Otago University food science student Dr Keegan Burrow compared the values of ovine and bovine milk for his thesis and found sheep milk potentially improves bone structure.
But the complexity of milk means he couldn’t determine what exactly causes that benefit.
Burrow’s research assumes sheep milk is consumed as part of a daily diet rather than as a supplement and compared the impact of the two milks on a diet low in calcium and phosphate.
“What we found was that sheep milk was overall equally as effective as cow milk at replacing structural and functional aspects of bone and other organs but it was able to achieve that with much less milk.”
Quantifying exact volumes and body response requires extra research but Burrow said it is indicative of the potential of sheep milk.
His findings were a not a surprise because they confirmed assumptions and knowledge.
Sheep produce less milk than cows, making it more expensive but that is partially balanced because less is needed to get the same health benefits.
His research is part of wider work funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment being done by AgResearch, Otago and Victoria Universities and Callaghan Innovation in partnership with the major New Zealand sheep milk producers to assist the industry become a $200 million export earner by 2030.
Researchers have detailed the composition of sheep milk and how it varies throughout the season along with basic data on storage and processing, including extending shelf life and how processing can affect flavour.
The research is being made available to the industry to improve its performance.
Burrow says his findings will provide options and information for sheep milk processors that could lead to differentiating products and linking with consumers.
“There is lots of demand for sheep milk cheese, whole milk powder and infant formula.
“Part of the issue is trying to pick which of those to move in to.”
There is a lack of knowledge about the merits and composition of sheep milk compared to cow milk and he hopes more research will be done on those attributes as well as milk from deer.
For example, sheep milk still contains lactose but it can be drunk by people with allergies provoked by cow milk.
Further work will look at improving milk yield and establishing criteria to ensure its environmental sustainability.
Other research showed commercial sheep milk yield can be increased while maintaining lamb health and growth by changing weaning, rearing and nutritional practices on-farm.
Initially keen to become a chef Burrow decided to satisfy his love of food by studying food science.
Having completed his honours degree by studying mushrooms Burrow was looking at options for his doctoral studies when he stumbled into a chance to study the attributes of sheep milk.
Otago University had just bought an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry machine to detect tiny polyatomic ions, which made his three years of research possible.
