[Hevxxx99]

Does anyone keep milk sheep?

I'm wondering if sheep will continue to produce milk if you continue to milk them, or are they like cows and dry up after a while?

I have one ewe with a very big udder so fancied having a go when the lambs are older.  Only problem is, she's pretty flighty!!

[Fleecewife]

There's a sheep's cheese farm just across the valley from us.  I think their ewes go on milking for about 7 months.  Maybe depends on breed.

[silkwoodzwartbles]

I keep Zwartbles which are predominantly milk sheep but haven't milked them - mainly cause only one ewe lambed this year and was a bit poorly to start with so she didn't need the hassle. I'm hoping with all 6 lambing next year, I'll be able to have a taste

[Tim W]

Some will milk for 10 months in the right conditions --- Awassi breed are one of the best I think

[roddycm]

Here people have freisians! Lovely looking sheep and very milky! Also very fertile, quads are common and the mums have more than enough milk. I want some this year!

[daveh]

Anyone know which breed of sheep are used to produce Roquefort cheese.

Regards, Dave H

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Anyone know which breed of sheep are used to produce Roquefort cheese.

Regards, Dave H

Yes the lacaune. There is a breeder in scotland which breeds them and milks them to make sheeps cheese, when I was looking into buying sheep for milking I contacted him and he was very helpful If you like I can give you his details?

[Fleecewife]

Anyone know which breed of sheep are used to produce Roquefort cheese.

Regards, Dave H

Yes the lacaune. There is a breeder in scotland which breeds them and milks them to make sheeps cheese, when I was looking into buying sheep for milking I contacted him and he was very helpful If you like I can give you his details?

That's my neighbour across the valley 

[Tim W]

Anyone know which breed of sheep are used to produce Roquefort cheese.

Regards, Dave H

Yes the lacaune. There is a breeder in scotland which breeds them and milks them to make sheeps cheese, when I was looking into buying sheep for milking I contacted him and he was very helpful If you like I can give you his details?

You can also find them in Lancashire

[waterbuffalofarmer]

Anyone know which breed of sheep are used to produce Roquefort cheese.

Regards, Dave H

Yes the lacaune. There is a breeder in scotland which breeds them and milks them to make sheeps cheese, when I was looking into buying sheep for milking I contacted him and he was very helpful If you like I can give you his details?

You can also find them in Lancashire

Really?! If I had known I would have bought some I ended up having to buy some friesland crosses for milking

[Hevxxx99]

So.. how much milk will each ewe give on average?

Or is that one of those "length of string" questions?

I'd love to make sheep's milk cheese but suspect one ewe won't quite produce all the milk required for the job!

[Tim W]

[/quote]
Really?! If I had known I would have bought some I ended up having to buy some friesland crosses for milking
[/quote]

http://www.thesheepmilkcompany.co.uk/about-us/

Here

[Tim W]

So.. how much milk will each ewe give on average?

Or is that one of those "length of string" questions?

I'd love to make sheep's milk cheese but suspect one ewe won't quite produce all the milk required for the job!

Depends on system/feed etc
In UK average yield is about 320l but 650l is recorded on the most intensive units and in Israel 850l up is common

[Hevxxx99]

Wow! That's quite a difference;

[Tim W]

Wow! That's quite a difference;

The difference I have observed after visiting quite a few sheep dairies recently is down to

1) Genetics --some people just milk any old sheep whilst some spend considerable time and effort on recording and improving
2) Systems---this is perhaps where the largest difference is at the moment
  I have seen 200l operations that milk sheep predominantly off grass and on the other hand there are operations that are mostly housed (little bit of grazing) , fed TMR, plenty of grain and will give 650l/head

Which route you go down would depend on market and opportunity I guess?