# Sheep milking - year three begins



## norseofcourse (Jun 11, 2014)

I have two ewes I'm trying to milk.  I built a milk stand and started training sessions this past Saturday evening (twice a day on weekends, evening only on weekdays due to time).  With pellets/corn I got them onto the milkstand (finally), and now they are jumping onto it well.  However, when I handle their udders, they kick. And kick. And kick.  I got Gracie as a yearling last year, and she's somewhat handlable.  The younger ewe, Brosa, is one I've handled from birth, and I was able to touch her all over, including her udder (and I still can, unless I'm trying to milk her).  I expected some kicking from Gracie, but not from Brosa.  I am currently just putting my fingers around a teat and waiting for them to stop kicking, which tonight (Thursday), they each did - briefly.  As soon as I moved, the kicking started right back up.  

I have the milk stand in a small pen, in a corner so the front and one side are against walls.  Right now I'm just putting the feed pan on the stand, but I'll be making a crossbar soon so I can hang a feed pan on the front.  They're not halterbroke, and I don't have a headlock - I didn't want to get them scared or feel trapped - or worse yet, get out of the headlock since I'm not sure how to build one, and sheep necks are different than goats.  And I've read on this forum about hobbling their hind legs, but I don't want to do that when they're not tied to the stand, lest they try and jump off and get hurt because their legs are tied...

I am not separating the lambs before milking (it wouldn't work well here), but I know when they usually nurse, so I can time a milking session for when the sheep should have milk.

It sounds like I'm making a lot of excuses, and maybe I am but I wanted to lay out what I'm working with.  I'm trying to figure out my best course of action.

Am I just too impatient?  Do I just keep doing what I'm doing, and hope they finally get used to what I'm doing and stop kicking?

I may be able to put a siderail or section of fencing against the other side of the milk stand - will that keep them in there well enough to try the hobbles safely?  I may even be able to put something along the back so they can't back out either, although that'll be tricky to do and still give me room to get enough access to milk them.  Right now I'm milking them from the rear - that seems to give me the best access.

Has anyone ever tried something like the Udderly EZ milker that PBS has?  It's a handheld vacuum system.  I've been hesitant about something mechanical, because of all the stories I hear of them irritating the teats too much and causing bits of pink in the milk.  It's also nearly 200 dollars, and there's no guarantee I'd be able to use it with them kicking...

Any answers are appreciated, or any other tips or advice.  I'm only milking for my personal use, so I'm not wanting a lot, but I'd like to experiment with some cheese and other stuff.  If it matters, they are Icelandic.  Thanks!


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## frustratedearthmother (Jun 11, 2014)

I've never milked a sheep, but...

I find that with goats they tend to appreciate milking when their udders are full....so can you separate them for awhile?  I think a head gate is imperative.  Some of my more experienced does can be milked without being locked in, but I think it's easier on everyone with a head gate.  After a few test tugs they know they can't get out - so they don't fight as hard. 

When training a new milker I generally feed them on the stand for awhile...then start using the head gate... then let their udder get full... then convince them that milking is a good thing. 

I wish you good luck because when it goes well - milking is a wonderful experience.


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## norseofcourse (Jun 26, 2014)

@frustratedearthmother - thanks!  I still don't have a head gate, but I'm using a neckrope, and it's definitely helped a lot.  I've been writing about my experiences in my BYH journal.  I am now working with all 3 of my ewes, and it's been quite a learning experience!

Separating the lambs would be difficult for several reasons - one of which is that the lambs will go right through the electric fence to get back to mom!  I also have enough neighbors that I don't want to cause too much more noise than the sheep already make.  I haven't had any complaints, but I'd rather keep it that way.

I have one ewe that may give me some decent milk even with her one lamb - I started her training later than the others, and tonight's session was promising!


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## norseofcourse (Jun 28, 2014)

OK, here's how we stand now:

Brosa - first freshener, with a single lamb.  She's friendly and handleable otherwise, but she does NOT want me milking her!  Kick, kick, stomp, kick.  From some reading on Fias Co's website, I've learned that they don't milk their first fresheners, since they don't make as much milk yet, and their teats are smaller - they wait till year two, when their teats have gotten bigger and they're making more milk.  Brosa does have a good amount of milk, but yes, her teats are small.  So I may continue 'milking' her for at least a bit, more for the training than to get any actual milk out of her, and then plan on more serious milking for her next year.

Gracie - second freshener, with twins.  Her behavior is improving, and she seems to have nice sized teats, but not much milk.  I'm sure this is because she has twins, and I'm not separating them.  So also for her, I'm concentrating more on manners.  If I end up selling one or both her lambs before she stops producing milk, I may see if I can get more milk from her, if she's still in good condition and I'm not tired of milking yet!

Rose - second freshener, with a single.  I had not initially planned on milking Rose, since she's not as friendly as the others.  But with Brosa kicking so much, and Gracie not having much milk, I gave it a try - and have been pleasantly surprised!  She's got more milk than either of the others, and nice large teats - and while goat people might smile at the amount I'm getting, I'm quite happy with it, especially for both of us being really new at this  .


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## frustratedearthmother (Jun 28, 2014)

I applaud your perseverance!  If you do sell any of the lambs and continue to milk - the girls will probably appreciate you a LOT more because you will be relieving a full udder.  It's funny how their attitude can change at that point.  Works with my does, for sure!


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## Sheepshape (Jun 28, 2014)

I have milked a lot of sheep over the years,and most milk easily,but if you are taking milk,twin lambs on a ewe may go short. I would only milk when the lambs are of an age to be weaned, unless there is obvious overproduction.

It is easy if two people do the milking or the sheep is very tame. One person restrains the ewe and the other gets on their knees and gently pulls,twists and collects into a jug.


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## norseofcourse (Jul 1, 2014)

@frustratedearthmother - thanks!  I like 'perseverence' - usually my family just called me stubborn!   

@Sheepshape - I agree, Gracie's twins need it more than I do.  All I'm doing now is getting her up on the milkstand and going through the motions - taking a couple easy pulls on each teat at most, once a day, for training.  It also gives me a chance to give her a bit of extra pellets for the calories.


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## norseofcourse (Jul 4, 2014)

OK, things are going fairly well - I'm not getting much milk, but I'm getting lots of experience.  Can anyone help with some questions?

BUGS!!    Little gnats and something else that's even smaller.  How do you keep them out of the milk?  Is the milk ok to use if I strain them out as soon as possible?

How to keep stuff clean... the sheep gets on the milkstand, their feet bring along traces of whatever they've been standing in.  I put the milking bucket on the stand behind the sheep, so the bottom of the bucket now has traces of whatever's on the stand.  After milking, I take the bucket into the kitchen to pour it into containers and strain it - but I can't set the bucket down anywhere or else the stuff on the bottom of the bucket gets on the counter - yuck!  And I have to be very careful washing the bucket so I don't cross-contaminate anything.  Is there a better way?  Or am I being overly picky?

I am freezing the milk in one-cup portions in plastic bags, flat in the freezer.  The frozen milk turns really yellow - is that normal and ok?

Thanks!


