Milk is called nature's most nearly perfect food for a wide number of reasons. People around the world generally consume the milk of cows, goats, buffalo, llamas, reindeer, horses, sheep, camels, and yaks.
While goat milk may be harder to acquire in terms of availability and access in India, it has certain special attributes which are of particular significance in human nutrition.
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However, it is best advised to not give your baby sheep/goat milk as his main drink until he is at least one year old. Certain studies have recommended that goat milk should not be given to very young children, due to the unique nutritional needs in the developmental stages. Due to the different nutrient composition of goat milk from cow’s milk, it is not recommended to
immediately give your child goat milk once they stop breast or bottle-feeding. As they get older, the nutrient composition of goat milk becomes more appropriate, but for proper development, it is wise, to begin with, cow milk.
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On the contrary, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology suggests that cow's milk is the leading cause of food allergies in children. The closest commercially available milk to human milk in the composition is goat milk. According to them, if a mother is unable to breastfeed, then goat's milk is a safer substitute for the baby than cow's milk.
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This debate can be put to rest by ensuring the safety and hygienic conditions of procuring goat/sheep milk, which plays an important role in preventing milk-related infections in young children. If breastfeeding is going well for you and your baby, it's fine to carry on breastfeeding your baby past his first birthday. But if you do choose to give your baby sheep/ goat milk, make sure the milk is pasteurised and processed well.
Note that goat's milk formulas meet the same nutritional standards as those formulas based on cow's milk. Once your baby is six months old, you can then move him on to a goat milk formula, on the advice of your Paediatrician.
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Composition of goat milk in comparison with cow's milk
Source: Schneider et al. (1948), Indian Council of Agricultural Reasearch (1962), Ghosh And Anantakrishnan (1963, 1965).
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Children can drink pasteurised sheep’s milk after they turn one year old. For children below the age of one, neither sheep’s milk nor cow’s milk is suitable. Pasteurisation kills all the harmful bacteria that can cause infections and other health complications. If your child is lactose intolerant or has allergies to cow’s milk, sheep’s milk may not suit them either.
Sheep’s milk is rich in calcium, certain vitamins, and minerals, making it nutrient-dense. Cow’s milk is rich in calcium and vitamin D. Goat’s milk is also rich in calcium and certain other nutrients and is easy to digest as well. Which is the better depends on one’s needs and preferences.
Yes, you can give your baby sheep’s milk as long as it is pasteurised and your baby is over a year old. Unpasteurised milk can contain harmful bacteria, and animal milk is not suitable for babies under 1 year old.
Yes, goat milk contains calcium and other nutrients, making it a healthy option for kids. It is also easy to digest when compared to other animal milks. However, it is safe only for babies above 1 year of age and if the milk is pasteurised.
