ANSC 3850

Dairy Sheep Management

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2020-2021.

Management and milking sheep to produce dairy products for human consumption. Complements ANSC 3800 (Sheep), which is not a prerequisite, with in-depth knowledge and practice about the biology and management of sheep used for milk production, including the increased economic and environmental sustainability of dairy sheep. With the start of lambing checks, twice weekly lectures and small group campus barn orientations will shift to weekly lectures, along with students doing twice weekly 7am or 5pm sessions to milk and care for ewes and lambs. Students will be guided to develop a term paper that describes an example small sheep dairy or farmstead creamery. At the conclusion of the course, students will have the knowledge to analyze, understand, and operate small ruminant dairy systems.

When Offered Fall, Spring.

• Each student will be able to explain the basic concepts of milk component synthesis and milk component composition of sheep milk in contrast with other ruminant milks, and describe the influence of nutrition, genetics, and environment on milk components.
• Through the term project, students will create a business plan for a small dairy sheep operation or a farmstead creamery that will include design, budget, management, and marketing elements.
• Each student will identify the advantages and disadvantages of different sheep milking and management systems.
• Each student will be able to explain the processes to make and market sheep milk products.

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