Waldschaf

Waldschaf, the forest sheep of Austria and neighboring central European regions, is a small to medium landrace descended from old mixed-wool sheep. It is especially associated with the Mühlviertel and Waldviertel, where rougher upland farms favored thrift, weather resistance, and a varied fleece with underwool and coarser outer fibers. Animals may be white, dark, gray, brown, or spotted, and both horned and polled individuals occur.

Waldschaf are useful for extensive grazing, landscape maintenance, and small farms that value hardy sheep over high-input production. They are not primarily dairy sheep, and their wool is a traditional mixed fleece rather than a fine commercial clip. Breeders should select for fertility, calm flock behavior, parasite resistance, and the ability to rear lambs on modest forage. Because it is a conservation breed, maintaining type and genetic diversity is part of responsible ownership.