Mini Horses

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@YourRab,bitGirl, You say there are goats in the area, assuming you do not own any. But if a good milk doe you can have cheese with an hour of milking! Not hard cheese but a lovely softer, spreadable type, seasoned with fresh herbs you have grown.

I always say that I could live well with my garden, a few chickens and a couple goats. Think about that -- milk, cream, butter, cheese, eggs, meat and veggies. It's quite doable.
 

Mini Horses

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Well @YourRabbitGirl we don't KNOW where you are. Why don't you add a location in your profile. sometimes our replies are different for where you live. Depends on application

Cheese & goat milk. Yes goat milk makes great cheese. The different breeds -- sheep & goat -- have a slightly different % of cream. My Nubians are a little higher in cream than my Saanens. I cross breed then and get a lovely milk. The Nigerian Dwarfs give a really high cream content. So, depending on your taste and what use you intend, you have the various breeds for selection. What you feed also impacts the milk they make.

Much the same process for both milks with some variance of any added enzymes with some recipes, some milks. I have a LOT of milk and make a lot of cheese of the ricotta type. Some I keep very moist for use in recipes -- lasagna, etc. -- some I drain more to firm it, or cook it slightly longer for same. These cheeses are used for spreads -- with added spices, savory and/or sweet. Delicious. This year I will be making hard cheeses -- cheddar, etc. -- since I now have a press for it and making the time. Hard cheeses require many "stages" of cooking, pressing, drying, waxing, ageing.

Hope that helps.
 

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I just saw on another thread that you say you are in the Philippines. Are you native or there with service, etc.?

Interesting. I'm sure we would love to hear things about that area of the world's lifestyles that are different than here in USA. Some of our sister sites -- and here -- we have people in or from Australia, New Zealand, UK, South Africa, Ireland, Egypt, etc.
 

YourRabbitGirl

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I just saw on another thread that you say you are in the Philippines. Are you native or there with service, etc.?

Interesting. I'm sure we would love to hear things about that area of the world's lifestyles that are different than here in USA. Some of our sister sites -- and here -- we have people in or from Australia, New Zealand, UK, South Africa, Ireland, Egypt, etc.
Hi!! Yup, I'm a native of the Philippines, Born and raised... We don't usually make our own cheese, But I would love to start the trend. Its great to make your own cheese especially when most of us here in the house really love cheese in the morning.
 

Daisy

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I had my first try at making cream cheese out of cows milk the other day. I was surprised at how easy it was and how great it turned out.

I would love to get goats again, but I very much doubt the shire would permit it on a town block... a sheep on the other hand, might get a pass as it is a sheep farm area and many people nurse orphan lambs in their homes. I have never tasted sheep milk or cheese and didn't even know sheep were good to milk. How much would you get a day from one? Is sheep milk as versatile as cows or best for cheese?
 

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There's a sheep dairy in my region that sells cheese. I was talking to the farmer and she says the sheep dont really like being milked. I have tried to milk sheep and if the ewe doesnt want to be milked, its not happening! 🤣 but I bet it would work out fine with a single bottle-raised ewe that is trained to a milking stand early on. They are definitely easier to fence than goats! And a bottle raised ewe can be as tame as a dog! 😍 I adore my oldest ewe, she comes when called and is so sweet. (If you're not trying to milk her! 🤣). I believe they produce half gallon per day. Much more manageable amount for a family than what a cow would produce!
 

Lazy Gardener

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Just like with other dairy animals, certain breeds are better than others. @Beekissed has hair sheep, and will tell you that the meat from hair sheep is much tastier than that from wool sheep. I'm guessing their milk would be milder also. I believe she keeps Katahdins. I don't know if she intends to milk them.
 

Mini Horses

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Out of PURE curiosity, try the milk sometime and report back. 😁 wait until about a week or ten days post lambing.

I always collect some colostrum and a few days first days milk to freeze....in case. I've had occasion to share with people who needed it. Used to do so with my minis also. Insurance policy for free.
 

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