DAIRY INNOVATORS RAISE THE BAA WITH TOP PRODUCE
WHAT ewe’s milk lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality, say the couple behind South Australia’s only sheep-based dairy, which has been named a state winner in the delicious Produce Awards.
Ellen Chatterton and Kane Boase operate Riverside Dairy on a property that has been farmed by generations of Ellen’s family since 1848.
Looking to diversify, they settled on producing sheep milk and have established a flock of nearly 40 ewes.
“It’s pretty similar to a cow dairy, though the days aren’t quite as long,” Ellen says. “The sheep come in the morning and again in the late afternoon. I use a little milking machine.”
Ellen says that while each ewe is milked in a minute, she only takes one litre per head twice a day – much less than from a cow.
However, Ellen says sheep milk is higher in protein, creamy and surprisingly sweet – making it perfect for Riverside’s natural pot-set yoghurt, which was a state winner in the dairy section.