There is a common belief that goat milk is a sound alternative for infants or children with cow milk protein allergy. This has resulted in the promotion of goat milk and goat milk products for relief of allergy. However, scientific studies show that goat milk is not always an effective substitute for cow milk in children who are already sensitised to cow milk protein and have a rapid onset, IgE-mediated reaction to cow milk proteins. Only extensively hydrolysed formulas should be used for the dietary management of infants with diagnosed cow milk protein allergy.¹

There are several lines of evidence that the strength and type of the immune response to goat and cow milk might still differ. For example, children allergic to cow milk required nearly five times more goat milk to trigger an adverse reaction.² In another study, 25% of children allergic to cow milk did not react to goat milk at all.³ Children with allergy to cow milk proteins had a lower response to goat milk containing low amounts of αs1-casein.⁴ Similarly, studies with animals have also shown that lower levels of αs1-casein in goat milk resulted in fewer allergic reactions.⁵

Further research will help to understand how people might respond differently to goat or cow milk. Until such studies have been completed, it is important that goat milk infant formula is not promoted as a remedy for infants with severe reactions to cow milk.

1	AAP 2000; Koletzko et al, 2012
2	Bellioni-Businco et al 1999
3	Infante et al 2003
4	Ballabio et al, 2011; Albenzio et al 2012; Lisson et al 2014
5	Bevilacqua et al 2001; Hodgkinson et al 2012