Our sheep

The Alpine Steinschaf is the original breed of mountain sheep in the Eastern Alpine region. Today, this breed is among the most endangered German sheep breeds.

The Alpine Steinschaf is a small to medium-sized sheep. All wool colors and markings occur. It is of mixed wool type, with coarse, long guard hairs and wavy, fine, and shorter wool fibers. The head profile is straight, with a slightly curved nasal bone, and the ears are held horizontally or droop slightly. The animals are slender with very hard hooves. The majority of rams are horned, while female animals sometimes show horn buds or even horns.

Special characteristics include adaptability to harsh conditions in high mountain areas, utilization of high-altitude pastures inaccessible to cattle, robustness, thriftiness, weather resistance, high milk yield, non-seasonal estrus, usually twice-yearly lambing, early maturity, and excellent maternal instincts. A live weight of 45 - 60 kg is aimed for ewes, and 60 - 75 kg for mature rams. There is often a noticeable sexual dimorphism in size, with rams significantly larger than ewes. Due to its docility, it is well-suited for small-scale husbandry.

History and Current Situation

In Bavaria, farm breeding began with the initiative of breeders Dr. Gerhard Burkl and Christian Haarpaintner, who since 1985 acquired individual animals corresponding to the original type from Berchtesgaden, Garmisch, Nauders, and Weerberg (Tyrol) during their numerous trips. The farm of Josef Aschauer in Ramsau had always kept Alpine Steinschafe, which were then registered in the herdbook in 1997.

During the first meeting of Alpine Steinschaf breeders from Bavaria and Austria on February 23, 2000, a uniform breed description and designation were established for the breed. In the following years, contact among breeders intensified. The Alpine Steinschaf Breeders' Association was founded during an award ceremony at Glentleiten on October 9, 2004. Renate Aschauer was elected spokesperson.

Breeders Renate Aschauer and Nathalie Ketterle developed a project idea for wool marketing. Since then, various partners have been producing typical wool products such as sweaters, cable-knit jackets and vests, hats, gloves, socks, as well as felt insoles, bags, and backpacks. Every year, breeders and friends gather at a farm for the annual breeders' meeting. General points are discussed, current topics presented, a wool collection conducted, and the respective farms visited. The delivered raw wool is jointly assessed, sorted by quality, and then processed into high-quality wool products. All the products are sold directly from farm to shop.

Wool Weight

Sheep: 3.0 - 3.5 kg

Wool Fineness: +36 Micron

(Source: Society for the Conservation of Old and Endangered Livestock Breeds e.V.)

The Brown Mountain Sheep in its current form traces its ancestry back to the Zaupel or Steinschaf, as well as the North Italian Bergamask Sheep. In the 1930s, all strains were consolidated, and officially only the White Mountain Sheep was bred in the Eastern Alpine region. It is thanks to individual breeders that the brown color was preserved. A princely foundation flock was maintained at Lake Tegernsee for many years. In the 1970s, several sheep breeders began pure breeding of this rare breed. At that time, the main breeding areas were identified as the Miesbach district, as well as individual farms in Rosenheim and Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The Brown Mountain Sheep is a medium to large-sized, uniformly brown, mountain sheep of the Alpine region. The narrow head is Roman-nosed, hornless, and bears broad, drooping ears. The fleece consists of a cognac to rich brown staple wool with a fineness of 32 to 36 microns. Shearing takes place twice a year. The breeding behavior is markedly non-seasonal.

Source: http://bhg-schafzucht.de/index.php/schafrassen/bergschafe/braunes-bergschaf

The Coburger Fuchsschaf is an ancient landrace sheep breed originally native to many low mountain regions, such as the Eifel and Hunsrück Redheads, Westerwald, Eisfeld, and Upper Palatinate Foxes, Coburger Fuchsschaf. These fox-type sheep were recognized as a breed by the DLG in 1966 under the name Coburger Fuchsschaf.

The Coburger Fuchsschaf is a medium-sized, elegant sheep, with a hornless, narrow head, unworn behind the ears, ranging in colour from golden-yellow to reddish-brown. A slight Roman nose is possible. The legs are fine to medium-boned, unworn, and of the same colour as the head; dry foundation and strong pasterns. The staple wool falls within the CD range (33 – 36 microns). Animals with black spots are excluded from breeding.

The fleece of the lambs is reddish-brown and lightens with age. The fleece of adult animals has a distinct sheen, ranging from a light base tone to a dark gold tone ("Golden Fleece"). The coloured hairs are in shades of reddish-brown, evenly distributed in the fleece and not too numerous. Rams may have a mane, and animals of both sexes may have a dorsal stripe.

In Greek mythology, in the tale of the "Argonauts", there was a ram named "Chrysomeles", who - of divine origin -, could speak and fly. He had a fleece of pure gold, hence a "Golden Fleece". Although he saved the king's son "Phrixos" life, he was then sacrificed by him to the gods out of gratitude for his rescue. His golden fleece was nailed to an oak tree and henceforth guarded by a powerful dragon.

The breeding goal for the Coburger Füchse is not a fleece of gold, but the sheep should have wool with a golden hue and a lot of shine; there is a wide range of tones from light base tone to dark gold tone in the various regional strains.

The fineness of the wool is in the medium range, not as fine as Merino wool, but significantly finer than wool from the Heidschnucke. This makes it suitable for durable knitted and woven fabrics. The wool is very popular with hand spinners who have recognized the many uses of the wool, from wind and waterproof "fisherman's sweater" to socks. The textile industry, which values individuality, also produces beautiful country-style fashion and other weather-resistant outdoor clothing from high-quality Fuchsschaf wool. The wool is also perfect for thick and thin felts.

