Our Goats Our Goats

It starts here

The goats at Belle Chèvre Creamery are all named and in keeping with our love of European traditions, they all wear bells. They are offered shelter and NZ Grown non-GMO feed but are not housed like factory farmed goats. They are able to wander the property and pick and choose their food from a variety of sources both naturally on the property and some replanted and grown just for them. Along with special handling and small batch processing, we can ensure the milk and hence the cheese has no “goaty” taste. It is sweet and rich and creamy, naturally.

David and Jennifer have long admired how goats are super efficient at turning grass, scrub, bush and especially land

Why Goats?

David and Jennifer have long admired how goats are super efficient at turning grass, scrub, bush and especially land that wouldn’t be good for growing crops for people into protein that people can eat. They also love the personality and physical appearance of their animals and delight in caring for them. Kidding season is particularly exciting with goat kids in the house by the fire, older ones sheltered in the sheds and on nice days, wandering the gardens.

They make friends early with the future milkers so the animals aren’t bothered about hopping up on the stand and being handled, inspections are always welcome, and sometimes guests are put to work bottle feeding the kids.

Goats are easy on the environment, using less water and feed than cows to produce comparable amount of milk and leaving small scattered droppings that need no further composting before using on the garden. They are tidy in the shed with no need for affluent disposal and less chemical cleanup residue passed on in the grounds.

Goat milk is considered a premium health product because it is easier on the digestive system than cows milk.

Many people who cannot tolerate cows milk can use goat milk products. The differences include:

  • The fat molecules are smaller, more similar to human breast milk
  • Lower in lactose
  • Fewer allergenic proteins, goat milk is naturally A2 casein
  • Less inflammatory
  • Richer in calcium
  • Contains higher levels of medium chain fatty acids that provide energy but isn’t stored as body fat, helps lower cholesterol and may help coronary and intestinal diseases
  • Nutrients like iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium are more easily digested and absorbed from goats milk.
Goat milk is considered a premium health product because it is easier on the digestive system than cows milk
icher in calcium Nutrients like iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium are more easily digested and absorbed from goats milk.
The fat molecules are smaller, more similar to human breast milk