Farmers between Auckland and Taupo can now take the plunge into sheep milk, says Maui Milk general manager Peter Gatley.

Maui Milk chairman Paul McGilvary says the company needs more sheep milk to meet market demand and achieve processing efficiency.

The sheep milk industry has seen a breakthrough in getting semen from European milking sheep approved for entry to New Zealand.

Talk of a billion dollar sheep dairy industry is unhelpful, according Maui Milk chief executive Peter Gatley.

Rising interest in dairy sheep is about to be matched by the availability of milking ewes thanks to 15-year-old frozen embryos.