Braunes Bergschaf
The Braunes Bergschaf is a breed of domestic sheep from the Tyrol area of Austria and Italy. It derives from cross-breeding of the Tiroler Steinschaf of the Tyrol with the Italian Bergamasca and Padovana breeds. It is raised in the Austrian states of Lower Austria, Salzburg, Styria and Tyrol; in the Vinschgau, Ultental, Passeiertal and Schnalstal in the autonomous province of Bolzano in Italy; in the Swiss Engadine; and in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Germany. In Italy the Braunes Bergschaf is known as the "Schwarzbraunes Bergschaf", while the Swiss Schwarzbraunes Bergschaf is in Italy called 'Juraschaf'. It 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. Numbers were reported to be 3698 to 5000 in Austria in 2012, 1564 in Germany in 2011 and 2850 in Italy in 2008.
| Life Span | 10-12 years |
| Weight | 45-160 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Braunes Bergschaf
Finding a responsible Braunes Bergschaf breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells sheeps commercially — especially those selling online or through third-party dealers — to hold a federal license and submit to regular inspections. A legitimate breeder should be willing to provide their USDA license number, invite you to visit their facility, and show you where the animals are housed and socialized.
Before committing to a purchase, ask the breeder for veterinary health records, vaccination documentation, and any genetic testing results relevant to the Braunes Bergschaf. Reputable breeders will also ask you questions in return — about your living situation, experience with animals, and ability to provide long-term care. A breeder who asks no questions and is eager to ship an animal immediately is a significant red flag.
Use the search tool below to check whether any USDA-licensed facilities breeding Braunes Bergschafs appear in our database. If they do, review their inspection history carefully. Look for patterns of violations, pay attention to severity levels, and compare their compliance grade with other breeders in the same state. This due diligence takes minutes and can save you from supporting a facility with documented animal welfare problems.
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Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.
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