Nutritionally, goat milk and cow milk are similar. Goat milk is higher in some vitamins and minerals while cow’s milk has more folic acid and B12 than goat milk.
The primary difference between them is the type of casein. Goat milk, cow milk and breast milk all contain casein. There are in fact two different types of casein, alpha and beta. Breast milk contains beta casein, while cow milk contains alpha casein. Beta casein is more easily digested than alpha casein. Goat milk contains predominantly beta casein like breast milk. It is important to note that both breast milk and cow milk contain whey, which is the most readily digested protein. Goat milk is unlikely to be a suitable alternative for babies with cow milk protein allergy. Many children who react to cow’s milk protein will also react to goat’s milk protein. Furthermore, goat milk formulas contain lactose and therefore a child with a lactose allergy will also not be able to consume goat milk.
