Infants below the age of one year should not be fed cow milk, goat milk, or soy beverage. These milks are low in iron and differ in the protein composition compared to mothers milk. Since infants depend so much on milk, it is likely that they will develop an iron deficiency if they consume cow, goat or soy beverage. Really, breast feeding or infant formula are the way to go, with breast feeding most superior. The iron in breast milk is highly bio-available and will cover the needs for the infant until about the age of 6 months. After that, the Academy of Pediatricians suggests, infants should be supplemented with iron-fortified infant cereals (such as rice cereal), while ideally breast feeding should be continued until at least the age of one.

Another reason that infants should not be fed cow or goat milk is because of the protein. Breast milk is higher in whey and much lower in casein compared to cow and goat milks. Casein is more difficult to digest than whey and may lead to internal gastrointestinal bleeding, which again, could lead to iron deficiency.

There are also mineral differences among breast milk, cow milk and goat milk. Goat milk, in particular, is low in the B vitamin folic acid.

Soy beverages provide more iron than cow milk. However, soy is deficient in many other key nutrients. Remember, soy is a plant and by no means can be compared to mammal milks, which are complex foods made to grow baby children/animals. The nutritional composition of soy and mammal milks are very different.

At the age of one, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests children can be switched to whole milk. Again, soy beverage is not equivalent to milk and thus should not replace milk in the diet.

Finally, raw milk should not be fed to infants. Raw milk commonly contains food-borne illness-causing microorganisms (pathogens). Even low levels of certain pathogens can cause illness. Since infant immunological systems are not fully developed, they are at greater risk for disease and death than those with developed immune systems.

The following is presented for your information. It is not intended to endorse or discourage the feeding of any product, milk, or formula to infants, children or adults. As with any web site, this site can not stake a claim to all wisdom on the subject covered. Please seek additional sources of information before you change anything in your life based on what you read here or anywhere else on the internet.

Distinguishing between allergies and lactose intolerance:
   Allergies and lactose intolerance are different things.
      An allergic reaction is the body's response to a foreign body (antigen), typically proteins. Goat milk proteins have slightly different amino acid structures than cow milk proteins. Thus, a person who produces antibodies to cow milk proteins, may not produce antibodies to goat milk proteins. However, there is no guarantee that a person who is allergic to cow milk will not be allergic to goat milk, because the milks are similar.
      Lactose intolerance or lactose maldigestion result from a person's inability to completely digest lactose. Because microorganisms in the gut will produce gas, symptoms of lactose intolerance include cramps, flatulence and bloating. Lactose is present in all milks. Thus, goat milk can not successfully be substituted for cow milk in cases of lactose intolerance.