great lakes dairy sheep symposium - the Department of Animal ...

SHEPHERD’S DAIRY
Kim Curtis
Anselmo, Nebraska, USA
Shepherd’s Dairy, Nebraska’s first Grade A dairy, was established in 1993. As one of the
founding members of WSDC, we have now been milking for 14 years. We began with a flock of
60 Polypay ewes. In 1996 we began improving production by importing East Freisan rams from
Peter Welkerling (Canada). We have purchased Lacaune cross rams in recent years. Our flock
average has increased from 1.7 lbs of milk for 60 days to an average of 4.5 lbs of milk per day
for 220 days. Since we lamb in December/January, we begin milking in the winter months and
feed the ewes corn/barley and dairy quality alfalfa for the milking season. We have kept pretty
steady records of the milk production of our ewes since the beginning, taking milk weights every
two weeks using metered jars. Ram lambs and replacement ewe lambs are kept on the mothers
for one month. The mothers are kept with the lambs exclusively for the first 3 days and then are
put on the schedule of milking twice a day. Lambs are left with the ewes during the day but kept
in a shed with creep feed at night. The lambs are approximately 35 lbs when weaned. The
wethers are sold at 3 days old to a farmer who bottle feeds them and sells them as feeders.
In 1999 we started our own business of making soap from the sheep milk. To set us apart
from other soap makers, all of our soaps are made in molds with a vintage/Victorian look. Sales
have grown from selling locally to selling to about 300 stores nationwide. We have a web site,
www.shepherdsdairy.com, that is the instrument for most of our sales. We advertise in
wholesale magazines, newspapers, radio, retail and wholesale markets and the internet.
We have been able to streamline production of products so that we now have just two people
employed, a secretary and Kim. At our peak we had 10 part time employees. The number of
products has increased to include Soap, Lotions, Milk Baths, and Bath Teas available in 10
scents.
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