Milking Sheep for All They’re Worth

New Zealand’s sheep-milking is predicted to be big industry for New Zealanders in the future with Southland sheep-milking business Blue River Dairy planning to invest millions of dollars in new equipment.

Blue River manufactures and processes ice cream, cheese and milk powder. According to company data, around 80 per cent of the sheep milk powder is exported to other countries.

Blue River Dairy plant production manager Robert Boekhout said the company invested in a milk powder canning plant at its property in Invercargill. The machine, which was purchased in August, gave the business greater flexibility in pursuing its plans to add baby milk powder to its product line.

Boekhout said the investment gave Blue River Dairy the capability to produce high-value products as exports for Asian markets. This includes a range of baby formulas, which New Zealand is already known for.

He said people will start milking sheep in New Zealand soon. He predicts that it will be “the next big dairy boom in this country.”