(Source: Working Group of German Fox Sheep Breeders)

The Black Mountain Sheep emerged from the crossbreeding of the Steinschaf with the Bergamask Sheep in the early 20th century. There used to be far more coloured than white Steinschafe. In the white flocks, there were always also black animals. Due to the crossbreeding of strong breeds, the coloured animals in Tyrol and South Tyrol were increasingly decimated. Eventually, only a few black sheep were kept for wool blending. The remaining brown ones were crossed with white and black Bergschafe. Due to their high fertility, the breed is often crossed with other meat breeds. The Black Mountain Sheep were only included in the herdbook in 2003. In recent years, breeders in Upper Bavaria have recorded several individual animals.

The Black Mountain Sheep in its current form traces back to the Zaupel or Steinschaf and the North Italian Bergamask Sheep. In the 1930s, all types were consolidated, and officially only the White Mountain Sheep was bred in the Eastern Alpine region. It is thanks to individual breeders that the black color was preserved.

The Black Mountain Sheep is a medium to large, solid black landrace sheep of the Alpine region. The narrow head is Roman-nosed, hornless, and carries broad, drooping ears. The fleece consists of black straight wool with a fineness of 32 to 36 microns. Shearing occurs twice a year. The mating behaviour is pronounced asaisonally.

(Source: Bavarian Sheep Breeders Association)

The White Mountain Sheep can be traced back to the Zaupel or Stone Sheep and, in particular, to the Bergamo Sheep in northern Italy. This Bergamo sheep is a heavy pendulous-eared sheep that has been known for centuries and extended its range from Lombardy to the whole of northern Italy, especially during the period of Austrian rule. A little later, it came via Carinthia, Styria, Salzburg and Tyrol to the Bavarian Alpine region. Originally, there were many different lofts, which were combined and standardized in Germany in the 1930s.

The main breeding area of the White Mountain Sheep in Germany is Bavaria and especially in Upper Bavaria in the Werdenfelserland from Oberammergau via Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Mittenwald, in the Pfaffenwinkel in the area around Weilheim, Bad Tölz, in the Berchtesgadener Land and in the Allgäu. Occasionally, there are also herdbook breeds in other federal states such as Hesse, Lower Saxony and Saxony.

Adaptability to the harsh husbandry in the high mountains, takes advantage of high altitudes that are inaccessible to cattle. However, it is also ideally suited for paddock sheep farming in smaller herds. Hard claws, climbing and surefootedness, best suitability for rainy areas. 

The White (Bavarian) Mountain Sheep has a noble, narrow and rams-nosed head, is polled and has long, broad, drooping ears. The medium to large sheep is deep and closed, the back is long and wide with good rib arch and firm kidney area. It has strong legs with a taut fetlock and hard claw. The hind legs are slightly angled. The 15 to 20 cm long, white wool is simple to wavy, has a silky sheen and has 60 to 70 percent pure wool content. The wool fineness is C-D (32 to 36 microns). The White Mountain Sheep is sheared in spring and autumn. The Tyrolean mountain sheep in neighbouring Austria differs significantly in important breeding criteria such as wool, frame and type. Precociousness, high fertility (breeding performance 180-250), aseasonal oestrus behaviour.

(Source: Society for the Preservation of Old and Endangered Domestic Animal Breeds)

Once, this very ancient sheep breed was widespread along the Baltic Sea coast. Due to its long moisture-draining outer wool and its undemanding, robust nature, the Rough-Woolled Pomeranian Sheep was ideally suited to the harsh climate prevalent there. Pomeranian sheep thrive on lean sandy soil as well as on damp marsh meadows. Originally, the breed was probably referred to as grey- rather than rough-woolled. The sheep's wool, yielding four to six kilograms, is easily processed. Their mixed wool fleece is grey, black, or grey-blue, sometimes with a dark brown tinge. Originally, canvas and so-called "fishermen's jackets," which are waterproof jackets for fishermen, were made from it until the finer Merino wool and other materials replaced it. It is believed that the Pomeranian sheep emerged from a cross between the Hanoverian sheep and the Zaupel sheep.

The head and legs are black; the tail is long and woolly. Mucous membranes and tongue are darkly pigmented. All animals are hornless. Pomeranians are medium-framed with a withers height of 65 to 75 cm. Ewes weigh 50 to 55 kg, rams up to 75 kg. Lambs are born black and develop the typical Pomeranian fleece during their first year of life.

An interesting peculiarity of Pomeranian sheep was that they were rarely kept in large herds but lived in small groups or even individually on small rural properties called "Büdnereien" in Northern Germany, especially in Mecklenburg, Pomerania, and Brandenburg.

Similar to other native breeds, from the mid-19th century onwards, Pomeranian sheep were increasingly displaced by other breeds such as Merino sheep. Breeding efforts shifted towards more noble, finer-woolled animals. Furthermore, at the beginning of the 20th century, the performance of Pomeranian sheep was intended to be increased by crossing with meat sheep. This led to further decline and a concentration in coastal regions, where Pomeranian sheep thrived without competition due to the climate and sparse feed offerings. Today, Pomeranian sheep are widespread as a sheep breed in the coastal regions of Pomerania, Mecklenburg, East Prussia, Silesia, and Poland.

(Source: Breeding Association for East Prussian Skuddens and Rough-Wooled Pomeranian Sheep e.V.)