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## Baymule (Jul 4, 2014)

I don't have sheep, but this sure is interesting. I applaud your       efforts!


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## frustratedearthmother (Jul 4, 2014)

I milk through a fine meshed nylon strainer that fits the top of the bucket very securely.  Wally World has a multi-pack that has different sizes in it.  I have two sizes of milking buckets and the multi pack has a size that fits each bucket.

I understand what you mean about setting a dirty bucket on your counter top.  After milking, I set my bucket in the sink while I'm getting other stuff ready.  While the bucket of milk is sitting in the sink I get a Mason jar ready for the milk. I take a coffee filter and arrange it over the top of the jar and then pour the milk into it.  The milk bucket itself never touches my counter top and its easy to wash out the sink. 

Hope that helps!


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## norseofcourse (Jul 5, 2014)

@frustratedearthmother - what section of WW had the nylon mesh strainer? Got a picture of it?  I just know I'll ask someone and they'll have no clue what I'm talking about  LOL


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## Red Ridge (Jul 17, 2014)

When I get a chance I will read this entire thread but until then I will post a quick response to the first post.  I used to own a commercial sheep dairy and milked 150 twice a day... a few things to note. ..
Sheep are not goats.
They like to be crowded
They don't like to be alone
An Udderly EZ is a dangerous tool

Now... All that said. .. I'd put both sheep next to each other on the stand and crowd them in next to each other as tight as they will go.  This will solve many problems.  Many commercial systems as a matter fact use this crowd type system instead of individual head stalls. 
Get them up there  together in a confined space where they can't move much or turn around and you will be amazed how they instantly relax.  Not having lambs weaned could prevent total let down,  but you well notice a difference. 

I'm late milking 3 ewes and 2 Dexters si need to run. .. But will try to catch up on this thread later today


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## Red Ridge (Jul 17, 2014)

Oh and. .. DO NOT hobble - never a good idea with sheep


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## frustratedearthmother (Jul 17, 2014)

I found mine in the kitchen gadget section.  They usually come with several different sizes in one bag.  They have a black plastic frame if that helps.


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## norseofcourse (Jul 22, 2014)

@Red Ridge - thanks for the input!  150 ewes twice a day, wow.

I'm still milking Brosa and Rose, and still learning, but it's definitely going well.  All the ewes are now quite used to the routine, and are easy to call into the milking area, and they jump right up onto the stand.  They're even willing to come in more than once! lol  Gracie gets her turn too, only so I can give her some extra grain, since with the twins she can use it.

Their kicking had toned down, but lately it got a bit worse again (not near as bad as it was in the beginning, though).  Tonight I had the idea to wait till they'd finished their grain before I started milking.  Whether it was coincidence, or I'd hit on something, it seemed to work - they both stood much better as I milked, and I got more milk than I'd been getting lately!  They seemed much more relaxed, and did the 'tuck the butt' thing more readily (the same motion they do when their lambs nurse, and that they sometimes do when I milk).  I will do the same thing tomorrow and see what happens.  Only four more cups and I'll have my gallon for the first cheesemaking!


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## norseofcourse (Aug 14, 2014)

I've sure been learning a lot this summer!  I've got the gallon for cheesemaking, and more set aside for some batches of soap and fudge.  They are behaving really well - waiting for them to finish the bit of grain I give them to hop on the stand has really helped (then they get a bit more after I milk).  One other major change:

After a lot of reading, and considering my setup here and options, I decided to try separating the lambs during the night and milking in the morning.  I started on a Saturday night/Sunday morning (I am *not* a morning person, so initially I was only going to try it on weekends).  The only way I could separate them was to leave the lambs out with the ram and wether all night, and close the ewes in the run-in area of the barn.  This means I can only do it during decent weather, as I don't want to close all the sheep out of their shelter if it's going to storm.  Luckily, we've been having pretty decent weather.

The first time I milked in the morning, I got nearly *triple* what I'd been getting milking at night! 11 ounces versus 4 ounces.  It was a good enough result that I decided to try and get up earlier on a weekday morning to milk, so I set the alarm a half hour earlier, and was actually able to get up and milk Monday morning.  Output was a bit lower, but still double the typical evening amount.  And I'm not milking them out fully, so they still have milk for their lambs.

The next couple nights I had to keep everyone in a different pasture, so I didn't do any milking (hornet nest above the run-in area had to be re-sprayed).  I milked again this morning, and got 10 ounces.  I'm going to milk for just awhile longer, and then stop for the year.

Then I'm going to work on a way to subdivide the run-in area so I can separate lambs and still have everybody under shelter, and for next year plan on milking in the mornings, starting when the lambs are 3 or 4 weeks old.  Having to get up early is the biggest drawback, but that time of year the sun comes up earlier, so that should help.

The difference between Rose and Brosa is interesting.  Rose has nice large teats, but small orifices, and the orifices seem to point 'in' (in other words, if I hold her teat straight and squeeze, the milk hits her opposite leg about halfway up).  Brosa has smaller teats (she's a first freshener so next year I'm hoping they'll be a bit bigger), but larger orifices which point straight down.  I didn't milk Gracie (Brosa's mom) long enough to remember what she's like.


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## Baymule (Aug 14, 2014)

Sounds like you stumbled on a better way to milk. Just fix the coffee pot at night so you can get a good caffeine jolt in the mornings!


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## norseofcourse (Aug 26, 2014)

Yesterday morning I milked the sheep for the last time this year.  I missed milking this morning, but I didn't miss getting up so early!  This year was to be my 'trial' and experimenting year, and I'd have to say it was a success overall.

By trial and error, and reading and asking folks, we went from beginners to at least somewhat experienced (but still novice) milker and milkees.  I learned that once sheep know a routine, they remember and expect it - especially if food is involved!

I went from being excited about getting a whole two tablespoons   to getting enough milk that I wasn't quite as concerned about the amount that got absorbed into the milk filter  .  Separating the lambs and moms overnight, and then milking in the morning, turned out to work really well, once I figured out a way to do it here.

I am really looking forward to milking next year (well, all but the getting-up-early part!).  The milking stand/neckrope arrangement works well, but I need to get a milking stool - my knees were telling me I'm not as young as I used to be.

There's an area inside the run-in area I can section off into a 8' by 10' pen for the lambs next year, with goat panels from TSC.  Then I'll just need to make a small hay/grain feeder for them.  By mid to late April, there's enough daylight at 6:30 am to start milking, so I'm hoping to time lambing for the lambs to be about a month old at that point.  Daylight that early will last about 4 months, if I end up milking that long!

For the two months I milked this year, I got a little over two gallons.  There were some days I didn't milk, some I got an ounce or two, often I got 4 or 5 ounces, and when I started separating the lambs I probably averaged 8 to 10 ounces a day.  Crossing fingers, if all goes well I'll be getting more milk next year, and I hope to experiment again with cheese, and even have enough milk to try some things like yogurt and butter.  And cajeta  

Thanks for the advice and encouragement everyone!


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## SheepGirl (Aug 27, 2014)

I would love to milk one or two of my sheep just for the heck of it, but I wouldn't be as consistent as you nor would I probably do anything with the milk.

