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["Lynda" <lurine AT softcom.net>]

There are several breeds of sheep that are either milking or multi-use.  The
ones that youngest is buying in the spring, St. Croix, are multi-purpose.

Now, for the sheep milking trivia.  Ya know, all that useless information
you'll never need or use again <g>  *Generally* speaking, you sit at the
back of sheep to milk them.  One of the reasons for the St. Croix is that
you milk them just like a goat, from the side.  The Friesians very prolific
on milk production.

In Sicily and parts of Italy, lots of the cheese is from sheep.  The best
mozzarella is sheep milk!

The U.S. imports, are ya sitting down?, OVER 72,000,000 pounds of sheep 
cheese a year!  Yup, 72 MILLION!  And that number is growing.  We only 
produce a half million pounds.  So, anyone with the space and the right mind 
set, could make some money!

Now, last I checked (it's been a couple of years), cow milk was selling for 
about $13/cwt.  Goat milk for about $27/cwt and sheep milk for $55.50/cwt.

You can get, from St. Croix, E. Friesian and some other breeds, a minimum of 
3 pints of milk per day with a lamb on them.  The E. Friesian is the most 
prolific here in the U.S. and gives more than 3 pints.  Some have given as 
much as 396 gallons per lactation.

The best milk producers are the Awassi and Sarda but we don't have them 
here.

Here's a list of some sheep cheeses: 
http://www.igourmet.com/shoppe/shoppe.aspx?cat=Cheese+by+Milk&subcat=Sheep's+Milk&source=pepperjam*sheep_cheeses&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=sheep%20cheeses&matchtype=Phrase&gclid=CJHRvt_k5pYCFRIcawodKVp7Ow

Lynda

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "bob ford" <bobford79 AT yahoo.com>

> Are you thinking of having milk "sheep", Gene?  I have never heard of
> anyone having dairy "sheep".  I know they can produce plenty for their
> lambs, but ...?  :-)