Goat vs Sheep vs Cow Milk Cheese: How They Differ

The animal changes the numbers on the label, the way the cheese tastes and, to a degree, how it behaves in the pan.

The milk is only part of the story. Aging, salt and the maker's recipe change a cheese as much as the species does, which is why a young goat cheese and an aged one can taste like different foods. Use the milk as the starting clue and the cheese's age as the second.

Goat vs sheep vs cow milk cheese at a glance

This goat vs sheep vs cow milk cheese table puts the three milks next to example cheeses that carry their name on the label.

How the milks differ: fat, protein and solids

The three milks differ most in how much solid matter they carry, and sheep milk is far ahead. A 2022 study in the journal Foods measured seasonal milks from one farm in New Zealand and found goat milk at 3.79 percent fat, 3.19 percent protein and 11.90 percent total solids, against sheep milk at 5.99 percent fat, 5.72 percent protein and 17.46 percent total solids. Sheep milk also held more lactose (4.76 percent against 4.40) and about 75 percent more calcium (0.200 grams per 100 grams against 0.114).

More solids means more cheese per gallon, which is part of why sheep cheeses taste concentrated and why they often cost more. The study's authors note that sheep and goat milks share a higher proportion of medium-chain fatty acids than cow milk, that sheep milk has the higher fat and protein, and that goat milk has less of one casein, called alpha-s1. Goat milk is also described as forming weaker curds than cow or sheep milk when set with rennet, which is one reason fresh goat cheese is soft and spreadable.

These are figures for the milk from one farm and breed, so treat them as an illustration, not a standard. Cow milk numbers are not in that study, so this page does not compare against them. The cheeses in the next section carry the difference you can actually taste.

Goat, sheep and cow cheese compared by the numbers

The goat, sheep and cow cheese comparison is easiest to see on USDA's generic entries, with the caution that a cheese's moisture matters as much as its milk. Per ounce (28.35 grams), USDA's goat cheese entries run from 6.0 grams of fat and 5.3 grams of protein for the soft type, to 8.5 and 6.1 for semisoft, to 10.1 and 8.7 for hard goat cheese. Cheddar has 9.4 grams of fat and 6.5 of protein, Swiss 8.8 and 7.6, and Brie 7.8 and 5.9. Roquefort, a sheep cheese, has 8.7 grams of fat and 6.1 of protein per ounce. USDA FoodData Central lists each.

Read those rows across, not up and down. A soft goat cheese is about 61 percent water by weight and a hard goat cheese about 29 percent, so the hard one is simply more concentrated. Within a moisture class the three milks come out close, and the label's fat and protein will tell you more than the species will.

Flavor, color and melting by milk

The flavor of goat, sheep and cow milk cheese follows a familiar pattern. Cow's milk cheeses cover the widest range, from mild young cheddar and soft Brie to sharp aged cheese, and that range is why cow's milk is the default for sandwiches and sauces. Goat cheeses are known for a bright tang that grows more earthy with age, from fresh chèvre to firm aged cheeses like Crottin de Chavignol. Sheep cheeses are rich and savory; Manchego is nutty, Roquefort is sharp and salty, and Pecorino Romano is hard, salty and grated.

Color varies by cheese and brand more than by animal, so use it as a hint only. Fresh goat cheese tends to be bright white, and many cow cheeses such as cheddar are sold in a yellow or orange shade. Check the label for coloring before you assume.

Melting depends on moisture, age and acid more than the animal. Cow's milk cheeses are the safe default for sauces and pizza, as the melting cheese guide explains. Fresh goat cheese softens and creams but does not stretch, and aged sheep cheeses are best grated over a dish.

What most goat vs sheep vs cow cheese advice gets wrong

Most goat vs sheep vs cow cheese advice leans on three shortcuts that the sources do not support: that goat cheese is automatically easier to digest, that every goat cheese tastes goaty, and that sheep means expensive and salty.

Digestion claims need a source. Many pages say goat or sheep cheese is easier to digest than cow cheese. That claim is not backed by the sources behind this page, which only measured composition. The study above found goat milk with a little less lactose than sheep milk (4.40 percent against 4.76), but cheese loses much of its lactose to whey and aging, so the cheese is not the milk. If lactose or a milk allergy is the issue, see lactose in cheese and ask a doctor.

Goaty is a matter of age and handling. A fresh chèvre is usually mild, lemony and clean. The stronger flavor appears as the cheese ages, so a young log is the safe first step.

Sheep does not always mean salty. Pecorino Romano is famously salty, while fresh sheep cheeses can be mild. Salt is a recipe decision.

Which to buy: goat, sheep or cow milk cheese

Which to buy, goat, sheep or cow milk cheese, depends on the job:

• Sandwiches, mac and cheese, pizza: cow, for its range and melt.
• Salads and crostini: goat, a fresh log or a crumble, for tang.
• A cheese board: one of each, such as aged cheddar, a goat log and a wedge of Manchego, which shows the three styles at once.
• Grating onto pasta: sheep, in the form of Pecorino Romano, or a cow-milk Parmesan.
• A swap: the substitute finder lists matches by texture and flavor.

Questions about goat vs sheep vs cow milk cheese

These are quick answers to common questions about goat vs sheep vs cow milk cheese.

What is the difference between goat, sheep and cow milk cheese?

The difference between goat, sheep and cow milk cheese is the milk: sheep milk has the most fat and protein, goat milk the least in one 2022 study, and the cheeses taste rich and savory for sheep, bright and tangy for goat, and widely varied for cow.

Which milk makes the richest cheese?

Sheep milk makes the richest cheese, with 5.99 percent fat and 5.72 percent protein in the 2022 study, against 3.79 and 3.19 for goat milk.

Is goat cheese easier to digest than cow cheese?

Goat cheese is not proven easier to digest by the sources used here, which measured milk composition, not digestion. If dairy bothers you, talk to a doctor.

Why is goat cheese so white?

Goat cheese is often bright white, but color depends on the cheese and any added coloring, so the label is a better guide than the animal.

Which cheeses are made from sheep milk?

Sheep milk cheeses include Manchego, Roquefort, Pecorino Romano and feta, which is traditionally brined.

Choosing between goat, sheep and cow milk cheese

Choosing between goat, sheep and cow milk cheese is easiest with a three-wedge tasting: one cow, one goat and one sheep, sold at the same counter and of similar age. Read the milk on each label, then try them plain before cooking.