Tiroler Bergschaf

The Tiroler Bergschaf or Pecora Alpina Tirolese is a breed of domestic sheep from the mountainous Tyrol area of Austria and Italy.[1]: 288 [2] The name means "Tyrolean mountain sheep". It is raised throughout Austria[3] and in the autonomous province of Bolzano in Italy.[2]: 288  It results from cross-breeding between the Tiroler Steinschaf of the Tyrol with the Italian Bergamasca breed from the area of Bergamo.[4]: 78  This is variously reported as having taken place in the first half of the 19th century[3] and after the Second World War.[2]: 288 

Tiroler Bergschaf
head of a sheep with long drooping ears
Other namesPecora Alpina Tirolese
Country of origin
  • Austria
  • Italy
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    80–120 kg
  • Female:
    70–100 kg
Wool colourwhite
Face colourwhite
Notes
dual-purpose, meat and wool
Ewe with twin lambs in Achenkirch am Achensee, in Tyrol in Austria

The Tiroler Bergschaf is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.[4]: 78  In 2013 no total number for the breed was recorded in the herdbook.[5] In 2008 an Italian population of 12888 was reported to DAD-IS.[1]

The Austrian herdbook was opened in 1938; the population reported for Austria in 2012 was 12901 to 19000.[3]

References
  1. Breed data sheet: Tiroler Bergschaf/Italy. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed September 2013.
  2. Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN 9788850652594.
  3. Breed data sheet: Tiroler Bergschaf/Austria. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed September 2013.
  4. Le razze ovine e caprine in Italia (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Ufficio centrale libri genealogici e registri anagrafici razze ovine e caprine. Archived 21 September 2013.
  5. Consistenze Provinciali della Razza 02 Anno 2013 (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Banca dati. Accessed September 2013.
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