HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein/Ringdorfer

Sheep and goat farming

The small ruminants sheep and goats are mentioned again and again when it comes to questions about keeping our cultural landscape open, especially in mountain areas. The Sheep and Goat Department focuses on questions relating to the use of Alpine grassland with sheep and goats. However, in all questions, the product is always in the foreground. Sheep and goats provide high-quality food, both meat and milk. The special advantages, the natural production of these products and also the positive effects on the cultural landscape should be particularly emphasized.

The content-related questions and tasks come primarily from practice. There is close cooperation with the sheep and goat breeding associations. The department is also in great demand internationally as a project partner and is currently involved in the Interreg IIIB project "Alpinet Gheep", which is about a network to promote sheep and goat farming in the Alpine region.

Research objectives:

  • Influence of feed quality and feeding intensity on feed intake and milk production of sheep and goats
  • Optimal production systems for producing lamb and kid meat of the best quality
  • Extensive use of grassland to preserve the cultural landscape
  • Animal health
  • Basic feed evaluation, ration design suitable for ruminants
  • Effects of grazing on plant communities
  • Breeding programs and performance testing