Category:Bavarian Forest Sheep

The Bavarian Forest Sheep (also known as Waldschaf), the successor of the Bavarian Zaupel, is decreasing in popularity, although it has appeared in the Bavarian herdbook only since 1987. Nevertheless, it is an old and once wide-spread breed in its native region.

Breed history
Studies of the relevant technical literature in the 19th century, show that it came from the Mischwolliges land sheep. This basic group of mixed wool sheep races is definitely derived from the Schlichtwolligen German land sheep or German sheep. In the group of the Mischwolligen sheep, the distinctive breeds are the Zaupel, the Hannover land sheep, and the Pommer land sheep. The Zaupelschaf dominated the southern part of Germany, and adjacent regions in Maehren and Boehmen as well as the entire alpine region, and southern Hungary since May 1868, according to one reference. The Zaupelschaf was sometimes called the most common of all breeds, and was defamed due to its rough, felted mixed wool. It describes the Zaupelschaf in 1868 as "largely average, weighing about 70 pounds. The commonly occurring horns short and to the rear outside and down curved, the ears moderately long and sharply-pointed, with rough, strong, shiny wool. Under the long rougher hair, softer hairs occur, which have a tendency to felt themselves. Thus it is sheared semiannually. The larger number of the animals are white, but some have brown or black wool. These animals possess a very strong constitution, and can thrive on wet soil and with the worst pasture forage and are commonly penned with pigs. During harsh winter feedings, they can find their fodder under the snow; they commonly are bred for the first time at only 1 year old, frequently bearing twins, and are usually bred twice a year." After 1868, to this description is added "the head is rather small, the forehead flat and narrow, turning without noticeable recession into the nasal bone. This appears with the male animals to be rather curved, but quite flat with the females. The lip is narrow and pointed. The ears sharply funnel shaped and rolled together, narrowly and pointedly, in a horizontal position on the head. Usually only the rams are horned. With the white-colored animals, one often finds a black lip and regularly black rings around the eyes." It also describes the poor living conditions of the Zaupel, which were usually held within the rural area only in small groups, which went to the pasture with pigs and cattle. It was mainly targeted for a high yield of hand-spinable wool, but as comb yarn spinning mills became more common, mixed wool was more often rejected. However, the high reproduction rate as well as the ruggedness of the animals is again emphasized. The first mention finds the Zaupelschaf in the year 1536 in a decree of duke Ulrich of Wuerttemberg. It forbids the owning of Zaupel with punishment and endorses the introduction of Flaemischer sheep. From this then, the Schlichtwollige German sheep is already mentioned, which is found rather commonly, and was developed mostly in Central Germany. Numerous subtypes and color variations occurred. The primary races of this are the Rhoenschaf and the Coburger, as well as the fox sheep and the old line sheep, which are special versions of the Schlichtwolligen German land sheep. The Zaupelschaf was already being displaced at that time by the Schlichtwolligen German sheep. Gulf mentions in 1939 that the Zaupelschaf in Bavaria was only in the moorland and mountain areas of upper and Lower Bavaria. Last mention finds it in the literature in the year 1941 with Borodajkewyez. It describes some in the Muehlviertel and in the adjacent Boehmen. Some can still be found in Lower Bavaria with the older generations of farmers, who know of the Zaupelschaf breed. In 1890, in a memorandum of the agricultural association, the situation in Lower Bavaria was described as follows: "the rural breeders deal more with the breed of the normal Zaupel, the Waldler or stone sheep". The number of sheep is clearly decreasing, and the Zaupel already became known as regionally distinctive to the Bavarian forest as the Waldlerschaf, and into one more alpine form as the stone sheep. This term became generally accepted in the alpine region, and is commonly used in Lower Bavaria, in the adjacent Muehlviertel, and even in Lower Austria. In the later literature, the Zaupelschaf receives no more mention, and is considered extinct or forgotten.

In the 1940's and 1950's, professor B. Cumlivski in Boehmen began with a systematic breeding program of Zaupelschaf residues in the Boehmerwaldes. Without crossbreeding, but with intensive selection on increasing wool quality and yield, an extensive stock was structured by 25,000 ewes, which were raised under the name Sumavaschaf (Boehmerwaldschaf). In the early 1960's, professor Imre Bodó in Hungary began to buy residues of the so-called Ziktaschafes in south Hungary. Here it was called Zaupel, which came in the year 1723 with Swabian evacuees from the county Limpurg into the Hungarian Donaukomitat. In the cultural enclave, a national herd for genetic preservation was structured from the sheep kept in the last residues to the present. Unfortunately, within the area of the Bavarian forest, preservation measures were only initiated very late from Zaupelschaf residues. A nationally subsidized breeding attempt with forest sheep in 1976 was unfortunately not resumed. Only end of the 1980's were the last residues in the Bavarian forest formed into a new population.

