| 91 T T Hugh de Lacy Improving genetics boosts sheep milk production Fernglen Farm’s improving genetics have seen its milking sheep more than double their average lactation period from 100 to 230 days. PRODUCTION Fernglen Farm Fernglen Sheep Milk A nutritionally superior product. Higher in protein & calcium Higher micronutrient content ...and gentle on your tummy! fernglenfarm1@gmail.com www.fernglenfarm.co.nz @fernglenfarm Leanne Southey BBS, FCA Becks Scho�ield BBS, FCA to Proud support Fernglen Contact us for a no obligation chat about howwe can help you today. P: 06 3700811 E: ca@sosa.co.nz www.sosa.co.nz Masterton 5810 110 Dixon Street Production from Fernglen Farm’s 1200 mixed-breed milking ewes in the Wairarapa has been doubled by selective breeding alone in the four years the Ravenwood family has been operating it. Where the initial flock of mixed East Friesian, Awassi, Coopworth and Polled Dorset crosses initially averaged 0.6 litres-a-day, today that’s leapt to 1.2 litres, and is keeping pace with the steady expansion of product lines and sales. No less significant to the bottom line is that Fernglen Farm’s improving genetics have seen its milking sheep more than double their average lactation period from 100 to 230 days. Milking sheep was a radical diversification from the Ravenwoods’ standard sheep and cattle farming on their two coastal farms just 4km apart and totalling 1140ha, of which 540ha is effective and half the rest is native bush and forest. The idea to get into milking sheep came from Jeff Ravenwood who, with wife Shirley, daughter Baeley and sons Ben and Cameron runs the sprawling acreage which otherwise carries a separate flock of 1200 Coopworth ewes, plus 50 Hereford-Angus cows and 150 bulls. The best land, 60ha of highly fertile flats on the home farm, has been devoted to the sheep milking operation carried out in a purpose-built 9m by 24m shed, with 24 cups each side, supported by a 290m2 factory on the outskirts of Masterton. The factory is run by Ben, Baeley and Shirley who process and manage the distribution of the output of plain and prebiotic flavoured fresh milk and yoghurt. Dad Jeff Ravenwood is overall manager of the farms while Cameron is in charge of the genetic breeding programme, as well as product development. The diversification to sheep milking was less challenging than expected, with the milking shed able to be sited in the middle of the fertile 60ha block, so the sheep never had to “Milking sheep are a bit soft compared with hillcountry sheep, but ours handled the conditions better than we expected.” walk any further than a kilometre for their once-a-day milking. To accommodate the demands of the milking flock, Fernglen Farm reduced the number of lambs from the commercial Coopworth flock it used to finish, and sold more as stores. The milking flock is in production all year round, with two lambings, one in spring and the other in autumn, and the sheep continue to lactate for between six and eight months. “We were lucky when we first started the sheep milking in having access to the genetics of a range of breeds,” Cameron Ravenwood says. “We were able to source semen both here and overseas, and we selected for milk production, let-down, teat placement, foot condition, composition and temperament. “Milking sheep are a bit soft compared with hill-country sheep, but ours handled the conditions better than we expected, and today we use the rams from our top ewes to continue our genetic improvement. “Among the things we learned was that the weather affects production, so we’ve been careful to ensure the sheep have plenty of shelter from trees and shelter belts.” Distribution of the sheep-milk products to retail outlets is mostly carried out by the chilled transport company Providor Foods, but Fernglen Farm also does local deliveries themselves. The farm is steadily increasing its range of outlets as more and more people become aware of the advantages of sheep milk – nearly twice the protein and calcium content of cows’ milk – but Cameron says there’s enough upside in the genetics programme to continue increasing production for some time without increasing sheep numbers. The Ravenwoods are looking to expand their product range out of raw milk and into processed products with a longer shelf life, with an eye particularly on getting into cheese production.
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