Pecora Dairy sheep cheese at Robertson made of the white stuff
AN INEXPERIENCED pair were delighted that a gamble to make artisan cheeses paid off, writes SARAH HUDSON.
MICHAEL and Cressida McNamara had no farming experience when they started Australia’s only pure East Friesian ewe dairy.
So it speaks volumes that this year, for the third year in a row, their Pecora Dairy cheese — on 93ha at Robertson, NSW — has been a state winner (dairy) in the Delicious produce awards.
“From the beginning, our whole farm philosophy behind the business was to be gentle on the lambs and ensure the business was sustainable,” Cressida said.
“We sell out our cheese frequently, but we are not a producer who turns on the tap to make more milk.”
It’s this softly-softly approach that has been triumphant and challenging for the McNamaras.
The couple had corporate careers in Sydney before they headed for the hills and bought a small property and some of the neighbours’ East Friesan-Dorset cross sheep for lawn mowing.
A little research showed them the business potential of the East Friesan breed, so they bought 93ha at Robertson in the Southern Highlands in 2008, and now run a flock of 130 ewes, aiming to build to 150 in coming years.
The McNamaras have built a 12-stall herringbone dairy and a 120sq m cheesery, making three cheeses, fresh curd and fetta, as well as a yoghurt, sold mostly to restaurants and food services, with about 30 per cent to farmers’ markets, and 20 per cent to retail.
In the process they have learnt sheep farming from scratch, taking part in courses from pasture management to cheese making, and researching online and in books.
EWE TUBE
EQUALLY they thoroughly researched Australian East Friesian genetics, with their flock now traceable to studs around Australia, especially Prospect East Friesian stud at Kyneton, with whom they will be importing for the first time New Zealand semen for the 2017 joining.
“We have as diverse a genetic pool as we can. In Australia we are not getting as large volumes as they do from the sheep in Europe, so we’re now selecting and breeding based on production,” Michael said.
Generally genetic selection is based on a “goodness score” of about five attributes, including production, temperament (docile sheep milk better), conformation (straight legs and back, with a deep chest) and even opting for sheep with a hairless skinny tail.
Unlike other sheep dairies that cross with Awassi, Dorset or Border Leicester breeds, the McNamaras have chosen to use only pure East Friesians, known to be the best milk sheep, because it suits the climate and topography of Robertson. “We have high rainfall here, about two metres annually, and fertile, rich red basalt soil,” Cressida said.
East Friesians are “naturally programmed” to join once a year in late January, which means Pecora Dairy has no production for about 60 days in June and July.
WHITE STUFF
UNTIL lambs are weaned at about 30-40 days, the McNamaras share the milk with lambs, which drops yield. With milking once a day in the evening, the average yield per ewe is up to 1.5 litres per day (once weaned), although the couple are aiming to reach 2 litres/day through genetic refinement.
The flock has a pasture-based diet of native species, herbs of plantain and chicory and rye-grass, as well as occasional crops such as oats.
Pasture renovation is based on the season and in midwinter silage is bought from a local supplier.
While not organic, the couple follow organic principles, using organic chicken manure as the main fertiliser. They do not drench or use antibiotics, unless required.
Shearing takes place following lambing. Fleece is sent to wool auctions for use in carpet-grade materials. Male lambs are either sold as stud rams, to saleyards or restaurants, with lambs lean and good quality eating.
TOP SHELF
THE couple said any milk quantity they lose to pre-weaned lambs they make up for in quality, which is why the breed is the world’s highest producing dairy sheep.
While about 10 per cent of cow milk is recovered for cheese making, East Friesian milk conversion for cheese is about 19 per cent.
“That essentially means they produce something like 30,000 litres or six tonnes of cheese per year,” Michael said. “It means sheep milk is almost double the concentration.”
The downside to this production is ewe milk fat and protein levels fluctuate considerably through the season, from as low as 3 per cent up to as high as “the teens”.
Michael said before they started they hadn’t thought of how difficult a sheep dairy could be. “We appreciate the intricate nature of it now.”
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