Sheep – The Product

Consumer Products: What Comes From Sheep?

The main market for sheep is for lamb meat. Ontario is a world leader in the development of sheep with an extended breeding season, which means that fresh lamb is now available all year round.

Mutton comes from sheep greater than 1 year of age. A leg of mutton can be smoked, like ham, and the rest of the meat may be used for ground meat or sausage. Some ethnic groups particularly from Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and West Indies use mutton in a wide variety of dishes including roasts, stews and other specialty dishes.

A recent market development related to the health advantage of lamb and sheep meat (high in zinc and manganese, lower in fatty acids) is the designer healthy pet food industry.

Most shepherds only make enough money from their wool to pay for the shearing. To make more money from wool, some producers may add value by raising certain breeds of sheep with special wool qualities, and/or processing the wool further on farm to fill niche markets for clean spinning wool, yarn, clothing, quilt batting, etc.

Then there is sheep milk. Yes, it’s true! In Ontario alone there are approximately 40 farm families who raise sheep for milk, as well as meat and wool. It is mostly used to make specialty cheeses. This is an emerging production system in Canada unlike parts of eastern and central Europe where it has been a long-time tradition. As in cattle, milk is cooled and stored for transportation to a cheese making plant.

Shepherds take great pride in raising sheep that produce quality meat, milk and fibre, and many take part in friendly competitions at local fairs, making sheep farming part of the rural lifestyle.

For more information about sheep visit the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency at www.ontariosheep.org or for recipe ideas visit www.lambrecipes.ca