Goat’s milk does not contain agglutinin. As result, the fat globules in goat’s milk do not cluster together, making them easier to digest. Goats’ milk is low in essential fatty acids. These are easier for intestinal enzymes to digest.

Goat milk protein forms a softer curd (the term given to the protein clumps that are formed by the action of your stomach acid on the protein), which makes the protein more easily and rapidly digestible. Theoretically, this more rapid transit through the stomach could be an advantage to infants and children who regurgitate cow’s milk easily.

Goats’ milk also has advantages when it comes to allergies. Goats’ milk casein is more similar to human milk. Goats’ milk contains lower levels of lactose, which may be an advantage in lactose-intolerant persons. Goats’ milk contains more calcium, more vitamins B-6, more vitamin A, more potassium, and three times more niacin than cows’ milk. It is also four times higher in copper. Goats’ milk also contains more of the antioxidant selenium.

Parents of babies allergic to milk and other commercial formulas often ask if it’s safe to use goats’ milk as an alternative. Goats’ milk is less allergenic and more easily digestible than cows’ milk. Commercial goat milk industries around the world largely focus on production of cheeses, especially in Europe.