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Sheep's milk (or ewes' milk) is the milk of domestic sheep. It is commonly used to make cultured dairy products, such as cheese. Some of the most popular sheep cheeses include feta (Greece), Pecorino romano (Italy), Roquefort (France) and Manchego (Spain).
Specialized dairy breeds of sheep yield more milk than other breeds. Common dairy breeds include:
In the U.S., the most common dairy breeds are the East Friesian and the Lacaune. [1] Meat or wool breeds do not produce as much milk as dairy breeds, but may produce enough for small amounts of cheese and other products.
Female sheep (ewes) do not produce milk constantly. Instead, they produce milk during the 80–100 days after lambing. [2] Sheep naturally breed in the fall, which means that a majority of lambs are born in the winter or early spring. Milk production decreases and eventually stops when lambs are weaned or the days are shorter. [1] Milk cannot be produced year-round. [3] Through the use of controlled internal drug release (CIDR), ewes can be bred out of season. CIDR drugs contain progesterone, which is slowly released into the bloodstream, bringing the animal into estrus. [4] In this way, ewes can be bred at different times throughout the year, providing farms with a year-round supply of milk.
Meat and wool breeds of sheep lactate for 90–150 days, while dairy breeds can lactate for 120–240 days. Dairy sheep can produce higher yields of milk per ewe per year. Dairy sheep can produce 400–1,100 lb (180–500 kg) of milk per year while other sheep produce 100–200 lb (45–91 kg) of milk per year. Crossbred ewes produce 300–650 lb (140–290 kg) of milk per year. [1]
Sheep milk cheeses include the feta of Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego of Spain; Serra da Estrela from Portugal; pecorino Romano (the Italian word for sheep is pecora) and pecorino Sardo of Italy; Pag cheese of Croatia; Ġbejna of Malta; and Gomolya of Hungary; and Bryndza (Slovenská bryndza from Slovakia, brânza de burduf from Romania and Bryndza Podhalańska from Poland).
Whey cheeses are also made from sheep's milk: various ricottas of Italy (but the best-known are made from buffalo milk); anthotyros, mizithra, manouri, and xynomizithra of Greece (often with goat milk mixed in); various requeijão in Portugal.
In Greece, yogurt is often made from sheep's milk.
| Constituents | Unit | Cow | Goat | Water buffalo | Sheep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | g | 87.8 | 88.9 | 81.1 | 83.0 |
| Protein | g | 3.2 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 5.4 |
| Fat | g | 3.9 | 3.5 | 8.0 | 7.0 |
| —Saturated | g | 2.4 | 2.3 | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| —Mono-unsaturated | g | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 1.5 |
| —Polyunsaturated | g | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Carbohydrate (lactose) | g | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.9 | 5.1 |
| Energy | kcal | 66 | 60 | 110 | 95 |
| kJ | 275 | 253 | 463 | 396 | |
| Cholesterol | mg | 14 | 10 | 8 | 11 |
| Calcium | IU | 120 | 100 | 195 | 170 |
Sheep's milk is exceptionally high in fat and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and has a high level of solids, [6] as compared to other kinds of milk, making it very suitable for cheese-making. In particular, sheep's milk produces much more cheese than the same amount of cow's milk. [7]
Roquefort is a sheep milk blue cheese from southern France. Though similar cheeses are produced elsewhere, EU law dictates that only those cheeses aged in the natural Combalou caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon may bear the name Roquefort, as it is a recognised geographical indication, and has a protected designation of origin.
Feta is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep's milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is soft, with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. Crumbly with a slightly grainy texture, it is formed into large blocks and aged in brine. Its flavor is tangy and salty, ranging from mild to sharp. Feta is used as a table cheese, in salads such as Greek salad, and in pastries, notably the phyllo-based Greek dishes spanakopita "spinach pie" and tyropita "cheese pie". It is often served with olive oil or olives, and sprinkled with aromatic herbs such as oregano. It can also be served cooked, as part of a sandwich, in omelettes, and many other dishes.
Goat cheese, goat's cheese or chèvre is cheese made from goat's milk. Goats were among the first animals to be domesticated for producing food. Goat cheese is made around the world with a variety of recipes, giving many different styles of cheeses, from fresh and soft to aged and hard.
Sirene, also known as "white brine sirene", is a type of brined cheese originating from Bulgaria. It is made of the milk of goats, sheep, cows, buffalo or a mixture thereof. It is slightly crumbly, with at least 46–48% of dry matter containing 44–48% of fat. It is commonly produced in blocks, and has a slightly grainy texture. It is used as a table cheese, in salads, and in baking.
