Heidschnucke
Heidschnucken are a very frugal breed of sheep . Heidschnucken belong to the Nordic short-tailed sheep .
Races
The Nordic short-tailed sheep include, for example (sorted by largest population):
- Gray Horned Heidschnucke
- White Hornless Heidschnucke ( Moorschnucke )
- White Horned Heidschnucke,
- Skudden in black, white and brown
- Ouessant sheep from France
- Gotland sheep
- Guteschaf
- Åland sheep
description
The hair of the Gray Horned Heidschnucke is grayish and extremely long, legs, tail and head are black, the lambs are born black and turn their parent color in the second year. However, there are also white variants. Both sexes have horns.
The meat of the Lüneburg Heidschnucke g. U. (a gray horned Heidschnucke) is protected under this name in Europe and may bear the seal of a protected designation of origin (PDO). The long, stringy wool is only suitable for coarse fabrics such as carpets. The Diepholzer Moorschnucke (a white hornless Heidschnucke) is also protected as a regional term.
There used to be gray and white as well as horned and hornless Schnucken in northern German herds. In the 20th century, these were bred into the breeds known today, and the weights were almost doubled in the process.
The white horned Heidschnucke was declared in 1998 together with the old German herding dog by the Society for the Conservation of Old and Endangered Domestic Breeds (GEH) as "Endangered Livestock Breed of the Year".
Distribution areas
The main breeding area is the northern German heather and moorland areas of the Lüneburg Heath . In the meantime, the easy-to-keep sheep have spread throughout Europe mainly because of their meat, which has a wild-like taste.
Every year, on the second Thursday in July, the Heidschnuckentag takes place in Müden (Örtze) . Here performance-tested young bucks present themselves to breeders and spectators. The best animals are awarded. The Heidschnucken bucks can be bought at the subsequent auction.
Herd on their return to the stable in Wilsede
A herd of shorn Heidschnucken in the Lüneburg Heath
Schnucken herd at the foot of the Lönsdenkmal in the Tietlingen juniper grove
Others
Heidschnucke was also the code name of a radio measuring station located near Heiligenhaus during the Second World War .
Web links
- Association of Lüneburger Heidschnuckenzüchter e. V. including the breed description of the gray-horned Heidschnucke
- Cattle e. V.
- Website of the Society for the Preservation of Old and Endangered Pet Breeds e. V.
- Association of Swiss Heidschnucken keepers
- Homepage of the interest group White Horned Heidschnucke
- Video: Heidschnucken sheep farm . Institute for Scientific Film (IWF) 1994, made available by the Technical Information Library (TIB), doi : 10.3203 / IWF / C-1853 .