The U.S. dairy sheep industry is in the early stages of development. With
seasonal production and low levels of milk production per ewe, raw milk is frozen at the farm until sufficient quantities are accrued for further processing. Our research studies concentrated on the projected shelf-life of the frozen ewe milk and factors impacting raw milk quality during frozen storage. Milk frozen in standard home freezers (-15°C) showed destabilization of proteins and development of rancidity after 6 months of storage. Milk frozen in commercial low-temperature freezers (-27°C) had good product stability to at least 12 months of age. Several pretreatment processes were evaluated to determine if the shelf-life of raw milk frozen in home freezers could be improved. Frozen ewe milk was thawed and used to produce cheese, yogurt and whey protein concentrates. Products produced from milk stored at the lower temperatures exhibited good sensory and functional characteristics. Cheeses produced from milk with high somatic cells exhibited poor body and texture and rancid flavors after 6 months of aging. Yogurts produced from frozen milk after 6 months of storage showed an increase in syneresis and a decrease in gel firmness. Recommendations will be presented for ensuring good milk quality from frozen ewe milk for further processing. Sheep whey protein concentrates showed significantly better foam overrun, foam stability, and gel strength than cow or goat whey protein concentrates.