Nutritional and health properties of New Zealand sheep milk

Sheep milk is a rich source of vitamins, minerals and energy, with up to 50% more milk solids than cow milk, including up to twice as much protein and fat, and 80% more calcium. Anecdotally, sheep milk is also thought to be better tolerated than cow milk and believed to confer beneficial effects on immunity and the cardiovascular system. However, controlled scientific studies examining the health benefits of sheep milk are rare. As part of the 6-year Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) funded research programme “Boosting Exports of the Emerging New Zealand Dairy Sheep Industry”, we are undertaking studies that will provide fundamental insights into of how sheep milk affects physiology, which have so far been lacking.