This lists the breeds of forest sheep, Boehmerwaldschaf, Zitkaschaf and stone sheep as remainder populations of the Zaupelschafs. This comes from the outward similarity, which is supported by the descriptions of the Zaupelschafs. Here it must be considered however that the Zaupelschaf was never bred in a methodical manner and it was already crossbred in earlier times. The schlichtwollige German land sheep had already displaced the Zaupelschaf in the 19th century and was also crossbred, just like the land sheep in Bavaria, Kammwollmerinos in Hungary and in Czechoslovakia as well as the Bergamaskerschaf in the entire alpine region. Today it is necessary to develop the last residues received and the rest of the population, preserving as originally as possible, the Zaupelschaf appropriate type desired with the emphasis of forest sheep (central mountain region) and stone sheep (alpine region).

Present situation
The forest sheep breed took a pleasing upswing in Bavaria. Probably 10 stove book breeders will soon have to be registered with approx. 150 nut/mother sheep entered in the breed book. Parallel to it within the area of the state capital Munich was already structured a 50-kopfstarke herd of gene reserve. The stone sheep within the area of the Bavarian alps exists only in quite small number of items. Here still much pioneer work is necessary. The Boehmerwaldschaf, as previously mentioned, was developed to a large population. This shrinks at present however rapidly there due to the economic restructuring in the CSFR. The Sumavaschaf might be considered within a short time again as threatened. In the case of the Ziktaschafes in Hungary it remains hoping that also in the future will receive the national herd of gene reserve can. The residues in the Muehlviertel are not yet completely entered.

1960 were created in Bavaria a working group for the preservation of forest sheep and stone sheep, which was to enable a more intensive co-operation of the breeders. In the future the Danube land alliance for gene reserves (DAGENE) will dedicate itself to an internationally superordinate co-ordination of the attitude measures.

1991 were to be seen the forest sheep for the first time on becoming green week in the context of the special exhibition of endangered utilizable animal races. To 13.10.1991 then the first Waldschafpraemierung in Massing/Niederbayern took place.

The present stock in Bavaria covers over 200 nut/mother sheep with 8 different Bavarian support lines. In addition further 3 support lines come from Boehmen. 1988 were tried by an import from 20 breed sheep the CSFR to extend the very blood-close Bavarian population genetically.

1991 at 120 Bavarian and Boehmischen forest sheep investigations of the group of bloods and Serumproteinpolimorphismus were executed. These investigations showed that the races Zikta, forest, and Boehmerwaldschaf genetically much to be close itself. They show clear thing in common and can from other races, in particular by merino and Zackelschafen be distinguished clearly. Within the population of the Bavarian forest sheep however 2 subtypes can be differentiated, a larger more Schlichtwolliger type as well as a smaller mixed wool type. The latter is to a large extent genetically identical to the examined Boehmichen animals.

Description of breed
The description of the breed updated by the working group calls for a small to medium sized, usually white (but sometimes brown or black) sheep. The fleece must be solid in color, but the non-woolly regions can be spotted. The forest sheep is predominantly mixed wool. The head profile is straight and the nasal bone is curved on the rams. The ears are away horizontally or gently hanging. The animals are fine wooled with very hard hooves. The male animals are frequently horned.

Performance specification
The animals are undemanding, fodder well, and can live in unfavorable climatic conditions. Conspicuous feature is the large fertility. Twins are the rule. The first breeding is usually at 13 months, and most animals breed twice annually. Fertility depends on living conditions, but averages 180% - 200%. The ewes have good milk production due to the high rate of lambs. The rams achieve an adult weight of 60 to 70 kg, ewes 40 - 55 kg. The weight gain of the lambs is about 180g to 200g daily increase. This is achieved without forcing additional fodder. The ewes feed extensively. The fleece weight is 3.5 kg with rams and 3.0 kg with ewes.

Future prospects
The forest sheep is still classified with the current population size as very endangered. A further enlargement of the stock is urgently necessary. The promotion measures of the Bavarian Department of State for nutrition, agriculture, and forests offers a good incentive. The present number of ewes does not permit a strict selection. The genetic spread of the Zuechterisch breed without crossbreeding is very necessary. It is difficult to increase the genetic spread and thus adaptability of the old race, while standardizing it. Intensive selection is surely possible and necessary with the rams. It is desirable to produce as large a number of rams as possible in order to then possess sufficient selection material. This is primarily a challenge for the stove book breeders. A further assistance with the preservation of the forest sheep represents the structure of the mentioned gene reserve within the area of the city Munich as well.

The forest sheep is, like the Zaupelschaf, a durable extensive land race with a very calm character, which cannot compete reliably with the modern high speed races. Its strength is situated in its hardiness and in the high reproduction rate. Thus it is suitable not only for extensive landscape conservation, but also for continuous lamb production. If one combines the good mothering characteristics and the high fertility of the forest sheep with the growth rate of a meat race, then quite an economic success can be achieved in the context of a cross-bred in lamb production.

On the international level, co-operation with Austria and Tschechien exists, where residues of this sheep race are likewise found. By the economic restructuring in Tschechien, the Boehmi forest sheep is however strongly threatened of becoming extinct.