We have diary goats, and I'm in the market for a new pasteurizer. I have only recently seen the Weck Canner (that is used as a pasteurizer too). Has anyone had any experience with one? Do you like them better than the Safgard? Are they reliable for heat treating colostrum? Thanks for you help.

-- Kim Bailey (bailey@hilly-acre.com), December 19, 2001

Answers

Oops, I have dairy goats, not diary goats :)

-- Kim Bailey (bailey@hilly-acre.com), December 19, 2001.

I bought a Weck Canner this past spring to pasturize milk for making our cheeses and fudge. I ordered the one with the spout because you can drain the water, make coffee or tea, and can in it. To pasturize the milk I just do as Linda Campbell suggested, she sells them: I got a small stock pot and put thje milk in that, a lot easier to clean.

I love it, glad I got it, don't know why i didn't think to get one sooner.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), December 19, 2001.

I purchased a Safeguard pasteurizer years ago at a flea market for a few bucks. Never have used it. Tried once but since there weren't any directions and never go around to sending to the company for any...never used it !! Just drink the milk raw. Guess for giving to human kids and goat kids would be a good idea to do this. Sorry not much help on this. Good Luck !! Happy Holidays !!

-- Helena (windyacs@npacc.net), December 19, 2001.

Why would you want to heat treat colostrum? Doing that would destroy all the antibodies, making it useless for passive transfer of immunity to the kid.

-- Debbie in MO (nothere@work!.com), December 20, 2001.

Where can you order the Weck canner you spoke of? I agree that heating the colostrum beyond body temperature is destroying the purpose of it. If you are doing this for storage, freezing would be my choice and even then I would freeze in various amounts thus not wasting any of the valuable stuff. I have used goat colostrum for other animals and do feel they defintely benifited.

Lenny

-- darlene leonhart (dleonhart@sprynet.com), December 20, 2001.

If you do a search for "Weck Canner" there were a few places that had them. Khimairafarm was one of them.

If you practice CAE prevention with goats, it doesn't do you a bit of good to feed them pasteurized milk, if you don't heat treat the colostrum.

-- Kim Bailey (bailey@hilly-acre.com), December 20, 2001.