Anyone ever milk a sheep?

[Beekissed]

Just curious, but I have read about folks doing it and saying the milk is very rich and can be used to make butter and such. Any special technique or is it like milking a goat?

 

[verthandi]

Quote:
I personally have not milked sheep, but it is a growing industry here. I visited a micro-dairy last fall, it was set up just like a small version of a regular dairy farm. This farm machine milked their sheep. From what I was told, sheep milk freezes well and that was how this farm processed it to send it on to the creamery. Most of their end product was cheese and yogurt.

 

[MissPrissy]

There is a sheep dairy a few miles from me. They make incredible cheses from the milk. I have never milked one but their teats are odd placed compared to what milking animals I am used to.

 

[verthandi]

Here is a rather long article on the dairy that I visited in Maine. Probably more on the commerical line than you are looking for, but does have information on the quality of the milk.


http://www.mofga.org/Default.aspx?tabid=704

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
That is what I was sort of wondering, I have milked goats and cows but was wondering about the motion required for sheep teats....also how delicate these may be. I wouldn't want to cause mastitis by being too rough!