Shepherd and Lacaune sheep whose milk is used to produce Roquefort Blue Cheese.

Shepherd and Lacaune sheep whose milk is used to produce Roquefort Blue Cheese. The sheep follow the farmer off the hillside to the milking parlour. October evening, Millau, France. Millau is part of the milk collection area recognised to supply milk for the Roquefort cheese sector. The farmer is driving a quad bike. Unlike most sheep these follow the shepherd rather than being driven.

In 1902 the French government officially defining the characteristics of the Lacaune breed: They are hornless, hardy, and able to resist dramatic temperature swings, thanks to their fine coat of white fleece; and their average weight is between 70 and 100 kilos. Lacaune ewes give perfumed, full-fat milk, about 280 litres per season.

The Lacaune is well adapted to the harsh conditions, rocky terrain, and extreme seasonal variations in temperature on the limestone plateaus or Causse. With small hooves a short, double coat of white wool, an excellent grazer that can adapt to a variety of range conditions.