Sheep have been bred for milk for thousands of years. Perhaps even before people began to milk the cows. In the modern world, dairy sheep breeding is concentrated in Europe and countries near the Mediterranean Sea.
Sheep milk is very nutritious and more rich in vitamins A, B and E, calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium than cow. It also contains a higher proportion of small and medium chain fatty acids, which are considered good for your health. For example, some of them have little effect on cholesterol in humans. In addition, they help milk to be easier to digest.
How is it used?
Sheep milk can be frozen and stored until it reaches the required quantity for sale or production of cheese. Freezing does not affect the cheese-making qualities of the product.
Sheep's milk has a higher solids content than goat's or cow's. As a result, a greater amount of cheese can be obtained from its liter, in comparison with the product obtained from the same unit of goat or cow product. Sheep milk provides 18 to 25 percent of the cheese, while goat and cow yield 9 to 10 percent.
While sheep tend to produce less product than goats and much less than cows, sheep milk is sold at a significantly higher price per liter. In farm shops, it is almost four times more expensive than a cow.
Sheep's milk cheese
The main product made from sheep’s milk is cheese. The most famous types of this product are as follows: feta (Greece, Italy and France), ricotta and pecorino romano (Italy), Roquefort (France). Brynza cheese is also an internationally well-known product . Yogurt and ice cream are also made from sheep’s milk.
How is it mined?
Despite the fact that during lactation, sheep of any breed can be milked (like other types of livestock), there are specialized breeds of dairy animals. All over the world there are more than a dozen dairy breeds that are capable of producing from 200 to 600 liters during lactation, while the production of the product from ordinary types of sheep is only 50 to 100 liters in the same period. Calorie content is approximately the same - at the level of 108 kcal per 100 grams of product.
All over the world, most sheep are milked by hand. This is due to the fact that many dairy breeds are grown on small farms in remote areas where technical equipment remains very modest. Modern farms where sheep are bred use sophisticated mechanisms for milking: machines, pipelines, volumetric tanks, etc. Do this once or twice a day.
The maximum milk yield will be obtained if the lambs are removed from their pens within 24 hours after birth and subsequently grown on an artificial milk replacer.
Sheep's milk: benefits and harms
This milk is rich in calcium and a mineral such as zinc. Their content is very high compared to the dairy products of other animals. It is always worth remembering that lacto-calcium is much easier to digest than calcium carbonate (which is marble). When combined with lactose and vitamin D, calcium is vital in the fight against osteoporosis. This microelement in sheep's milk is almost twice as much as in cow's milk.
Calcium is also needed after any debilitating illness. Zinc, in turn, is needed to maintain healthy skin, and is also recommended for various long-term illnesses, including anorexia.
However, sheep milk has a very high fat content. This can be negative. Unsaturated fats can increase cholesterol in the body, so it’s best not to abuse the product.
Vitamins
Vitamins, mainly B-complex, as well as A, D and E, are necessary for maintaining health, and most often it is recommended to take them as a supplement to nutrition. Why bother with this when they are all present in sheep’s milk? Especially a lot of it contains folic acid and B12, which are most often offered in the form of synthetic vitamin complexes.
Fats
Many people are scared away by the high levels of fat found in sheep's milk. However, it must be remembered that the so-called "fats" contain three fat-soluble vitamins, without which the body begins to suffer from serious illnesses. These are vitamins A, D and E - sheep’s milk contains significantly more than cow or goat milk. Vitamin D is 0.18 g / 100 grams compared to 0.04 g / 100 g summer cow milk. Sheep milk also contains a higher percentage of saturated fatty acids, and this is thought to result in a higher absorption of lactose. in cases of poor tolerance.
Another important point is that 45% of the fatty acids contained in the product are mono- or polyunsaturated. This means that with the use of such milk, it is stored for a very long time in the body. Doctors even recommend drinking yogurt from sheep’s milk three hours before the planned feast. This method works better than the well-known olive oil. No one will argue that the consequences of a feast are better to prevent than to deal with it later.
But remember that unsaturated fats can increase cholesterol in the body, so everything should be in moderation!
Protein
Protein, which is found in milk and does not enter the cheese, remains in the whey. The content of this element in sheep's milk is three times higher than in cow or goat. Thanks to this, the whole product is easier to digest, and whey, in turn, is also recommended for use.
Lactose
Even if people are severely lactose intolerant, they can eat sheep milk products without any risk to their health. In the production of yogurt from it, milk sugar is oxidized. In addition, most of the lactose comes from whey in the preparation of cheeses. There is also evidence that lactose in sheep’s milk is easier to tolerate than other types of this product, so you should always try it in person and see for yourself.
Remember that any illness and the use of antibiotics adversely affect your immune system. In addition, even the best medicines usually kill beneficial bacteria along with harmful ones. Sheep's milk yogurt and feta cheese help fix this and restore the intestinal flora.
Be healthy!