Author Topic: Sheep dairying (Read 3065 times)

smee2012 · « **on:** April 21, 2014, 10:27:22 pm »

Anyone do this?

We have Zwartbles sheep, which are a dairy breed and although I don't have any plans to milk them, there's a fairly large flock of the same breed just across the valley from us who are in the process of building up a dairy (I think they are aiming at marketing cheese). They are looking for relief milkers at the moment and as I'm practically next door, I've offered my services so that I can learn on the job. I'm rather excited by the prospect

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** April 22, 2014, 02:44:20 am »

Sounds fun - and do tell us all about it if you get the job!

zwartbles · « **Reply #2 on:** April 22, 2014, 10:15:34 am »

We sold some Zwartbles to a lady at www.birchamwindmill.co.uk who makes cheese and does milking demonstrations. Enjoy !

smee2012 · « **Reply #3 on:** May 01, 2014, 08:36:54 pm »

Well I had a good go! I have to say though, it was a bit of an eye-opener. I now know for sure that my own woolly girls are possibly the most cosseted sheep in existence!

The sheep at the new milking parlour are very new to it, so it's only been going since the beginning of April. There's a mix of Zwartbles sheep and Frieslands. My first impressions on arriving at the farm was what a sorry state all the ewes appeared to be in

Most of them looked very bedraggled and a large percentage of them were limping or trying to lie down to get off their feet. Apparently it's a common problem in dairy animals but I just felt so sorry for them!

They are all kept in a polytunnel as it's not worth them going out in the fields - because they don't produce much milk on grass was what I was told. Surely it's better for them to be kept outdoors, on grass rather than mucky straw, in the fresh air, and given extra cake than to live a permanent life indoors? I'm not a farmer so I've no experience of what goes on in dairies but the dairy farm behind us keeps their herd of Fresian cows in the fields - except in winter when it's too wet for them. Is this not usual?

So I'm going to go on the books as a relief milker but it's going to make me a little sad each time I go I think.

Blacksheep · « **Reply #4 on:** May 01, 2014, 09:14:46 pm »

HI Smee, interesting to find out about the sheep dairy, but very

about keeping the sheep in and lameness. Its not something I know much about, we did sell a small number of sheep to people who wanted them for handmilking as their young children were intolerant of cows milk, but don't think they had to keep them in.
re feet my understanding is that Frieslands have very soft feet, however lame ewes will have reduced milk production so it seems surprising that there were many lame sheep and I would have thought that they would have been walking them through a foot bath or mat each time the ewes go to the milking parlour to keep their feet healthy.
Also very surprising that they would not be out on the grass during the growing season especially considering you in good (cattle) diary country, always thought grass was the best thing for milk production..
Hope your girls realise how lucky they are with you

langfauld easycare · « **Reply #5 on:** May 01, 2014, 09:19:15 pm »

i no alot of cattle dairys are going down this road . the cows are so high yeilding that they cant get enough out of just grass alone .so kept in all time and fed a mixed ration they only get out when they are dry .its now more like science than farming. although some are going the other way and crossing the cows to get lower yeilding but longer lasting more fertile cows with better feet etc less is more . i no which system appeals most to me .

smee2012 · « **Reply #6 on:** May 01, 2014, 09:59:13 pm »

They do go through a foot bath each time I think (at least they did when I was there) but it's obviously not working! It doesn't help that there's a really stony yard that they have to walk through from the polytunnel to get to the parlour - not nice when you have sore feet

langfauld easycare · « **Reply #7 on:** May 01, 2014, 10:17:40 pm »

Quote from: smee2012 on May 01, 2014, 09:59:13 pm

They do go through a foot bath each time I think (at least they did when I was there) but it's obviously not working! It doesn't help that there's a really stony yard that they have to walk through from the polytunnel to get to the parlour - not nice when you have sore feet

they would be better kept on the stones .damp mucky straw and sheeps feet are not a good mix . going through a foot bath then onto dirty straw will have little or no affect