Glad you had fun and I can't wait to hear about next year!


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## promiseacres (Aug 29, 2014)

very intertersting thread, glad you had some success!


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## trampledbygeese (Mar 3, 2015)

This is a great thread, thanks for sharing your experience.

One thought on the mucky milk bucket bottom - what my goat friend does is have two buckets, one for the actual milking and one to keep on a nearby, clean shelf in the barn.  The milk from the milking bucket, goes into the shelf bucket and the shelf bucket (without muck on the bottom) is the one that goes into the kitchen.  The mucky bucket gets cleaned and sanitized in the barn.


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## MsDeb (Mar 11, 2015)

As a new goat milker this was extremely interesting and educational.  (I didn't even know people milked sheep.)  Thanks for sharing your experience!


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## norseofcourse (Apr 12, 2015)

I thought I'd continue this thread instead of starting another one.  Yesterday I started milking my sheep again.  Last year was our learning and experimenting year, so this year we all know what we're doing, right?    

Last year, when I finally tried separating the lambs at night and milking the ewes in the morning, it worked so well that I wanted to start this year off doing the same thing.  I put together a pen in the run-in area for the lambs, and there's still plenty of room in the run-in for the ewes, so they can all be inside if the weather's bad.

On Friday night, after evening feeding, I closed the lambs in their new pen.  I got lucky - they went right into the pen while their moms ate!  I had put the old hay feeder in the pen, since I knew the lambs like to climb in it, and of course they had to go in and check it out.  I set them up with water and hay.  After some deliberation, I decided to pen Gracie's lambs, too.  They're not quite a week old, but I knew the other ewes would be somewhat upset about their lambs being penned, and upset ewes tend to headbutt whatever's nearby, and I didn't want her little ones getting hurt.

The calling wasn't too bad, it was nearly dark and I hoped everyone would just rest most of the night.  The night was alright - but oh my gosh, the noise in the morning!  I was up at first light, and both lambs and ewes were hollering to each other and to me, to hurry up!  I ended up only milking Rose, since Lukka's not fully trained yet, but Lukka did get on the stand and I brushed her and gave her some grain, and trimmed some wool from around her back end and udder.  I got 12 ounces of milk from Rose, which, if you read this whole thread, is more than I ever got from anyone last year!!!!

This morning (Sunday) was day two.  I started on a weekend, hoping we could get some sort of routine down before the workweek, when I'll be more pressed for time in the mornings.  Once again, penning the lambs was easy, and the ewes didn't call quite as much, except for Lukka.  She is a first-time mom and a bit more vocal.

I was up and out early again this morning, hoping the noise wouldn't be as bad.  Yikes, it seemed worse!  I cringed as I imagined the sheep waking up everyone in the nearby neighborhood  .   The lambs weren't too bad, but the ewes were.  I had taken some of the last of some really nice, soft grassy hay I have, and I gave some to Rose after I milked her.  She immediately started eating it, and stopped calling.  I think tomorrow I'll take more out and give it to the ewes to keep them busy while I milk, maybe that will stop most of the noise.

I don't remember that kind of noise happening last year, but by the time I tried penning the lambs and milking in the morning, they were several months older, and the ewes were probably glad to be away from them for awhile! lol

Anyway, this morning I milked Rose and got about 11 ounces.  Then I got Lukka onto the stand, and this time I put the neckrope on her, and started cleaning off her udder to see how she would do.  She did well!  I was pretty 'hands off' with her last year, since I was trying not to get attached to any of the lambs, so she didn't have a lot of handling like Brosa did the year before.  So I was very pleased at how well Lukka did     She didn't do any of the foot-stomping or pooping on the stand that Brosa had done     She stood well enough that I even did a bit of milking.  Her teats aren't as big as her mom's, which I expected since she's younger, but they're not too bad, and her orifices seemed a good size, and seemed to point down straighter than her mom's.

I didn't milk her very much, but I think she has real potential.  She moved around a bit on the stand, so I stopped when she was standing nice and still, and rewarded her with some more grain.

Then I got Gracie in and on the stand.  This was just practice for Gracie, too, since she only got milked a little bit at the beginning of last summer, due to having to be wormed.  For being out of practice, she did pretty well.  And even with twins, her udder capacity seems to be pretty good, enough that taking a bit in the morning should be fine.  Her teats are smaller than Rose's, but her orifices seem a bit larger.

I combined Lukka and Gracie's milk, and measured it but didn't keep it, since some gunk got in it.  It totaled 7 ounces, which isn't bad.  I didn't milk either of them out anywhere close to fully, I'll work towards that as they both get more experience.  More practice will do me some good as well!  My aim isn't too bad - I almost always hit the bucket now - but I have a long way to go to get more consistent.

So, a decent start to milking for the year!  Tomorrow will be more of a test:  Can I keep the ewes quieter?  Can I milk all three ewes, do chores, and still get to work on time?  Will I someday remember to get pictures?  Stay tuned and find out!


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## Baymule (Apr 12, 2015)

Will you make cheese with the milk?


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## norseofcourse (Apr 20, 2015)

Baymule said:


> Will you make cheese with the milk?



Yep, that's the plan!  And a few other things, including ice cream, fudge and maybe yogurt.


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## norseofcourse (Apr 20, 2015)

Just over a week into milking, and it's going well.

The noise is still louder than I'd like.  It's more the lambs, but the moms join in sometimes, too.  Feeding the moms some of the really good grassy hay does help keep them occupied till everyone's milked, but I'm nearly out of it and the farm it came from doesn't have any more.  I'm checking into getting some nice alfalfa mix hay, it's a good deal and I think the sheep could use the extra calories.

The ewes got the routine down quickly.  Gracie insists on being first, then Lukka, and last Rose.  For being a first-timer, Lukka is behaving very well.  She's the only ewe who doesn't mind me milking while she's still eating her grain.

The milking results so far: 9 days, 168 ounces - that's nearly one and a third gallons!  Some I only saved for soap, and I dumped the first day's milking from Lukka and Gracie (I should have saved it for soap too, I wasn't thinking), but still, that's way over last year!  I have three quarts in the freezer being saved for cheesemaking.  I've made fudge, hot cocoa, oatmeal, and tuna noodle casserole using sheep's milk.  Everyone likes the fudge the best  

Lessons so far:

1.  Get to bed early.  Daybreak comes early, and it keeps coming earlier.

2.  Have everything you need ready for in the morning, and no dirty dishes in the sink from the night before.  I am apparently still learning this....

3.  If you're late the sheep are not happy, and don't let down their milk.  It was only about ten minutes on a Sunday, but Gracie was especially ticked off.  She gets milked/fed first, and I'm sure she was cussing me out...

I didn't mllk this morning, we had storms coming through the area so I just didn't pen the lambs last night.  Starting again tomorow am.


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## OneFineAcre (Apr 20, 2015)

Seems like you are off to a good start


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## Baymule (Apr 23, 2015)

It this keeps getting better, do you think you might get some dairy sheep?


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## norseofcourse (Apr 23, 2015)

Baymule said:


> It this keeps getting better, do you think you might get some dairy sheep?



