The Rural Voice, 2002-08, Page 32RIDEAU RAMS
Strong Maternal Traits
Greenock Farms
R. & K. Velocci
R.R. #2 Paisley, ON NOG 2N0
1-519-353-5530
www.sheepcanada.com/greenock
SHILLALAH SUFFOLKS
Champion lamb carcass
at the 2001 Royal was sired
by one of our rams
For Sale:
Ram Lambs, Ewe Lambs and
Yearling Lambs
,lacaditionae Styee .Bvitiili J`3eaod[inee
519-233-7896 Box 715, Clinton,
Ont. NOM 1L0
CANADIAN
CO-OPERATIVE
WOOL GROWERS
LIMITED
Now Available
WOOL ADVANCE PAYMENTS
* Skirted Fleeces
Well -Packed Sacks
For more in ormation contact:
WINGHAM
WOOL DEPOT
John Farrell
R.R. 2, Wingham, Ontario
Phone/Fax 519-357-1058
28 THE RURAL VOICE
extensively for milk production they
have always been considered season-
al producers, add Diament, and
cheese production was seasonal.
By freezing, Eric Bzikot says,
Canadian producers can offer a 12 -
month supply even though the ewes
produce only half the year. "It's kind
of nice for the people who are doing
it (milking) because you milk for six
months of the year and have a life."
He knows all about the discipline
of dairy farming because the Bzikots
milked 70 Friesian cows in England
before selling out and emigrating to
CanadBa.
esides processing its own
milk, Ewenity has been selling
some milk to other processors.
There is one relationship with a
processor that's working well and so
the co-op is looking toward expand-
ing so it can meet the needs of the
processor while maintaining enough
to supply its own growing market.
"We see that there is more money
to be made in the processing than in
selling bulk milk," says Bzikot. It's
also interesting to meet all sorts of
people in the retailing end of the food
chain, she says.
While other farmers who have
gotten into food processing have
often stopped primary production,
Eric Bzikot predicts he'll continue
milking sheep even if the co-op
becomes successful. "It's fun."
"The animals are nice," adds his
wife. While they liked their dairy
cows and took great pride in the line
of animals that they had bred that
was in demand internationally.
selling to Iraq, Algeria and France,
they like dealing with sheep. Because
of their size it's less dangerous
milking ewes than cattle, and they are
definitely cleaner. With cows they
were always wearing rubber aprons
and keeping a hose running in the
parlour, Eric remembers.
"They're so eager," Eric adds
about his sheep. -
"Everything is fast, everything's
quick," says Elisabeth. "The feeding
is fast, the coming in is fast, the
going out is fast."
Still, cow dairy producers feel it's
a prett'y "Mickey -Mouse excuse for a
dairy," Eric says. "And they're right
up to a point but it's fun and it works
for us. And you don't have to have
any quota." –
Despite the fact a flock of 100
ewes might produce as much as three
or four top -producing Holsteins at
the height of their lactation, there is
potential, not just for making a
living, but for creating an industry,
Elisabeth says.
She made that point to the
standing committee on agriculture
when the Ontario Legislature was
considering Bill 87, the Food Safety
and Quality Act which took sheep
and goats' milk out of the milk act.
"I worked out that at a reasonable
rate — what we're getting at the
moment — a family farm with 100 -
odd acres and 150-200 ewes could
make a decent living. I don't mean
millions but I do mean enough to
keep them happy. This would not
involve buying huge equipment.
specialized buildings or getting in
labour.
"If we substituted some of the
imports, not all, and we produce
some things that are not imported,
like the soft cheese and yogurt,
probably about 500 or so families
could make a living from milking
sheep in Ontario. That I think is a
worthwhile thing."
Farmers who would like to get
into sheeps' milk production can now
probably find the stock to do it, says
Diament, though price might be a
problem. There are basically three
milking breeds: East Friesians,
British Milk Sheep and Lacaune, a
French breed.
Despite some short-term troubles
in the sheep milk industry, Elisabeth
sees more and more call for milk
from sheep. The processor that ran
into trouble has started to recover,
she says. As well the co-op has
begun to build a reputation based on
reliability of supply, high quality and
animal -welfare -friendly standards.
Selling to their own cheese
processing plant means there is a
built-in quality control, Eric
interjects. If you're just selling milk
there's the temptation to try to beat
things like antibiotic tests. "Now I
am very careful no antibiotic goes in
the milk, otherwise we've produced,
we've transported, we've paid for the
processing and packaging and then
we throw it all away. So the members
have an in-built interest like never
before and that's what I think really
gives us the quality control.".