The Brownes Bergshaf sheep is a versatile breed of domestic sheep that is bred for a variety of purposes such as meat, wool, and vegetation management.
It is also known as brown mountain sheep, Black and brown sheep and Black and brown mountain sheep (Italy). In fact, he was bred from Tyrol to Austria and Italy.
In fact, he was bred by crossing the Tyrolean Steinschaf with the Italian Bergamasca and Padovan sheep breeds.
Today, the Braunes Bergschaf sheep breed is cultivated in the Austrian lands of Lower Austria, Salzburg, Tyrol and Styria. And in 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 Brownes Bergshaf sheep is one of 42 local native breeds of sheep with limited distribution, for which a herd book is maintained.
And the herd book is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep breeders.
In 2008, the total number of sheep of this breed was 2850 in Italy, 1564 in Germany in 2011 and between 3698 and 5000 in Austria in 2012. Read more about this breed of sheep below.
Characteristics of the Brown Mountain Sheep
Brownes Bergshaf sheep are medium to large sized animals. They are mostly black or brown in color with a black or brown complexion.
They have a slender build with a Roman nose profile. Rams and ewes are usually polled or polled.
The ears are long, broad and drooping. The legs of these animals are strong with hard hooves.
The average live weight of sexually mature Braunes Bergschaf sheep – medium and large – is about 60-70 kg. And the average live weight of an adult ram is 80-100 kg. Photos and information from Wikipedia.
Advantages
Braunes Bergschaf sheep are versatile animals. They are grown for meat, wool and also for growing plants.
Special Notes
Braunes Bergschaf sheep are very hardy and strong animals. They are well adapted to the local climate.
Most animals usually spend their summers roaming the high alpine meadows. And the very healthy animals return to the valleys from September to October to do their fall haircut and prepare for winter in the barn.
They have very strong legs with hard hooves which help them perform well in such conditions. Off-season breeding is possible 3 times in two years, twins are normal.
The wool of the Brownes Bergshaf sheep is a straight brown, with shades ranging from cognac to dark brown.
Usually they are sheared twice a year, and the wool weight is about 4-5 kg. Their fleece is long and coarse, with a fiber diameter of 32 to 36 microns.
The meat is of very good quality, the animals are also used for growing plants. However, check out the full breed profile of the Braunes Bergschaf sheep in the following table.
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| Breed name | brown mountain sheep |
| Other names | Brown mountain sheep, Pecora nera-bruna and Schwarzbraunes Bergschaf (Italy) |
| Purpose of the breed | Meat, milk and grown to grow plants |
| Special Notes | Very hardy and strong animals, well adapted to almost any climate, with very strong legs with hard hooves which help them spend the summer in the high alpine meadows, usually mowed twice a year, versatile animals bred for the meat, wool, and also for vegetation management |
| Breed size | big |
| The weight | The body weight of adult rams is about 80-100 kg, and the average live weight of sexually mature ewes is 60-70 kg. |
| horns | Not |
| climatic tolerance | native climate |
| Color | Black or brown |
| scarcity | general |
| Country/place of origin | Austria |