Well, as babsbag said, 'never say never', but I like my little Icelandic sheep     and I can't see myself getting into serious enough production to add another breed.


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## norseofcourse (Apr 24, 2015)

I tweaked a few things recently.  I'd been combining Gracie and Lukka's milk and measuring it separately from Rose's.  I found three tall measuring cups that fit in one small bucket, and I labeled one for each sheep.  Now I can track each sheep's milk and carry it all more easily.

I also changed to a different container to milk into - I found one that's more oblong, so it fits in between their hind legs better (I'm milking from the rear).  It's a smaller target for me to milk into, but my aim has gotten better so I haven't lost nearly as much milk as I was afraid I would!

Rose is still averaging between 10 and 12 ounces each morning.  Lukka is giving about 4 ounces.  And Gracie is giving nearly 8 ounces.  Gracie has the smallest teats, so she's a bit harder to milk out, but she's behaving the best on the stand - the last two days she's stood completely still while I milked her!  (watch now, I'll have jinxed it LOL)   Lukka is behaving nearly as well.  Rose still stomps/kicks some, but she is improving.

I got a few cheesemaking supplies and I've been re-reading recipes and techniques, hoping to find some time within the next few weeks and make my first batch


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## norseofcourse (May 8, 2015)

The sheep milking is still very much a learning experience.  The sheep and lambs don't call nearly as much in the mornings now, they munch their hay and they're pretty settled into the routine.  I'm tracking production, and it's gone up and down for various reasons.  I'm at over 3 gallons so far!  I've used some, and frozen quite a bit.

Gracie, always first to be milked, has a good amount of milk, but small teats.  I think of hers as 'two-finger' teats LOL.  I use my thumb, and the two midde fingers to milk her.  Sometimes it goes fairly easily, sometimes not, and I can't always tell if it's her or me.  Sometimes I stop when I know she has more milk, sometimes I go longer.  I don't think I've ever milked her out fully.  She does behave well on the stand.

Lukka is my first freshener, and she's not giving much, but she behaves really well on the stand.  Her teats are a bit larger than Gracie's, and her orifices seem larger, too.  From what I've read, her teats should be larger next year?  If so, she's going to be a wondeful milker.  I don't fully milk her out, either, but it's not hard to come close.

Rose.  Rose has such potential, and she did well last year.  This year, she started off doing well, then she started getting fidgety on the stand.  I made sure nothing was uncomfortable for her.  Since she is milked last, I might have unintentionally started hurrying to finish, so I tried to slow down.  I tried letting her eat as I milked, but it didn't help, so I switched back to just giving her a little to get on the stand, then the rest when I was done milking her.

Rose has nice large teats, but somewhat smaller orifices, although it goes pretty fast when she behaves and relaxes.  I'm not milking her out, either, since she's got the twins.  I looked back on last year's notes, and Rose moved and stomped and kicked for awhile at first then, too, so I'm fairly certain she'll settle down.  She's done a little better the last two times, and this morning I milked with both hands, just briefly (I've been milking her with one hand at a time, holding the container with the other, so she can't kick it over).

I made tapioca pudding, and it had a grainy texture.  It didn't taste bad, but it was... different.  The recipe calls for bringing the mixture to a boil, and I think it precipitated out some of the curd/proteins.  I used fresh milk, and a recipe I've made with milk from the store many times.  Has anyone made tapioca with goats milk, and does it do the same thing?

I next made instant pudding with sheep's milk, and it set up just fine.  Hoping to get some time to make my first batch of cheese this weekend


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## bonbean01 (May 8, 2015)

You'll have to make sheep milk yogurt!  When my daughter was in Greece, she got addicted to the yogurt and asked why it was so different than what she'd had before....it was made from sheep milk!  She has always loved yogurt, but she said the sheep milk yogurt was better than anything!


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## norseofcourse (May 9, 2015)

bonbean01 said:


> You'll have to make sheep milk yogurt!



I'd wavered about yogurt - I'm not a huge big fan of it, although I did really like skyr when I went to Iceland (it was probably made with cows milk though, not sheeps milk).  My cheesemaking book has a recipe for yogurt that only takes a quart of milk, so I'll give it a try and let you know how it goes!


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## norseofcourse (May 10, 2015)

This morning, for the third morning in a row, Gracie peed on the milkstand.

My routine is bring her into the milking area (she's first, and always very ready), she hops up on the stand, I put the neckrope on her.  I brush her back/hindquarters/belly first, then use a towel to clean her udder.

Friday and Saturday, she peed when I got to the towel part.  This morning she peed when I brushed her.  She's not acting scared or worried, and she stands very well to be milked.  She never did this last year, but I didn't milk her much last year.  I've been milking about a month so far this year, and this just started.

The milkstand platform is solid wood, so some runs off and some soaks in, no matter how fast I try to wipe it off with a towel.  The first time it got on me, too, since I wasn't expecting it.  She's not going a whole lot, but.... ewwwwwww!

Any ideas on how to deal with this?  Will it stop on its own?  Anybody know sheep for 'go potty before you come in'?


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## mysunwolf (May 10, 2015)

Oh no, I'm sorry, but that's too funny  I have a ewe who pees on me every time I inspect her udder, and am NOT looking forward to trying to milk her. 

My friend who milks her cows puts their tails down over their behinds if they look like they're going to pee or poo in the milking stall and says "No!" but I'm not sure it actually works...

You could try messing with her udder and brushing her before you go to the stand, that way maybe she'll get all the "eek, sensitive" out of her system and pee before she gets on the stand.


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## Baymule (May 10, 2015)

Getting peed on...... sorry, but I had to laugh. Still giggling .....


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## bonbean01 (May 10, 2015)

so sorry....but that made me crack up laughing!!!  And boy, did I need that laugh today 

Think of those Depend advertisements....no big deal...just a little pee ....LOLOL


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## norseofcourse (May 11, 2015)

IT'S NOT FUNNY!!!!!!!!!!!   

Ok, I can see the humor in it.  It would be funnier if it wasn't me, too!

I got Gracie up on the stand yesterday evening and trimmed off the rest of her long wool (she's shedding).  She peed on the stand again.

So, this morning, I petted her hindquarters and udder before she got on the stand, but she didn't 'go'.  Then I put a big handful of hay/waste wool on the stand behind her, hoping that if she did go, it would soak up most of it.  I went on with our normal routine.

But - she didn't pee on the stand this morning!  I still don't know why she did, and I don't know why she didn't, but I can hope she will stop for good.


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## frustratedearthmother (May 11, 2015)

Maybe she's over it...  Hope so!


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## norseofcourse (Jun 20, 2015)

Overdue for an update!

Gracie peed only a few more times on the milkstand, then (with one exception) she hasn't done it since.  I still don't know why, but glad she's stopped.  Maybe she was overanxious - she insists on being first to be milked  

I'm still milking 3 sheep - Gracie, Lukka and Rose - nearly every morning.  I've been milking now for 10 weeks.  Right now I'm averaging about two cups of milk total per day - mosty from Gracie and Rose, since Lukka is a first freshener.  Sometimes production is a bit higher, sometimes a bit lower, and it's hard to tell if it's them, me, or something else.

