Sheep's milk and Lactose Intolerance
The lactase enzyme provides for the digestion of lactose, or milk sugar. People who do not possess this enzyme are lactose intolerant. Sheep's milk contains less lactose than cow's milk, and people can generally tolerate Sheep's milk better than cow's milk.Sheep's milk and Allergies Whether Sheep's milk can be tolerated better than cow's milk will depend on the specific protein involved in the allergy. Most people with a cow's milk protein allergy are allergic to b-lactoglobulin. This protein is also present in Sheep's milk and does not offer these people an alternative. It is worth, however, trying Sheep's milk as an alternative to cow's milk, in consultation with your doctor.
Composition
The composition of Sheep's milk does not differ greatly from that of cow's milk. Both kinds contain about 13% dry solids. Milk sugar, also known as lactose, is the main constituent of Sheep's milk. The other main ingredients of Sheep's milk are milk fat, protein, and minerals. One hundred ml of Sheep or cow's milk has a calorific value of about 280kJ (67 kcal). The composition of the milk depends largely on the breed of Sheep and the season. In the summer the milk yield is high, and the fat and protein contents are low. Conversely, in the winter the milk yield is low, and the fat and protein contents are higher.
Lactose
Lactose is the most important carbohydrate present in milk. The lactose content of Sheep's milk is about 10% lower than that of cow's milk.
Milk Protein
Milk protein is comprised of about 80% caseins and 20% whey proteins. This is applicable to both cow's milk and Sheep's milk. The caseins are present in the form of micelles: these are large aggregates of protein and calcium phosphate. The number of small micelles is much greater in Sheep's milk than cow's milk.