Milking ewes for export cheese

Press, 8 November 1978, Page 28

Milking ewes for export cheese

Dorset and Dorset-cross ewes are being milked for cheese production in a I most interesting trial at 1 the Templeton Research ’Station. The Dorset ewe produces far in excess of a lamb’s requirements, particularly. during the first i four weeks, according to I Mr Ken Geenty, one of , the research staff. Some Dorsel ewes produce 3.5 litres of milk a day. A lamb’s daily re- ! quirements are about 1.8 litres.. A ewe can produce up to 25kg of cheese in a lactation — up to six months — so that at $3 a kg, this I form of production is I financially attractive. I Ewes’ milk is. very rich, 1 having a fat level of 6 to

8 per cent, compared with about 4 per cent for a Friesian dairy cow. It is much like goats’ milk.

Each week the milk from. Templeton is lorried to the Barry’s Bay cheese factory, and the market reaction, ■ on export, is being followed up. Of the 58 ewes being milked last week, half had lambs weaned al four weeks of age; the balance had their lambs removed at birth.

The ewes quickly become used to milking. From a pen they run up a ramp into raised bails. They have the opportunity to munch a compound food supplement while secured. The milking is veryquick — it ranges from 30 sec to Imin 30 sec per ewe.