I am really enjoying the milking, but I'm starting to really hate getting up early enough to get the milking and other chores done before heading to work.  The bumper crop of mosquitoes we've got right now isn't helping either.

I've got at least two gallons of milk frozen for cheesemaking, and at least that much or more frozen for soapmaking.  I also have enough frozen for one batch of ice cream, and I'm currently freezing more in 1.5 cup batches for fudge.  It amazes me that squirt by squirt, my girls have given me so much milk!  I don't use a lot of milk on a daily basis, so most of it has gotten frozen, and I'm running out of room - a problem I could not have imagined last year.

I had one gallon of milk frozen from last year.  A few weeks ago I used half of that to make cheese, and it turned out well (I made lemon cheese, then ricotta with the whey).  Today, I used the other half gallon and made the same cheeses.  With this year's milk, I've also made several batches of fudge, some ice cream, and a few other recipes that called for milk.

Letting the cream rise to separate it hasn't been working too well for me.  I don't know how long it would take to let it set for most/all the cream to rise, and I'm not comfortable with letting the milk set in the fridge all that long.  I may research cream separators - I've heard of tabletop models so maybe they can be used with smaller quantities, like a quart or half gallon. 

My original plan had me milking for another ten weeks, but I don't know if I'll go that long.  It was just based on how long I figured I'd have enough daylight in the morning.  I'm not ready to stop quite yet, but maybe start skipping more weekdays.  No matter how much longer I go this year, I think it's been quite a success and a really great learning experience again!


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## Baymule (Jun 21, 2015)

Good food from your sheep! You are an inspiration! Still working on fencing around here. Stupid crazy weather and life gets in the way. I can't wait to get my sheep. I would learn to milk and make cheese. We buy raw Guernsey milk locally, maybe I could start there. I can see cheese making books in my future.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jun 22, 2015)

Sounds like you're making progress!


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## norseofcourse (Jun 23, 2015)

@Baymule and @frustratedearthmother - thanks!

Sunday, I inventoried all the milk I had frozen, and I was amazed to find I had just over six gallons!!  That's in addition to the milk I've used for fudge, ice cream, puddings, soap, and a few other things.  No wonder I'm running out of room.


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## norseofcourse (Jun 24, 2015)

Cheese report!  I've made 'lemon' cheese twice now.  This is made by heating the milk to 175° and adding lemon juice to precipitate out the curd.  Then I poured it into a butter muslin-lined colander:




 

I hung it to drain for awhile, and it was a nice, mild, semi-soft type of cheese.  I ate some nearly every day for about a week, and it developed more flavor as the days went on (what flavor, you ask?  Well, a kind of 'cheesy' flavor - I know that's not real helpful, but it's the best way I can describe it!).

I've had several friends taste it, and thought it was good.  One friend said she could tell it was sheep cheese because of it's taste.  I can't, but my taste buds aren't all that educated, and the variety of cheeses I've tasted in my life is pretty low.  Even if I count the velveeta....  

I'm going to a cheese class and making mozzarella on Friday - that should be fun!  I'll take the camera and let you know how it turns out.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jun 24, 2015)

That ought to be a great class!  Can't wait for the pics.


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## Baymule (Jun 26, 2015)

Is your lemon cheese like a spread you could put on crackers? Also, how much lemon juice to how much milk? I might have to buy extra raw milk to try this!


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## Baymule (Jun 26, 2015)

Oh, I count velveeta as cheese too! LOL


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## norseofcourse (Jun 27, 2015)

Baymule said:


> Is your lemon cheese like a spread you could put on crackers? Also, how much lemon juice to how much milk? I might have to buy extra raw milk to try this!


It was a quarter cup of lemon juice to a half gallon of milk.

The cheese was soft enough to spread when it was fresh and still warm, but I kept it in the fridge so of course it was not as spreadable when it was cold.  But it was easy to slice and still fairly soft.  The longer you let it drain, the firmer it will be.  You could always make a batch just before a get-together and serve it immediately, and you'd likely not have to worry about leftovers.  The Home Cheesemaking book also talks about adding herbs and stuff to the fresh cheese for more flavorful spreads, and that sounds good, too.


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## Baymule (Jun 27, 2015)

Kinda like cream cheese? This stuff sounds good. Going to try it.


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## norseofcourse (Jun 28, 2015)

Ok, Friday night I made mozzarella.  It was so cool!

I used one gallon of sheep's milk.  It was frozen, so it took awhile to get it up to 55°, at which point I added 1.5 teaspoons of powdered citric acid.  Then I gradually heated it to 88°, and added the rennet.  Since sheep's milk is said to take less rennet than cow or goat milk, I only used about a fourth to a third of what it called for (one-quarter rennet tablet).

The recipe was a bit unclear on whether I should continue to stir as I continued to gently heat the milk to about 100°, so I decided to stir occasionally.  I worried the rennet wasn't doing anything, till within a few minutes I put the spoon in the pot to stir it, and discovered it had all suddenly become one big curd!  It was like solid yogurt.

It still wasn't at 100°, but it got really difficult to get a good temperature reading because there was both curd and whey in the pot, and I couldn't stir it any more.  I 'sliced' through the curd into about 1.5 inch sections, and when I got a couple readings high enough, even though it was only in the middle of the pot, I decided to ladle out the curd and continue with the recipe.



 
I ladled the curd into a cheesecloth-lined colander, and decided to divide it in half for the next part, as there was quite a bit.  I put half the curds in a microwave safe bowl and heated them for about 20 seconds.  Then I took them out, and pressed the curds with a spoon to get more whey out.  It's amazing how much whey kept coming out of the curds.  Back in the microwave and repeat, and on the third heating there wasn't much whey coming out, so I picked up the curds and started kneading/folding/stretching them, kinda like taffy.  They were a little stretchy but not a lot, so back in the microwave again, and woohoo they started stretching and really looking like mozzarella cheese!  And boy were they hot to handle, too!

A friend of mine got to play with stretching the second batch, here she is stretching the curd, it's nearly stretchy enough:


 

When it had cooled down we tasted it, and it didn't have much flavor (I've been told mozzarella doesn't have much), and it was a bit dry.  I think the dryness was due to it getting a bit too hot once it became curds.  But, I'm thinking if it's hot and melty, like on pizza or fried mozzarella sticks, it should taste better.  I got marinara sauce today so I'll be making mozzarella sticks with it.

I definitely want to make this again!  And I highly recommend it for beginning cheesemakers!  It's not only fairly uncomplicated, it's just plain fun to knead and stretch the cheese and watch it become stretchy and mozzarella.  I do recommend thicker rubber/latex/vinyl gloves, so you can handle the hot cheese more easily.  The thin ones I had didn't help much.  They say you can do it all with spoons, but the stretching part is much more fun by hand  

I got a total of 14.75 ounces of mozzarella cheese out of the gallon of milk.  I'm going to try it again sometime with just a half gallon.  You should make some too!  Google '30 minute mozzarella' for recipes.


