[macgro7]

I'm originally Polish. In Poland all sheep in the mountains were (and most still are!) milked, and most of that milk is made into a fantastic smoked cheese! A lot of them are actually dairy friesian sheep.
In 1970s there 3 milion sheep in Poland.  Now there are only about 30,000!!! And nearly 100% of the lamb is exported to italy. NO ONE eats sheep meat in Poland. I think it's a shame as this is the reason why the industry with hundreds of years of tradition is practically dead.
My own grandfather's brothers used to have sheep - Polish merino (I think).

Anyway, I'm planning to get shetland ewes and breed them. I have seen an article of an American lad who used to get 3 quarts (1 1/2 pints?) a day from milking shetland ewes.

Anyone milking their sheep? What breeds?

[macgro7]

This person milks shetland x friesian ewes:
http://www.wildernesstravels.co.uk/sheep/milkingsheep.htm

Article mentions milking shetlands:
http://ouroneacrefarm.com/raising-shetland-sheep-guide-to-starting-a-flock/

And yes, I know shetland are small so there won't be that much milk and probably only for 3 months or so. But at the moment I probably couldn't be bothered to milk them everyday for more - would need some holidays in summer and wouldnt trust anyone else to do it.

[Fleecewife]

Shetlands do have tiny fiddly teats, and you have to do something with the lambs - or wean them early then get your milk.  I had thought of trying milking my Hebs but was put off by the small teats - it's really rich and creamy milk though.  Maybe if a ewe loses her lambs you could milk her and see how you get on.

The smoked cheese sounds wonderful.  Did they practice transhumance in Poland, where the flocks are taken up to the high mountain pastures in the summer and the shepherds stay up there with them, making their cheese, with big guardian dogs to help keep wolves and other beasties away?

[macgro7]

I was thinking of putting the lamb separate from the mother at night and milking her first thing in the morning.
We ll see! It doesn't cost to try! Well... expect for lots of time and possibly a milking stand
Next year I could mate the ewes with a dairy tuple and keep a ewe from that cross. Then mate the cross back to shetland to try breeding a mini dairy sheep lol

Did they practice transhumance in Poland, where the flocks are taken up to the high mountain pastures in the summer and the shepherds stay up there with them, making their cheese, with big guardian dogs to help keep wolves and other beasties away?

Few shepherd actually still do! Those are the highlanders who spend summer in the mountains with Polish tatra shepherd dogs and sheep. Milk them every day, make cheese and take sheep into barns for the winter and sell cheese in town to tourist going skiing. Sounds great but unfortunately less and less people do it nowadays 

[waterbuffalofarmer]

The problem with seperating it at night is that the milk will still taste lamby because he is still suckling. Traditionally they take the lamb away and send to slaughter for veal, then they milk the ewe out for 3 days before drinking, to remove the taste. I have a friesland x welsh which i started milking this year, but sadly couldnt drink it due to lamb being on her and the fact I wormed her

[Tim W]

I met shepherds milking in the Tatras in the early 1990's ....summer grazing with guard dogs. Ewes raised lambs but were gathered once a day and hand milked a pint or less (?) of milk each
Made cheese and a yogurt type fermented drink (can't remember the name of it)

Met a guy from Czech this year who had walked his flock of 200 animals from the south of Czech up into the Tatras along old droving routes ---there is a bit about him on Youtube somewhere

[SallyintNorth]

The problem with seperating it at night is that the milk will still taste lamby because he is still suckling.

I've never heard this before, and it's certainly not a problem with cattle. 

The article linked by macgro7 refers to taking milk after keeping the lamb off until it cries.

[fsmnutter]

The problem with seperating it at night is that the milk will still taste lamby because he is still suckling.

Certainly not an issue with goats either. The only time I have tasted "goaty" milk is when the nanny is lacking minerals, notably cobalt deficiency. I have milked nannies that are completely weaned and those that have suckled kids, even minutes before I milk them and there is no difference.

[macgro7]

I met shepherds milking in the Tatras in the early 1990's ....summer grazing with guard dogs. Ewes raised lambs but were gathered once a day and hand milked a pint or less (?) of milk each
Made cheese and a yogurt type fermented drink (can't remember the name of it)

Met a guy from Czech this year who had walked his flock of 200 animals from the south of Czech up into the Tatras along old droving routes ---there is a bit about him on Youtube somewhere

I've read a Polish article about the highlanders shepherds and they said they only milk about 200ml (a cup) from each ewe in a day. But obviously because they milk like 200 they still get quiet a bit for cheese making.
Today as I said it's mostly a tourist attraction

[macgro7]

The problem with seperating it at night is that the milk will still taste lamby because he is still suckling. Traditionally they take the lamb away and send to slaughter for veal, then they milk the ewe out for 3 days before drinking, to remove the taste. I have a friesland x welsh which i started milking this year, but sadly couldnt drink it due to lamb being on her and the fact I wormed her

Why would it taste lamby? Never heard of that

[macgro7]

Some of the popular breeds which were used for dairying, but now are rather forgotten are:
-portland - they used to free range them on the Isle of portland  with their lambs and put them in the coral for night, milk them and make cheese which they used for trading with the mainland
-lleyn - popular for meat today. Known for its milkiness.not many people realise that CAERPHILLY cheese was made from their milk!
-icelandic - untill the war and mechanisation of agriculture it was the main dairy animal in Iceland

[Hevxxx99]

I'm tempted to have a go next year as well. I have one ewe (Swaledale x cheviot) in particular who has an udder like a Jersey cow. The only problem is, she's particularly wild!

[Backinwellies]

Traditionally they take the lamb away and send to slaughter for veal,

Veal is from cattle not sheep. Lambs go off at 4 months anyway.

[Womble]

I milked some of our Zwartbles a bit this year. It tasted lovely! 

[Penninehillbilly]

I have a zwarble x Swanley,  only had 1 lamb both years she lambed. Think I might try milking g her next time :-)