Karihome Formula Milk is produced by Dairy Goat Cooperative (DGC), established from the amalgamation of small goat milk co-operatives around New Zealand. DGC has end to end production facilities on its site in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Milk is collected from their farms and delivered directly to the production facility. Great care is taken to ensure a consistently lower temperature at all times by insulating their milk trucks. This helps maintain the nutritional integrity of the goat milk at all times during transit.
When the whole goat milk is delivered to the site it is checked again for quality before it is processed.
The milk that enters the DGC facility leaves as goat milk formula, in the can that is then sold to Karihome customers. To ensure the safest possible production system, every element of the production is managed within a single site.
The DGC plant is purpose-built solely to be a world class facility for manufacturing goat milk formula. Combined with the cooperative farm model, there is full control in the entire process from milking to distribution. So milk that comes into the plant leaves as a completed product.
The result is a safer, cleaner manufacturing process with no third parties.
It is not recommended that children aged less than 12 months be fed unmodified goat milk. Neither should they be fed unmodified cow milk. Unmodified milk is not suitable for infants younger than 12 months as the high mineral and protein content may place undue stress on the infant’s kidneys. Unmodified milk also lacks an adequate amount of various nutrients to support an infant’s nutritional requirements.
For this reason, goat milk formula is manufactured using fresh goat milk and is formulated to meet internationally accepted formula standards for babies and young children. Goat formula has extra lactose, essential fatty acids, vitamins such as folate, minerals such as iron and other nutrients such as taurine to meet the nutritional needs of young children.
Our goats are so well loved! They are sheltered using open-sided barns that allow exposure to natural lighting and fresh air. Space is provided to allow goats to move freely, lie down or play with their friends. Goat are given free access to their food and water. Our goats are cared for to a high standard reflecting New Zealand’s strict regulations and our commitment to sustainability.
Whole goat milk is used to retain the milk fat before adding lactose, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Some vegetable oils are still required to top up the essential unsaturated fatty acids in goat milk,1 but the goat milk fat is not removed. The inclusion of goat milk fat retains the medium chain saturated fatty acids in goat milk,2 which are more readily absorbed than long-chain saturated fatty acids.3
The use of whole goat milk also means that nucleotides4 are also retained. As a result, there is no need to add nucleotides when making formula from whole goat milk.
References:
1. Prosser et al, 2010
2. Prosser et al, 2010
3. Jensen et al 1986; Lindquist & Hernell, 2010
4. Prosser, McLaren et al. 2008; Gill, Indyk and Manley-Harris, 2012
The use of all drugs, including antibiotics, is highly regulated in New Zealand where Karihome is made. Antibiotics are used in some exceptional circumstances to treat infections. In this case, all milk collected during the treatment period and several days after treatment is discarded. Milk is routinely tested at each delivery to ensure it is free from antibiotic residues.
No, goat milk is not heaty. Goat milk is very easy to digest and absorb. The natural oligosaccharides in goat milk promote the growth of good bacteria in the body, which may help in bowel movement.
The transition from breast milk or formula to solid foods is one of the most common times for toddlers to have hard stools because the digestive system needs time to adapt.
As every toddler’s stool texture and pattern is different. What may seem regular for your toddler may be different from another toddler.
It is important for toddlers to drink enough fluids to keep their bodies properly hydrated and bowels moving regularly. When increasing the amount of fiber in your toddler’s diet, it is important to keep increasing the amount of water to help process the added fiber.
Fresh goat milk naturally contains short-chain fatty acids that can contribute to its characteristic “goaty” taste, particularly if the milk fat is damaged during handling and processing.
To help maintain a mild and pleasant taste, Dairy Goat Co-operative (DGC) in New Zealand carefully manages the milk from farm to production. This includes strict guidelines on goat nutrition and milking practices, as well as rapid cooling of the fresh milk to help protect the milk fat. DGC goats are raised in New Zealand’s natural environment with access to high-quality pastures.
Karihome Goat Milk Formula is also produced using NutriKept™ Technology, a specialised manufacturing process designed to minimise unnecessary processing and help preserve the natural qualities of whole goat milk.
As a result, Karihome Goat Milk Formula has a mild, smooth and creamy taste without the strong “goaty” flavour some people may associate with goat milk, making it pleasant and easy to drink.
No sucrose is added in Karihome goat milk formulas. The source of sugar is the natural lactose inherent in goat milk. Rest assured the consumption of Karihome formulas will not cause sugar addition.
There is no palm oil in Karihome products.
The fat content of formula must be modified to include several essential fatty acids. Many formulas are based on skim milk where the milk fat is replaced by vegetable oils, including palm oil.1
DGC has adopted an alternative approach, using whole goat milk to retain milk fat. Vegetable oils are still added to top up the essential unsaturated fatty acids in goat milk, but it is not necessary to use palm oil if milk fat is included in the formula.
Our research has also shown that there is also no need to use highly modified ingredients such as OPO.2
References:
1. Delplanque et al, 2015
2. Prosser et al, 2010
Karihome uses whole goat’s milk that is carefully sourced from our trusted farms in New Zealand. While it’s not certified organic, our goats are raised with care and love under the highest welfare standards that exceed New Zealand regulations. This means they are comfortable, happy and content throughout their lives, ensuring high-quality milk with a focus on animal welfare and sustainable farming practices.