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## babsbag (Jun 28, 2015)

Goat milk 30 minute Moz. can be a challenge. This is the one I have the best luck with.

http://www.5acresandadream.com/2011/07/cheese-making-update-goats-milk.html


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## mikiz (Jun 29, 2015)

That is SO AWESOME, I might still give milking sheep a go once I get my place set up!
I've always wanted to make things like cheese, icecream, fudge, yogurt etc without upsetting my stomach, and yours has all turned out great!


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## norseofcourse (Jun 29, 2015)

@babsbag - that's interesting about the goat's milk.  It's good that there's resources out there detailing people's experiences with the different milks.

@mikiz - thanks!  Not everything has been great - the tapioca didn't turn out well, since it started to precipitate out some kind of curds at about 185 degrees (the recipe called for taking it to a boil).  The taste was ok, but the texture was a bit unusual...  the ice cream, instant pudding, and fudge were great.  Haven't done yogurt yet.  I'd say the lemon cheese was good, but I want to try the mozzarella again with a few tweaks.

You could try the mozzarella with cow's milk, just to get practice with the procedures, so you'll be ready for your sheep's milk someday - and it is so much fun!


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## mikiz (Jun 29, 2015)

Can you use the regular store-bought milk for the cheeses? I know I made some sort of soft cheese using lemon and vinegar in regular milk once when I was a kid, that was fun but it was sort of cottage-cheese-y


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## norseofcourse (Jun 29, 2015)

mikiz said:


> Can you use the regular store-bought milk for the cheeses? I know I made some sort of soft cheese using lemon and vinegar in regular milk once when I was a kid, that was fun but it was sort of cottage-cheese-y


Yes, regular milk works, and most recipes call for whole milk.  And make sure it's not ultra-pasteurized - the high heat of that process makes it totally unsuitable for cheesemaking (the book I have says it will make, at best, a mushy ricotta).

That same type of lemon cheese should be less cottage-cheesy if you let it drain longer.


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## mikiz (Jun 29, 2015)

Yay, looks like I have a new project for the weekend!


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## norseofcourse (Jul 6, 2015)

I got some pictures yesterday morning, during milking.  I've given descriptions, but a picture is worth a thousand words, and I thought some might be interested to see.  A few pics were a bit blurry, it's not easy to take them with one hand and milk with the other.  If you can't tell from the pics, I am milking from the rear.

First up is Gracie.  This is her third freshening, and second year being milked (although I didn't milk her very long last year, due to her being wormed).




 

She's almost a 3-finger milker lol.  Notice how I grasp some of the udder above the teat - saw that on a video someone posted here, and it does help.  It's difficult to do when their udder is full, but after the first few pulls, I re-do my grip and it's easier.  I typically get a much stronger stream - I was going real slow as I was trying to keep the camera still with the other hand.

Up next is Lukka, a first freshener who is behaving very well on the milking stand, despite very little handling (because at first I didn't think I was keeping her).  Lukka is more of a two-finger milker, but she lets down her milk nicely.  I am hoping she takes after her mom Rose, and you'll see why in the next set of pictures!



 



 

Last we have Rose, a third freshener and the second year she's been milked (I think I milked about two months last year, maybe a bit less).  She has teats I think even a goat owner would like     even though her orifices are a bit small.



 



 

The lambs are penned during the night, until I finish milking in the morning.  They are used to the routine so they're pretty patient now, but Gracie's twins try to look as pitiful as possible.  "Oh, please, please, can't you see we're about to faint from hunger?"


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## Baymule (Jul 13, 2015)

I made the lemon cheese yesterday. I used a half gallon oh raw cows milk. I woung up with a lot of crumbles. Was I not supposed to stir it? It tasted a bit bland, needed salt. When do you add salt? Still in the pot or after straining? The crumbles will go good on salads. I am thrilled with my new found cheese making ability.  Lemon cheese, who knew? I saved the whey, 1 1/2 quarts an have already drank the quart. That's good too.


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## norseofcourse (Jul 18, 2015)

Baymule said:


> I made the lemon cheese yesterday. I used a half gallon oh raw cows milk. I woung up with a lot of crumbles. Was I not supposed to stir it? It tasted a bit bland, needed salt. When do you add salt? Still in the pot or after straining? The crumbles will go good on salads. I am thrilled with my new found cheese making ability.  Lemon cheese, who knew? I saved the whey, 1 1/2 quarts an have already drank the quart. That's good too.


Congrats on your cheese!  I saw lemon cheese made with cows milk in a cheese class once, and it did seem to be a lot of little crumbly pieces of curd, that appeared almost immediately once he added the lemon juice.  He strained it without cooking it any more, and it seemed pretty soft (and yummy!).

A lot of things can affect how cheese turns out.  How fast or slow you get it to the target temperature (usually the slower the better).  How long between adding the acid and straining it (if you let it cook for awhile first my guess is the cheese may be drier).  How long you strain it - the longer you strain it the drier it will be.  And I'm sure there's lot of other variables that I'm just too new to know about yet.

You add the salt after you've strained the whey out.  Maybe next time try straining it sooner, or for not as long?  I've also seen some recipes call for adding some cream to the curds after you've strained them, and then mixing, to make a smoother, moister, more spreadable cheese.

I think you did great - and I'm impressed you're drinking the whey!  I tried mine, and....


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## norseofcourse (Jul 19, 2015)

I've been skipping some morning milkings over the past few weeks, especially weekdays.  Interestingly, sometimes I find slightly increased production, even after I've skipped two days in a row.  Maybe that's normal, I don't know.

I did start doing some udder massaging in the last week or two.  Once I'm getting hardly anything from each teat, I massage their udder (kind of like kneading bread, but upside-down) a few times, and I've found this gives me a fair bit more.  I had tried 'bumping' it like their lambs do, but I never had the nerve to do it as hard as I've seen the lambs bump, so my half-hearted attempts were probably more of an annoyance... lol

Anyway, maybe the massaging, maybe I'm finally getting experienced, maybe the ewes are getting more comfortable, maybe the weather or the phase of the moon?  Who knows - but Gracie's average increased over an ounce.  And Rose - her average had been hovering around 7 ounces, and she started giving 8, 9, and then today she gave 11 ounces!  That's what she was averaging in her first two weeks of freshening!

So, you might ask, why would I want to stop milking now?  Well, I've never been much of a morning person, and I'm really getting tired of getting up and out so early to milk.  I'd rather stop now, when I'm getting some nice results, than continue till I'm totally sick of getting up that early.  I want to look forward to milking next year, not dread it.

I've got milk frozen for soap, fudge, and cheese.  I think I'll use this weekend's milk and made a batch of yogurt, to see how that tastes.

Brosa still hasn't had her lamb, so there's always the chance I may milk her a little bit after that.  I can decide that when the time comes.


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## promiseacres (Jul 19, 2015)

Very cool!


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## mikiz (Jul 19, 2015)

@norseofcourse when you freeze your milk, do you do it in one little batch from each day or do you keep it say a couple of days to build up and then freeze? I couldn't imagine having 30 separate little jars in the freezer after a month of milking!


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## norseofcourse (Jul 19, 2015)

mikiz said:


> @norseofcourse when you freeze your milk, do you do it in one little batch from each day or do you keep it say a couple of days to build up and then freeze? I couldn't imagine having 30 separate little jars in the freezer after a month of milking!


