 325 farms that keep the dairy goats in a professional way. More than 50 professional and family farms supply us with their milk. The goat farms have about 1000 dairy goats.
The goat milk from our 50 professional family farms is collected by our company Holland Goat Milk (HGM). HGM transports the goat’s milk from the farms to our various production facilities in the Netherlands.
The varieties of goats
When you visit a goat farm, you mainly see the white Saanen goat. More than 90% of the goats on a goat farm are of this breed. This variant of the white Saanen goat is a Dutch breed and is known for its high quality milk production. But in addition to this Dutch white goat, there are also colored goats or goats with only a dark stripe. What breed are these goats? These are the British Alpine goat, black with some white spots, or the French Alpine goat, brown with some black spots. This goat can be recognized by, for example, a black stripe across the back. Then there’s the Anglo-Nubian goat, a brown goat known for its long floppy ears. Finally, there is the Toggerburger. This is a chocolate brown/grey goat with some white spots.
What do our goats eat?
Our goats get a mix of different nutrients, such as:
- Straw
- Hay
- Fresh grass
- Grass silage
- Corn silage
- Pulp/fruit pulp
- Pressed grain, such as wheat and barley, as well as soy hulls
Goats receive the above nutrients mainly on the farm. In nature, however, this is different, where they mainly eat leaves and grass. Our farmers supplement the goat’s feed as much as possible with, for example, the required energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, which has a positive effect on the health of the goat and the milk they produce. Water is also a very important part of their diet. An average dairy goat drinks about 10 liters of water per day.
How much milk do they produce?
A goat produces between 1 and 10 liters of milk per day. On average, our white Saanen goat produces 1100 liters of milk per year. That is about 3 liters of milk per day. Our goats are milked twice a day. When a goat is one year old, she will give birth for the first time. This is usually in the spring. From the moment a goat has given birth, milk production will also start. On average, a goat gives milk for 4 years.
Kabrita goat milk formula
Kabrita goat milk formula is a Dutch product and combines mild Dutch goat milk with a modern composition in line with the latest scientific insights. This creates a complete formula that provides important nutrients in a mild, friendly way and that helps with the growth of your baby.
