Sheep have been milked
since before civilization as we know it today when nomads roamed the hills
and valleys and needed the animals' meat, wool, and milk products for
survival. Sheep and goats were the ideal species to provide a staple diet
for millions on land that could not support dairy cows.
Cheese has been made for thousands of years from
sheep's milk. Some well-known cheeses made from ewes' milk are: Roquefort,
Pecorino Romano, Feta, and Ricotta (industry now makes it from cows' milk
in the USA). Due to the composition of sheep's milk, it takes very little
milk compared to other species to make one pound of cheese.
Sheep's milk
is both nutritious and delicious. The Milk has a rich, bland,
slightly sweet taste. It is much higher in total solids than either cow
or goat milk and contains up to twice as many of the minerals like
calcium, phosphorus and zinc and the all important B group Vitamins. It
is sold both fresh and frozen in pint or 500 ml. packs and keeps well
for at least 4 months in a deep freeze.
|
Whole Milk % |
Sheep |
Cow |
| Total Solids |
18.3 |
12.1 |
| Fat |
6.7 |
3.5 |
| Protein |
5.6 |
3.4 |
| Lactose |
4.8 |
4.5 |
| Calorific value /100g |
102 |
73 |
| Vitamins mg/l |
|
|
| Riboflavin B2 |
4.3 |
2.2 |
| Thiamine |
1.2 |
0.5 |
| Niacin B1 |
5.4 |
1.0 |
| Pantothenic acid |
5.3 |
3.4 |
| B6 |
0.7 |
0.5 |
| Folic acid ug/l |
0.5 |
0.5 |
| B12 |
0.09 |
0.03 |
| Biotin |
5.0 |
1.7 |
| Minerals mg/100g |
|
|
| Calcium (Ca) |
162 - 259 |
110 |
| Phosphorus (P) |
82 - 183 |
90 |
| Sodium (Na) |
41 - 132 |
58 |
| Magnesium (Mg) |
14 - 19 |
11 |
| Zinc (Zn) |
0.5 - 1.2 |
0.3 |
| Iron (Fe) |
0.03 - 0.1 |
0.04 |
