By Malinda Geisler, content specialist, AgMRC, Iowa State University and updated June 2011. 

For more information or specific inquiries, please contact Madeline Schultz at schultz@iastate.edu.


Overview
Raising dairy sheep, such as British Milksheep, Friesland (originally from the Netherlands) or Lacaune (originally from France), is regarded as a small, high-risk market. Few states have sheep milk processing plants. The actual number of sheep dairies in the United States is unknown, but estimates range from 75 to 100 farms. Wisconsin had 15 licensed milking sheep herds in 2010. Sheep milk produced on many of these farms is used to produce dairy products that are sold through a variety of outlets.

Cheese is the primary product, and varieties such as feta and Roquefort are relatively popular. Although making cheese from sheep milk is a developed craft in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, it has been practiced in the United States only since the mid 1980s. Demand for sheep's milk cheese is highest on the East and West coasts of the United States. Other products such as ice cream and yogurt may also be produced from the milk.

Actual sheep's milk has a small share of the white milk market and is limited due to seasonal availability. However, the market is growing because sheep's milk has a lower lactose content than cow's milk, making it more suitable for lactose-intolerant people. Sheep produce less milk per animal compared to goats; thus milk must be stored until there is enough for processing. On the other hand, sheep's milk contains twice the amount of milk solids as goat's milk, resulting in more cheese per gallon.


Other Links

• America’s ‘Sheepland:’ State co-op grows into major source for cheese, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2008 - A dozen sheep farms make up the Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative, the largest source of sheep's milk for cheese plants across the United States.
• An Introduction to Dairy Sheep, Centre for Alternative Land Use, Bangor University, United Kingdom (UK), 2006.
• British Sheep Dairying Association - An association that promotes the production and marketing of dairy products derived from sheep's milk in the United Kingdom.
• Caws Celtica - This Welsh cheesemaker handcrafts a range of award-winning ewe's milk cheeses from his flock of Friesland sheep.
• Dairy Farm Sustainability Checksheet, Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), NCAT, 2001 - This online checksheet is designed to stimulate ideas in planning a milk production enterprise.
• Dairy Resources, Maryland Small Ruminant Page - This site contains links to sheep dairying, equipment and cheesemaking.
• Dairy Sheep, Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), NCAT, 2006.
• Dairy Sheep, Babcock Institute for International Dairy Research and Development, University of Wisconsin.
• Dairy Sheep, Scottish Agricultural College, UK.
• Dairy Sheep Association of North America - This association represents producers, cheesemakers and dairy sheep industry supporters.
• Dairy Sheep Enterprise Budget, Center for Integrated Agriculture Systems, University of Wisconsin, 2005.
• Milking Sheep Production, Agricultural Alternatives, Penn State University, 1994.
• National Organic Program, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
• New England Cheesemaking Supply Company, Ashfield, Massachusetts.
• Principles of Sheep Dairying in North America, University of Wisconsin - Available for purchase, this CD covers several topics including milk composition, equipment and economics.
• Sheep 101, Susan Schoenian, University of Maryland - This general overview of the U.S. sheep industry is written for 4-H and FFA members and the general public.
• Sheep dairy producers passionate about industry, Country Today newspaper, Wisconsin Dairy Sheep Association, 2007.
• Sheep Management Programs, University of Wisconsin - Under the Publications and Proceedings heading, you may select articles by topic. You might also contact the professor in charge for additional information.
• Sheep Milk Quality and Procedures, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Canada.
• Sheep Program, Cornell University.
• Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Wisconsin Sheep & Goat Review, Statistics by State, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA, 2011.
• Wisconsin Sheep Dairy Cooperative - Representing 15 member farms, this co-op is the only sheep dairy cooperative in the United States.
• 3-Corner Field Farm, Shushan, New York - On their farm in the Green Mountains between New York and Vermont, these farmers milk their East Friesian sheep to create cheese and yogurt.

Profile written August 2005 and links checked June 2011.