Good question!  I usually bagged it up to freeze every few days.  I averaged 2 cups a day - sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less - so in 2 or 3 days I'd have a quart + (unless I used some).  I'm a bit squirrely about milk being more than a few days old, so if I didn't get to it often enough, I'd bag the older stuff for soap, and the fresher stuff for cheese and fudge.

I use quart size bags for quarts, and sandwich size bags for up to 2 cups (often I'd bag 1.5 cups, that's the amount for my fudge recipe   ).  I write the amount and intended use on the outside of the bag with a marker, and for cheese I'd write the date (tip - write on bag before filling with cold milk).  I freeze the bags flat on a plate, so they stack better for storage.

Once I settle on a good recipe or two for soap, I'll know what portion size to use for freezing milk for soap.  Quart portions work well for cheese, because recipes are often for half or whole gallons.


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## mikiz (Jul 19, 2015)

That's awesome, I'm actually really excited to milk sheep, even if it is only a little bit at a time, it's kind of perfect since I don't drink all that much and now I know what to do if I end up with too much


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## norseofcourse (May 11, 2016)

Thought I'd revive this thread as I begin milking again.  All 4 of my ewes are in milk this year!

I did a 'test run' or two over the last couple of weeks, mainly just getting each of the ewes to get onto the milkstand to get us back into the routine.  I also took the opportunity to start trimming udders - these ewes grow really wooly udders  
I splurged on a decent pair of cordless clippers - probably not heavy duty enough to shear a sheep, but fine for udders and lighter clip jobs like pony bridle paths.  I got a good start on clipping, but I still need to get better at the area of their inside hind legs, and a few other spots.  I'll take the clippers out soon and have another go at it - we've had so much rain lately and I'd rather not do it when they are wet or damp.

Last Saturday was to be my first 'real' milking day, so I penned the lambs separately on Friday night.  They had food and water, but they still called for awhile until they settled down.  But every time they heard me at the house (like taking the dogs out in the middle of the night), they'd start back up again!  The moms joined in, but they settled down fairly well, I'm sure they remember the routine.

Saturday morning I'm up and out there by 6:30 am.  I gave everyone fresh hay, which got the ewes quiet, but the lambs were still calling some - not horribly, though.  They will learn.

Gracie was first.  She was quite full, and her teats were pretty easy to milk.  But before I milked her out fully, my hands were getting tired, and I still had three sheep to go...  I decided to stop so I didn't overdo it.  Gracie had behaved well, and I know my hands will get used to milking again soon.  I got approx. 11 ounces from Gracie.

Lukka was second.  This is Lukka's second freshening, and her udder was tiny last year - well, it's not tiny now!  She had a nice big udder, but her teats were still as small as last year's.  I was hoping they'd start getting more like her mom's (Rose).  Maybe her twins this year will help.  Anyway, I didn't milk her for very long - those little teats were just too difficult.  I know she still had a lot more milk.  I got approx. 4 ounces from Lukka.

Brosa was third.  Brosa's udder was *huge*!!!  It was so full and beautiful.  Unfortunately, she also had these little, tiny teats....  And her udder was so full that I couldn't grasp any of the udder above her teats, to help milk her more easily.  She also misbehaved on the stand - kicking, moving, not cooperating.  Not nearly as bad as the first year I milked her, though - and she had last year off so she's not used to the routine as well as the others.  She did finally settle, although I mostly milked her with one hand as I held the container with the other, so she couldn't kick it over or step in it.  I don't think I came anywhere close to milking her out, but I did better than I expected - I got about 8 ounces from Brosa.

Finally, last was Rose.  It took a bit of time to get her into the milking area, but she's food motivated so she finally hopped up.  She had a nice full udder too - and lovely, lovely teats!  Milking her was a pleasure and a joy after Lukka and Brosa, even though my hands were getting pretty tired by now.  She was a little fidgety on the stand, but not too bad.  I didn't milk her out fully either, but I ended on a good note when she was standing well.  I got about 13 ounces from Rose.

Saturday night I didn't pen the lambs, so Sunday morning I thought I'd see how much I would get without separating them.  It wasn't hard to get each ewe on the stand, and the milking was a little easier for Lukka and Brosa since they weren't so full - but the results were very different.  I got a whopping 4 ounces of milk from all 4 ewes combined.

So - where to go from here?  I've got some ideas, but it'll have to be another post, when I'm a bit more awake.


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## babsbag (May 12, 2016)

I think you need a milk machine of some kind. Little teats are impossible to milk but when I milk with a machine it doesn't matter; a life saver.


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## norseofcourse (May 13, 2016)

babsbag said:


> I think you need a milk machine of some kind. Little teats are impossible to milk but when I milk with a machine it doesn't matter; a life saver.


That's one of the things I've considered.  I've read a lot of posts about the various machines, but none has really grabbed my interest.  And it's a big investment for just a few sheep.  I don't need a lot of milk, this has been mainly for the learning experience, for the sheep to earn a bit more towards their keep (sheep-milk soap), and for the chance to have some fun with making various things like cheese, yogurt, skyr, and other stuff from my own animals.

And I like hand milking     I can't explain exactly why, it's a lot of things rolled up together.  If it got to the point where I didn't like it, I think I'd rather stop altogether, than switch to a machine.

Some other options I've thought of are:

Milk just Gracie and Rose.  They are my two easiest to milk as far as teat size, and they both give a good amount.  Especially Rose this year, since she only has a single.

Separate the lambs for a shorter time period.  Last Saturday they were separated for 11 hours.  I'm trying this option this weekend - I fed late tonight, just after dark, so if I get out there by about 6 or 6:30 am, it'll only be a 9 hour separation.  Will that make much difference?  I'll find out!

Another option would be to milk Gracie and Rose now, and (if I want), milk Brosa and Lukka later in the summer, when their milk production starts dropping.  I have last year's data, which might give me some idea of when production may start decreasing.

I don't know how much teat size can change with each freshening.  Lukka and Brosa are both technically second fresheners, Rose and Gracie 4th-timers.  I didn't try any milking when Rose and Gracie were first fresheners, so I don't have any idea what their teats were like then.  Rose's teats were already a nice size as a second freshener.  I was really hoping she'd pass that to her daughter.  Maybe with time...


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## Mini Horses (May 13, 2016)

You may want to look at the breast pumps for women.  I bought on to use on a goat with tiny teats and it works well.  You have to squeeze a handle but the cup fits onto those tiny teats.   For goats, the containers were too small usually...8oz...and then switch the bottle.  But, for your sheep it may be perfect. 

The one I have has a little band for tension on the handle to suction part -- similar to a  rubber band idea -- and it stretches with as much use as was needed for the goat (couple weeks, 2X daily use)   I couldn't find any replacements at the local stores, didn't look online.   At that point I had another milker I had ordered.    I do like the squeeze effect of that little hand held, more like hand milking.  BUT if any joint issues, it is still a consideration as it will work your hands!

