Raw sheep milk

Yield

Same as pasteurized sheep milk; the processing difference matters for cheese, not for yield.

Dominant regions

European AOC/PDO production zones for traditional sheep cheeses. Many Spanish, French, Italian, and Greek traditional cheeses require raw sheep milk.

History

Like cow raw milk, all traditional sheep cheese was made from raw milk historically. Modern AOP/DOP requirements often specify raw milk explicitly for traditional sheep cheeses.

Flavor character

The raw-vs-pasteurized difference is even more pronounced in sheep cheese than cow — the native microflora contributes substantially to aging character.

Signature cheeses

• Roquefort AOP (raw milk required)
• Ossau-Iraty AOP (raw milk)
• Many traditional Pecorino DOPs (raw milk)

Used in cheese categories