The Rural Voice, 2000-01, Page 24t is rare that the
founding of an
agriculture sector can
be traced back to one
family but it is a relatively
easy exercise in the case
with the infant sheep
milking industry in
Ontario.
That is because it is
only necessary to look
back 11 years to when a
young German couple,
emigrating to Canada at
that time, decided that
would be the best way to
make a living farming
here. Axel Meister and Dry
Chris Buschbeck began
realizing their dream by
importing embryos of East
Friesian milk sheep from
Europe to establish a
flock.
In 1993 they founded
the Ontario Dairy Sheep
Association. of which
Meister is currently
president. Now 35 other
farm families scattered
across southern and
eastern Ontario are
following a similar dream
as members of that
association.
The flock on their
rented farm west of
Guelph, near Eramosa. has
now grown to 85 animals
of purebred and mixed
breeding. Besides being
responsible for milking,
the couple sell sheep's
milk cheese from their
home and at the St.
Jacob's Farmers' Market.
Both had taken
agriculture courses at
university in Germany —
Meister now 40. rrajoring
in nutrition and
economics, while his wife
became a veterinarian.
She currently works with
Dr. Brian Buckrell from
Georgetown who
specializes in embryo
transfers in sheep and
goats. The knowledge the
couple gained has proven
valuable in establishing
their Wooldrift Farm.
20 THE RURAL VOICE
Creating
an industry
Ontario's sheep milk industry owes its
beginnings to one Guelph -area farm couple
Bv Bob Reid
Axel
Meister,
preparing
his sheep
for milking,
was the
first
person
mi4king
mipop rt!
tario.
imports 45
milllotJ �
pounds of
cheese m
from sheep
mil* ach
41,
all�g` t
to $4 a
gram.
They also traveled around
the world to view sheep
milking operations in New
Zealand. Australia and a
few European countries.
Like many young
would-be farmers, they
had little money so
milking sheep was more
attractive than a
conventional dairy
farming operation. Beside
that, the animals appealed
greatly to both of them.
They spent $12,000 in
equipment, including a
portable steel milk stand
custom made to their
design, a walk-in freezer
for storing the milk and
the required milking
equipment. Their largest
investment was the over
$100,000 for the cost of
importing sheep embryos
from Europe. The cost
then was $800 per embryo
but that has dropped to
$300 to $400, the price
Meister is charging other
producers.
Making cheese from
sheep's milk is a well
established facet of
farming in Europe. The
couple's Friesian sheep
originate in Holland.
Other breeds from the
continent are the Lacaun
from France and the
British Milking Sheep.
These animals are capable
of producing an average
of two litres of milk a day.
The average in Ontario is
still below that, said
Meister.
Producers here receive
anywhere from $1.20 to
$1.40 per litre from cheese
processors. In other areas
of western Canada it is -as
high as $2.20 per litre.
The cheese yield on
sheep's milk is much
greater than cows' milk
because the butterfat
content is six to seven per
cent. Ten litres of cows'
milk are required for one
kilogram of cheese with
only five litres of sheeps'
milk needed to produce
the same weight.
Although the milking
breeds of sheep are
imported around the
world. they are usually
crossed with local breeds
to lower cost of breeding
stock and help the
resultant offspring adapt
better to local conditions.
In Ontario, the Rideau
Arcott has been a popular
crossbreeding choice,
partly because that
recently developed breed
already has 14 per cent
Friesian in its background.
Pure Friesian ewes cost
$1,000 and up while rams
can cost $2,000 to $5,000.
Meister said his purebreds
are currently producing
280 litres of milk per
lactation with crossbreds
at 220 litres. This is after
10 years of selection for
milk production.
The male Iambs not
used for breeding are a
byproduct which have
found a good meat market
in the past few years.
Wool is sold privately or
to the Canadian Wool
Growers' Association.
Meister's flock has a 220
per cent lambing average.