The Awassi is a breed of dairy sheep of Near-Eastern fat-tailed type. It is the most widely distributed non-European dairy breed. It is known by many names, among them Arab, Baladi, Deiri, Gezirieh, Ivesi, Shami and Syrian. It is usually white with brown head and legs.
The Fries Melkschaap is a Dutch and German breed of dairy sheep. It originates in the Frisia region, which includes parts of both northern Holland and north-western Germany. It has many names: the German stock is known as the Ostfriesisches Milchschaf, or in English as the East Friesian, the East Friesland Milch or the German Milksheep, while the Dutch equivalent is known as the Friesian Milk or Friesian Milksheep, or less often as the Friesian or West Friesian. Under suitable management conditions, it is among the highest-yielding of dairy sheep breeds.
The Clun Forest is a breed of domestic sheep originating from the area surrounding the Clun Forest in Shropshire, England. Similar to many of the British breeds of upland sheep, Clun Forest are hardy, adaptable, good foragers, and are long–lived. With sleek heads and wide pelvic structures, Clun Forest ewes lamb easily. The breed has a short to medium–length wool and dark brown faces. They are a multi–purpose animal, kept for meat, wool, and milk. Like other dark faced sheep, Clun produce quality lamb and mutton. However, in contrast to more common meat breeds such as Suffolks, their wool is free of undesirable black fibres and kemp, and is suitable for handspinning. The breed's alert and stylish appearance, together with its reputation for hardiness and fecundity have made it popular with hobby farmers and large commercial flock owners alike. The Official Clun Sheep Breeders Society Show & Sale for males and females is held annually in early September at Ludlow livestock market by McCartneys.
There are many different types of cheese. Cheeses can be grouped or classified according to criteria such as length of fermentation, texture, methods of production, fat content, animal milk, and country or region of origin. The method most commonly and traditionally used is based on moisture content, which is then further narrowed down by fat content and curing or ripening methods. The criteria may either be used singly or in combination, with no single method being universally used.
The Lacaune is a breed of domestic sheep originating near Lacaune in southern France. The native region of these sheep is the Tarn and Aveyron departments and surrounding areas. This region is collectively known as the "Roquefort Sector" which references the milk collection area. The Lacaune is the most widely used dairying sheep breed in France, with a population of about 800,000 ewes. Notably, it is the predominant breed used in the production of Roquefort cheese in France.
The British Milksheep is a robust, dual-purpose sheep commonly known for its milking characteristics.
The Chios is a breed of domestic sheep with specific unknown origins. It is classified as a semi-fat tailed breed. The Chios are bred mainly for their milk production. Although there is speculation that this breed may have been crossed with Kivircik and Dagliç, it is commonly accepted that it originated on the Greek island of Chios.
The Rideau Arcott is a breed of domestic sheep native to Canada, one of only a few livestock breeds native to the country.
The Latxa is a breed of domestic sheep native to the Basque Country of Spain. Mostly contained within the provinces of Biscay, Gipuzkoa and Navarre, Latxa are dairy sheep whose unpasteurized milk is used to produce Idiazábal and Roncal cheeses. There are two sub-types of the breed, a dark-faced and a blonde.
Pecorino toscano is a firm-textured ewe's milk cheese originating in the Tuscany region of Italy. Since 1996 it has enjoyed protected designation of origin (PDO) status.
The Delle Langhe, also called Pecora delle Langhe or Langarola, is a breed of domestic sheep indigenous to Piedmont, in north-western Italy. It is a rough-woolled breed of southern Mediterranean type, and originates from the mountainous area of the Alta Langa, where the Apennines meet the Alps, in the province of Cuneo. It is raised mainly in the Langhe, but is found in several other regions of Italy including Abruzzo, Basilicata, Emilia–Romagna, Liguria and Tuscany.
Sheep milk cheese is a cheese prepared from sheep milk. Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the feta of Greece, Roquefort of France, manchego from Spain, the pecorino romano and ricotta of Italy. Yogurts, especially some forms of strained yogurt, may also be made from sheep milk.
The Manchega is a breed of sheep native to the La Mancha region of Spain. The Manchega is most famous for producing the milk that is used to produce Manchego cheese, a very popular Spanish sheep's milk cheese.
The Istrian Milk is a breed of domestic sheep native to the Karst Plateau and the Istria region in Slovenia, Croatia and Italy. The Istrian Milk is mainly used for its milk, which is primarily used in cheese making. Today, the breed is endangered.
Pecorino di Carmasciano, or simply Carmasciano, is an Italian cheese of the pecorino family of cheeses made from sheep's milk. It has been recognized since 2009 by the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (PAT). Pecorino di Carmasciano was featured at Expo 2015 in Milan.
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