In past years I have used these on my mini mares to collect colostrum to freeze.  They really have some short teats!  But the pump is something like a flat funnel at the top, so fits onto a full udder nicely.   they gave a few ounces, like the sheep.  My goats give 1/2-3/4 gal at a milking, each.

Maybe an EZ Milker?


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## Mini Horses (May 13, 2016)

Just wanted to ad, I freeze milk for cheese & soap, also.  But, I do drink a lot when they are milking.  Anyhow, had such a supply in freezer that I cleaned it out by using it to feed to pigs & chickens.  My chickens love the soft cheeses!   I make mine similar to your lemon cheese but, use vinegar.  It makes a nice cheese, especially with added herbs.   Garlic & basil, oregano & sun dried tomatoes, etc.     Like you said, temp, length of time it sets after adding the acid (lemon/vinegar) and how long it drains, all affect the texture -- softer, etc.   Some I work as spread, others, to slice.   I'd like to do a cheddar -- aged & all that but, haven't yet.  

When I milk 2 or 3 goats I easily get over 2 gal a day!! 

I drink it, feed cats, dogs, pigs, chickens....make cheese for all, have made butter.  Haven't bought soap in over 2 yrs and do make enough to go to bazaars & sell it, plus in two beauty shop locations.


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## mysunwolf (May 14, 2016)

Got to speak up for the sheep... dairy sheep can give 1/2 a gallon or more at each milking! But you have to practice proper weaning, rations, and general care like you would for a dairy goat. The other awesome thing about dairy sheep is that they have big loose bags, large orifices, and long teats for very easy hand milking  @norseofcourse I know that you know these things. Have you ever considered crossing some of the dairy breeds in with your girls for milkier offspring?

While I don't agree with the human breast pump (have heard sheep dairy people say it's just a baaaddd idea), I do think something like an EZ Milker or even a really fancy one would increase your production. My biggest problem milking non-dairy ewes is that you just can't get the milk out of the tiny teats and/or orifices. Especially not before they finish their treat on the stand and get grumpy!

I also prefer hand milking, it's just a special experience for me.


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## mysunwolf (May 14, 2016)

Got to speak up for the sheep... dairy sheep can give 1/2 a gallon or more at each milking! But you have to practice proper weaning, rations, and general care like you would for a dairy goat. The other awesome thing about dairy sheep is that they have big loose bags, large orifices, and long teats for very easy hand milking  @norseofcourse I know that you know these things. Have you ever considered crossing some of the dairy breeds in with your girls for milkier offspring?

While I don't agree with the human breast pump (have heard sheep dairy people say it's just a baaaddd idea), I do think something like an EZ Milker or even a really fancy one would increase your production. My biggest problem milking non-dairy ewes is that you just can't get the milk out of the tiny teats and/or orifices. Especially not before they finish their treat on the stand and get grumpy!

I also prefer hand milking, it's just a special experience for me.


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## norseofcourse (May 14, 2016)

@Mini Horses - thanks for the info - this morning's milking went much better.  With a 9-hour 'fill' time, both Lukka's and Brosa's udders were full, but not so engorged to the point where they were too hard to milk.  And my hands are getting used to it again, it wasn't till the third sheep that I needed to rest them a bit.

For your soft cheese, do you use white or apple cider vinegar?  And what amounts of vinegar to milk?


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## TAH (May 14, 2016)

What breed of sheep do you have? We had a Katahdin Dorper cross ewe, I only milked her twice but she gave 2 cups form both milking's. Is that a good amount for a sheep?


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## Latestarter (May 14, 2016)

Good luck for another successful year!


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## norseofcourse (May 15, 2016)

mysunwolf said:


> Got to speak up for the sheep... dairy sheep can give 1/2 a gallon or more at each milking! But you have to practice proper weaning, rations, and general care like you would for a dairy goat. The other awesome thing about dairy sheep is that they have big loose bags, large orifices, and long teats for very easy hand milking  @norseofcourse I know that you know these things. Have you ever considered crossing some of the dairy breeds in with your girls for milkier offspring?


I love the milking, but it's not my primary purpose.  Even though my sheep aren't registered, I'd rather keep them purebred.  One of the reasons I have Icelandics is that I'm in the SCA, a group that studies and re-creates history in the Middle Ages.  Icelandics are one of the few breeds that's been around since that time frame.  Historically, they were milked, but I don't know if there's any actual data on production, or if they cared about teat size or considered anything like that when making culling decisions.  They may have just felt like I do - you get what you get.


> My biggest problem milking non-dairy ewes is that you just can't get the milk out of the tiny teats and/or orifices. Especially not before they finish their treat on the stand and get grumpy!


Luckily I've figured mine out, and funny enough, it's the opposite!  They don't want me milking them while they're eating - and they are the same way with their lambs - when mom is eating pellets/hay, the kids don't get to nurse!  So I put some pellets in to get them on the stand, and by the time I've brushed them and cleaned the udder, they're done eating and behave better while I milk.  Then after I've milked, I give them more food.  The only one I can milk while she's still eating is Lukka, and she's also the only one I've seen allow a lamb a sip of milk while she's eating at the main feeder, too.

Rose's teats are great (see previous pics), Gracie's aren't bad, and Lukka and Brosa were somewhat easier when their udders weren't tightly full.  Maybe their twins will help stretch those teats


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## norseofcourse (May 15, 2016)

TAH said:


> What breed of sheep do you have? We had a Katahdin Dorper cross ewe, I only milked her twice but she gave 2 cups form both milking's. Is that a good amount for a sheep?


I have Icelandics, they are a smaller breed than yours.  If  you're happy with 2 cups then it's good     The first year I milked, I was happy to get a few ounces!


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## Cotton*wood (Aug 17, 2021)

This has been a very fun thread to read--thanks for keeping it up over three years.  I am a new sheep owner with Katahdins, and though our first and second reasons for having sheep are pasture management and meat, I'm very interested in milking them.  I've been making cheese with grocery store milk, and would LOVE to use sheep milk instead.  But I wasn't ready to start any of that with this year's lambing (we bought our ewes pregnant and they lambed a month and a half earlier than we thought they would), and I'm trying to wrap my head around the logistics.  They are on pasture 24/7 with a new paddock each day, and I have no clue how I could possibly separate the lambs from the ewes.  I'd probably have to bring them ALL into the barn every night, which wouldn't be too bad when they're in fields that are relatively close to the barn, but they spend about a month and a half way way away.  I'd have to plan my pasture rotation so they would be nearer during the time of year when I'd be milking. 

Also, we're not living at our farm yet, and I'm still teaching full time during the school year, so that makes it a little trickier.  But in the summer is when I'd do the milking and that could probably work.

But your descriptions of getting them up on the stand and used to all of everything are very helpful.  I've been handling my four original ewes (and the two lambs who are actually friendly) daily, and they don't mind me handling their udders at all, which I have been doing deliberately, when I go sit with them in the pasture, for future milking.  I have tried milking them just sitting with them, and it's really tricky getting any milk to come out.  Way harder than cows and goats, based on the two or three times I've gotten to try my hand at that.  But I think I'd be able to learn!

Lots of inspiration here!  Thanks, norseofcourse!


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