Steinschaf

The Steinschaf is a direct descendent of the now extinct Zaupelschaf. It had developed characteristics that made it perfect for life in the high mountains in the Eastern Alpine regions. In the beginning of the 20th century the Steinschaf still roamed the meadows of Bavaria, Germany, especially the areas around Berchtesgaden, Traunstein, and Rosenheim. In Austria, its range was mainly in the Salzburg area

.The original Steinschaf used to be a dual-coated, small, and wiry high mountain sheep, weighing 28- 30 kg (62-66 lbs). It was bred twice a year and it had 20-70 % twins. The modern Steinschaf is a robust, small to medium-sized sheep with a coarse, dual-coated fleece, that can be of all colors and markings. It would benefit the breed if it could be kept exclusively on high alpine meadows, in order to retain its excellent characteristics.

Breed categories: double-coated / Distribution: Germany, Austria, Italy