Dairy Sheep Mastitis:
Research Review and
Practical Applications

We are delighted to welcome two Greek researchers who are world leaders in understanding subclinical mastitis in dairy sheep: Dr. Vasia Mavrogianni and Dr. Natalia Vasileiou, both of the University of Thessaly, Kardítsa, Thessalía, Greece. In two presentations, they will share the current scientific understanding of subclinical mastitis and give us guidance on the protocols and best practices that can help producers limit the impact of subclinical mastitis in our flocks. Dr. Mavrogianni is on the Veterinary Faculty at the university, and Dr. Vasileiou is in the Department of Animal Science.

Improving Your Flock’s
Udder Conformation

Better udders in a dairy flock lead to better health outcomes for ewes, higher milk production, and labor saving in the parlor. Dr. Andrea Mongini, DVM of M&M Veterinary Practice in California and Bee Tolman, longtime sheep dairy producer at Meadowood Farms in NY, recently teamed up with Johanne Cameron of Bergeries Marovine in Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, to produce the highly popular "Dairy Sheep Udder Assessment System," available on the DSANA website. Bee and Andrea will discuss how the system can be used to identify the strengths and weaknesses in your flock's udder characteristics and how to set up a breeding program that incorporates your assessment. They will be joined by Marguerite Plante-Dubé, doctoral student in the Département des sciences animales, Université Laval, Quebec, who will speak about using imaging to assess udder conformation and correlations between udder traits and milk quality.

Preventing Late Gestation
Metabolic Diseases

Dr. Andrea Mongini, DVM, co-owner of M&M Veterinary Practice in California and a popular speaker at DSANA symposia, will present on metabolic diseases in late gestation and early lactation in dairy sheep. She will explain the physiological causes of these diseases, discuss how to recognize the signs of these diseases in ewes, and how to put together a practical protocol to treat them.

Choosing Which Genetic Traits to Select For

In your breeding program, you can only select for so many traits. How do you choose which traits to select for? How do you pick from such varied traits as udder conformation, milk production, parasite resistance, and others? How do you focus on multiple problems, while moving the needle on less-heritable traits? Dr. Ángela Cánovas, Full Professor of Beef Cattle and Small Ruminant Genomics at the University of Guelph, Canada, will help us understand how to apply genetics research to our dairy sheep breeding programs.

The Ontario Dairy Sheep
Co-operative

The Ontario Dairy Sheep Co-operative is a 24-member group of dairy sheep farmers from across Ontario who supply milk to major producers of cheese and yogurt, such as Saputo, Ovino, and Carr Valley Cheese. Jeff Cressman, co-op president, and Mark Martin, co-op secretary, will talk about why the co-operative was formed, how it is structured, its quality standards and testing protocols, and how the co-op communicates its standards internally and with its processor partners. They’ll also share tips on forming a dairy sheep cooperative.

Balancing Diets
with Limited Feed Options

How do I feed my sheep? Join noted dairy sheep nutritionist Courtney Vriens of Vriens Nutrition Consulting in Arthur, Ontario, as she walks through the process of developing an appropriate ration for a dairy sheep flock. She will be accompanied by a diverse panel of sheep milk producers from the U.S. and Canada who will share their perspective on working with a nutritionist to develop a ration for their specific operation, given their locally available feed resources and operational goals.

Focus on Q Fever and Cache Valley Virus

Q Fever and Cache Valley Virus are two diseases shrouded by a lack of information, and often misdiagnosed, making them potentially devastating to dairy sheep producers. They cause abortion storms and, in the case of Q Fever, have a zoonotic concern. Both are increasingly prevalent in North American dairy sheep flocks and can have enormous economic impact on a farm. Dr. Charlotte Winder and Dr. Katie Clow have both been in private practice and now teach at the University of Guelph’s Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program. They’ll cover how each disease is transmitted, how it impacts the ewe, the fetus, and/or the milk, and how to recognize, test, treat for, and (if possible) prevent.

Basics of Profitably Making Sheep’s Milk Cheeses

There’s more to making cheese than making cheese. For sheep’s milk cheeses, profitability requires that producers run numbers that reflect the unique characteristics of sheep milk economics. Steve Duff, Chief Economist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture (OMAF), will walk us through sheep milk product costing and price setting, product selection considerations, calculating margins, determining scale. Steve joined OMAF in 1997 and has a Masters in Ag Economics from the Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics department at the University of Guelph.

Trends in the Market for Sheep’s Milk Products

Whether your farm is small or large, and whether you’re producing cheese, yogurt, ice cream, or other products with sheep’s milk, it helps to stay informed about trends in consumer preference. Steve Duff, Chief Economist at Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, and Jay Akras, Founder and Business Development Manager, Ovino, will offer a wide perspective on the state of the sheep’s milk product industry – who/what is growing (or shrinking), pricing trends, and opportunities in the market. [Pictured: Marchant Manor Cheese in Cleveland Heights, Ohio]

The Economics of
Sheep Milk Production

What are the key factors in determining the cost of sheep milk production?  Where do most farms struggle to control milk production costs, and where are the more profitable farms the most efficient? John Molenhuis, Business Analysis and Cost of Production Program Lead at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness, will present.

DSANA has a block of rooms available at the hotel. Rooms are available at a special rate starting at $169.00 CAD per night (approx. $120 USD) for attendees of the symposium. You must book your room(s) by October 16, 2026 to receive the preferred rate. Staying at the symposium hotel will provide even more time for meeting and networking with fellow attendees!

Crowne Plaza Kitchener Waterloo

105 King Street East, Kitchener, Ontario N2G2K8 Canada
Hotel Front Desk - 1-519-744-4141

Crowne Plaza Kitchener Waterloo reservation website

You can also book by phone: 1-877-424-4188
Ask for an “agent” to speak with a live representative
To receive a discounted room rate, say you’re with the DSANA conference or use code “DSA” or “DSANA”