The Braunes Bergschaf sheep is a multi-purpose breed of domestic sheep which is raised for many different purposes such as meat, wool and vegetation management.
It is also known as Brown Mountain sheep, Pecora nera-bruna and Schwarzbraunes Bergschaf (Italy). It was actually originated from the Tyrol area of Austria and Italy.
It was actually developed from cross-breeding of the Tiroler Steinschaf of the Tyrol with the Italian Bergamasca and Padovana sheep breeds.
Today the Braunes Bergschaf sheep breed is raised in the Austrian states of Lower Austria, Salzburg, Tyrol and Styria. And in the Passeiertal, Ultental, Schnalstal and Vinschgau in the autonomous province of Bolzano in Italy.
The breed is also available in Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg in Germany.
The Braunes Bergschaf sheep is one of the 42 autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept.
And the herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.
In the year of 2008 total numbers of this breed were reported to be 2850 in Italy, 1564 in Germany in 2011 and 3698 to 5000 in Austria in 2012. Read some more information about this sheep breed below.
Braunes Bergschaf Sheep Characteristics
The Braunes Bergschaf sheep are medium to large sized animals. They are mainly black or brown in color with either black or brown face color.
They have slender type body with a Roman nose profile. Both rams and ewes are generally polled or hornless.
The ears are long, broad and hanging. Legs of these animals are strong with hard hoofs.
As a medium to large sized animal, average live body weight of the mature Braunes Bergschaf ewes is around 60-70 kg. And the mature ram’s average live body weight is between 80 and 100 kg. Photo and info from Wikipedia.
Uses
The Braunes Bergschaf sheep are multi-purpose animals. They are raised for meat, wool and also for vegetation management purpose.
Special Notes
The Braunes Bergschaf sheep are very hardy and strong animals. They are well adapted to their local climates.
Most of the animals generally spend their summers roaming high alpine meadows. And very healthy animals march back to the valleys in September to October to get their fall shearing to prepare for a winter in the barn.
They have very strong legs with hard hoofs which help them to do well in such conditions. Non-seasonal breeding is possible 3 times in two years, and twins are the normal.
Wool of the Braunes Bergschaf sheep is straight brown, with shades ranging from cognac to dark brown.
They are generally shorn twice a year, and fleece weight is around 4-5 kg. Their fleece is long and coarse with a fiber diameter of 32 to 36 microns.
Meat is of very good quality, and the animals are also used for vegetation management. However, review full breed profile of the Braunes Bergschaf sheep in the following chart.
| Breed Name | Braunes Bergschaf |
| Other Names | Brown Mountain sheep, Pecora nera-bruna and Schwarzbraunes Bergschaf (Italy) |
| Breed Purpose | Meat, milk and also raised for vegetation management |
| Special Notes | Very hardy and strong animals, well adapted to almost all climates, have very strong legs with hard hoofs which help them to spend their summers roaming high alpine meadows, generally shorn twice a year, multi-purpose animals, raised for meat, wool and also for vegetation management |
| Breed Size | Large |
| Weight | Mature rams body weight is around 80-100 kg, and average live body weight of the mature ewes is between 60 and 70 kg |
| Horns | No |
| Climate Tolerance | Native climates |
| Color | Black or brown |
| Rarity | Common |
| Country/Place of Origin | Austria |
