Over hill & dale

The delicate sound of a bell comes closer. With it, the joyful bleating of a sheep. It is Susi, the leader sheep who reacts straight away to Lisa’s calls. She runs swiftly between the trees. The rest of the herd follows her. "We had started off small at first, with the somewhat lower-maintenance Cameroon sheep at our „Obstangerl“. Then we came across the old, local breed of the Alpine stone sheep. These animals have a calm manner and are very trusting if you pay attention to them. They even come of their own accord, when you call them,” says Lisa and is nudged by Susi as a greeting. Despite this, Markus has a bowl of treats with him. This always attracts them.

Alpine stone sheep are excellently adapted to the alpine terrain and cope with cold, heat, wetness and dryness. They have a slender build. As mountain specialists, they possess very hard claws. Most rams and also some of the female animals are horned. Rams weigh 60 to 75 kilograms, ewes 45 to 60 kilograms. They normally give birth to two lambs a year and have a high milk yield. Their heads have a straight profile and a slightly crooked nose. Their pointed ears droop slightly. The Alpine stone sheep were supplanted in animal husbandry because they generate less profit. However, the animals’ meat is tasty and tender, and has hardly any fat deposits. The colouring and markings of the Alpine stone sheep are motley and varied. Their wool consists of long kemp and wavy, fine and shorter wool fibres. Unlike merino wool they are rather coarse. “But it’s a great raw material with valuable ingredients. I even use the wool as a fertiliser in the windowboxes,” says Lisa.

Absolutely worth protecting

Together with Markus she walks along the fences of the sheep pasture. The area is located on the north side of the Rauschberg and is well secured with electricity. The animals follow them with curiosity.

At the start of 2021, only approx. 900 ewes and 80 rams were still counted in Germany. The Baumgartners’ herd currently numbers 27 sheep, also including lambs. They came into the world here outside, because in summer the Alpine stone sheep spend day and night on the pasture. If it gets too hot for them at midday, they can withdraw into a small stable. Together with her fellow sheep, Susi leads an idyllic life on the juicy meadows and slopes at the Baumgartners’ place. The animals all have names. With the male offspring it is normally the case that they take the first letters of the ram’s name. For example, the children Napoleon are called Nils, Noel and Nepomuk. Lisa has also introduced this pattern for the young ladies. Susi, Schnucki, Sissi…. Not until autumn will the whole flock of sheep return to the Baumgartners’ farm. There they can spend the winter in the warm stable. Until then, they can run uphill and downhill to their heart’s content.