Types of Sheep Cheese
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Different types of sheep cheeses are made from sheep milk, and many of them are familiar to the average consumer and traditionally made from dairy sheep.
By Sherri Talbot
Despite the use of dairy sheep for over 4,000 years, most domestic sheep today are raised only for meat or wool. China and parts of the Mediterranean are currently responsible for the majority of the world’s sheep milk production, and much of this is used for value-added products such as cheese.
On average, China produces the most sheep milk in the world, but Greece makes the most cheese, producing an annual average of over 270 million pounds between 2008 and 2012. While Italy was the third-largest producer of sheep cheese during that period, it had the highest exports at 40.6 million pounds. Despite these efforts, sheep produce only about 1.4 percent of the world’s milk — a number that’s held steady for almost 20 years.
Sheep Cheese in the U.S.
In the United States, cattle have been king since the sheep and cattle wars over grazing rights at the end of the 1800s and the beginning of the 1900s. Milk and cheese from cows have been the most prominent dairy industries, and the first commercial dairy for sheep wasn’t even developed in North America until the 1980s.
Today, in the U.S., the use of sheep milk is rare, comprising only a tiny percentage of the country’s dairy production. In 2021, there were only an estimated 200 dairy sheep operations, in comparison to the just under 28,000 dairy cow farms. Wisconsin is the nation’s leading producer of sheep cheese, and — despite the state’s massive cheese industry — only about 15 farms specialize in it.
This is a missed opportunity for many farmers in the U.S. Currently about 53 to 73 million pounds of sheep cheese are imported from around the world each year, representing an untapped market. Sheep are often hardy in areas where cattle are unable to graze, and studies have shown that in areas where sheep herding is common, sheep ranching can be more profitable than raising cows. Despite this, sheep have had a troubled history in the United States, due not only to the battle for grazing rights, but also because the rise in synthetic fibers led to a decrease in a market for wool.
Types of Sheep Cheese
Dozens of cheeses are made from sheep milk, and many of the cheeses familiar to the average consumer are traditionally made from dairy sheep.
- Feta. While much of the feta in the United States is made using cow milk, traditional feta is made from sheep milk or a combination of sheep and goat milk. While EU law requires the word “feta” to be used only for cheese made with these ingredients and produced in Greece, one can still often find cow milk feta produced in the U.S. in grocery stores.
- Halloumi. This is a dense cheese with a melting point so high it can be grilled like a burger without losing its shape. This, and the high protein content, make it a popular choice for vegetarians. True halloumi is made from a combination of goat and sheep milk and comes only from the island of Cyprus.
- Ricotta. Ricotta cheese is traditionally a “twice-cooked” cheese made from goat, sheep, cow, or water buffalo milk. It was originally made from the whey after producing other cheese, though commercially produced ricotta is now often made from milk. While most of the ricotta produced in the U.S. is made from cow milk, the first examples of it can be traced back to the Romans, who probably made it from sheep or goat milk.
- Roquefort. A blue cheese made from sheep milk, Roquefort is tangy and creamy. It has possibly the most stringent labeling requirements of any on this list — not only must it be made from sheep milk to qualify for the name, but it must also be made with unpasteurized milk and aged in caves located in Southern France.
Sheep Cheese Fats
Sheep are estimated to produce only about a third of the amount of milk of dairy goats, and only a tiny fraction of that produced by dairy cows. One might wonder what sheep cheese offers that would make it worth farmers’ consideration. Some studies have shown that sheep cheese contains a number of dietary benefits over goat or cow cheese, making it worthwhile as a value-added product for sheep ranchers.
Multiple studies have shown that sheep cheese is rich in valuable fatty acids, with one study showing that cheese from mountain sheep has one of the highest rates among those tested. This study suggested that the animals’ diets were likely a factor in this, and special note was made of the health-promoting fatty acids in Oscypek sheep cheese — made from the milk of sheep that graze on fresh grass.
Another study suggested varying health effects between different kinds of goat, sheep, and cow cheeses and found that sheep cheese had the highest levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a polyunsaturated fatty acid that studies have suggested may be effective against cancer and obesity. One study found that sheep cheese also contains the highest levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which help lower “bad” cholesterol, improve cardiac health, and may improve blood sugar and blood pressure.
Sheep Cheese Proteins
Many people who struggle to digest cow dairy products have an issue with the proteins found in the milk. The milk from cows contains larger protein globules than that found in human milk, as well as A1 caseins that can trigger allergic reactions in many people. Like goat milk, sheep milk contains smaller globules than cow milk and has been found to be easier to digest for those who may be sensitive. Furthermore, unlike cow milk, sheep milk contains only A2 beta-casein, making sheep dairy products less problematic for those who struggle with cow milk allergies but still love cheese.
Sheep cheese still offers benefits for those who can digest more common cheeses. Sheep milk contains significantly higher levels of fat and protein than that of cows or goats. It’s also higher in calcium and a host of other vitamins and nutrients, including B vitamins and vitamin D.
The Downsides
With all the health benefits from sheep cheese, why is it so overlooked? The likely answer is due to quantity. Sheep — even those bred for higher milk yields — produce less milk than dairy cows or goats. They also have a shorter milking season, which further limits production. In the U.S., higher-production sheep are harder to obtain since most have been bred for meat and wool. All of this results in less sheep milk available for making cheese.
Sheep Cheese is a Market Niche for Small Farms
For homesteads and small farms raising sheep, considering cheese as a seasonal, value-added product may be worth the extra effort. Focused marketing toward those with allergies and other specialized diets — as well as those with a palate for harder-to-find cheeses — may tap into an underserved audience.
Sherri Talbot is the co-owner and operator of Saffron and Honey Homestead in Windsor, Maine. She raises endangered, heritage-breed livestock and hopes someday to make education and writing on conservation breeding her full-time job. Details can be found at SaffronandHoneyHomestead.com or on Facebook.
Originally published in the July/August 2026 issue of Countryside and Small Stock Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.
