Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman
Osttiroler Berglamm
Record Number: 52
Disclosure Date
For centuries traditional sheep husbandry in alpine regions of East Tyrol.
Photo: BM...
Osttiroler Berglamm
(East Tyrolean mountain lamb)
Abstract or claim
The production of Osttiroler Berglamm is the result of Traditional Knowledge on sheep breeding and animal farming in the alpine area of East Tyrol.
Osttiroler Berglamm is a young lamb, 3-6 months old, with light-coloured, smooth, and mild-tasting meat. Osttiroler Berglamm is the result of crossing ewes of the local breeds Tiroler Steinschaf or Tiroler Bergschaf with rams of a meat breed. It is raised under traditional extensive sheep-keeping conditions in the alpine region of East Tyrol, thus contributing to the preservation of the cultivated landscape.
Name of product, Product class
Lamb, fresh meat
Name of region
East Tyrol, Austria
Field of search
Food and Agriculture
Name of information provider
Bezirkslandwirtschaftskammer Lienz (District Agricultural Chamber Lienz)
DI Martin Diemling
Name of applicant for title
---
Holder of knowledge or associated resources
About 400 farmers in the political district of Lienz/ East Tyrol
Grantee(s), holder(s),
assignee(s) or owner(s) of title, if any
---
Descriptors
- History:
Sheeps are one of the earliest animals to be domesticated and have provided people with meat, milk, pelts and wool since Neolithic times. Sheep husbandry probably originated in the Southwest-Asian Steppes and was brought to Central Europe via Persia and the Balkans.
Since the middle of the 12th century a special form of intensive animal husbandry is reported from Tyrol, the so called “Schwaigen”. “Schwaig” is a Middle High German word which refers to a special type of settlement and, even more, farming, in Alpine regions. Often "Schwaighof" farmhouses were established as permanent settlements by sovereigns themselves and used for breeding cattle and sheep, especially for the purpose of dairy farming (in particular for cheese production).
In Tyrol and Salzburg they have been documented since the 12th century. Later, the term “Schwaige” was sometimes used to refer to alpine pastures used only during the summer months. Dairymen and dairymaids are also referred to as "Schwaiger" and "Schwaigerin".
Until the end of the 14th century sheep husbandry was prevailing on Schwaigen in Tyrol. Sheep keeping on extended alpine pastures has thus a century-long tradition in East Tyrol.
The permanent keeping of sheep in East Tyrol over centuries is verified by the reports on sheep-keeping in the municipality of Matrei: 3,650 sheep were kept in 1624; 2,587 sheep in 1812; 1,781 sheep in 1951; 2,855 sheep in 1991, and about 3,800 at present.
Until about 1950 sheep husbandry was mainly for wool production. However, the increased use of cotton and synthetic fibres in textiles brought about a focus on meat production.
Consequently, the first cross breedings between the domestic breed Tiroler Steinschaf (Tyrolean Stone Sheep) and the meat breed Bergamasca were done. This finally resulted in the Tiroler Bergschaf which, subsequently, has been pure-bred from the 1970s onwards.
Osttiroler Berglamm (East Tyrolean mountain lamb) is the result of crossing females of Tiroler Steinschaf or Tiroler Bergschaf with males of meat sheep breeds such as Texel, Blackhead sheep and Merino sheep. For over 10 years they have mainly been crossed with Suffolksheep.
Since about 1995 the “Osttiroler Lämmerring” (East Tyrol lamb association) has provided intensive advisory service. “Osttiroler Lämmerring” is a loose network of lamb producers within “Raiffeisengenossenschaft Osttirol”, aiming at the enhanced marketing of lambs produced in East Tyrol.
- Region:
Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman
East Tyrol is dominated by the Hohe Tauern mountain range, which includes Austria’s highest mountains (241 peaks over 3000 m are to be found in East Tyrol).
Habitat:
About half of East Tyrol is 2000 m above sea level and large parts are covered with alpine pastures of mountainous areas. About 9.1% are used for agriculture.
East Tyrol is one of the Austrian regions with the highest sheep populations. The largest sheep populations are found in the municipalities of Matrei (3,800 sheep), Assling (1,750 sheep) and Anras (1,500 sheep). On average 37.8 sheep are kept per farm. This outnumbers significantly the average-size stock in Austria (16.4 sheep per farm).
Climate and soil conditions:
Climate conditions are harsh and dry, the annual precipitation ranges between 844 and 1,144 mm. The average annual temperature is 6.9 °C, the average monthly temperature ranges between -5.8 ° C in January and 18.2 ° C in July.
Microclimatic conditions are very different in the Lienzer Talboden (valley floor), the harsh Tauern valleys and the precipitation-rich Gail valley.
East Tyrol has complex geological patterns (lime, primary rocks, dolomite, metamorphic rocks of the “Tauernfenster”).
These components, together with different altitudes and climatic conditions, result in a high local biodiversity of native alpine plants and herbs.
- Osttiroler Berglamm (East Tyrolean Mountain lamb):
Lambs of Osttiroler Berglamm are born and raised on the same sheep farm having its headquarters in East Tyrol.
Breeding flocks consist of ewes of the local breeds Tiroler Bergschaf and Tiroler Steinschaf, which are born and raised in East Tyrol.
The Tiroler Steinschaf is the oldest Tyrolean sheep breed, a direct descendent of the now extinct Zaupelschaf. It is a robust, small to medium-sized sheep that is perfectly adapted to a life in the high mountains in the Eastern Alpine regions. Ewes are polled.
The Tiroler Bergschaf is the result of crossing Tiroler Steinschaf and Bergamasca sheep. It is a robust, medium-sized to big-sized sheep with long, broad, lopped ears. Both sexes are polled.
The rams stem from meat breeds (Texel, Blackheaded sheep, Merino sheep and, for over 10 years, mostly Suffolk sheep) originating from populations in East Tyrol andother parts of Austria (Upper Austria, Salzburg, Styria, Carinthia).
The Osttiroler Berglamm is a free-range sheep with flocks living outside nearly all the year. It is well adapted to the dry, harsh weather conditions of the East Tyrolean mountain areas. It is robust and sure-footed on alpine terrain.
Method of Production
Photo: BMLFUW/Rita Newman
The method of raising the breeding flock is specific to the region. It entails extensive rearing systems with livestock limited to 0.2 – 1 LU (Livestock Unit) per ha of total feed-crop area.
From April to October the lambs are kept on pastures together with their mother-ewes. This management method ensures breeding in natural environment and is an essential factor for the well-being of the animals. The population density is limited by the available grassland.
Grazing sheep find a wide range of aromatic alpine herbs and plants on the steep slopes and alpine pastures.
This diversity of the flora contributes to the quality of the milk and, consequently, to the healthy development of the lambs.
During winter the sheep are kept in loose housing systems. Dependent on weather conditions and site of the farms, the sheep may roam freely outside.
Feeding:
Lambs are suckled by their mothers throughout their lives. Only a few weeks before slaughter the lambs may be fattened without milk for finishing purposes.
Lambs that are rejected by the ewe or whose ewe is sick or dead require bottle-feeding or grafting on to another ewe.
If necessary, grass or hay originating from the farm may be given additionally. The use of silage fodder is allowed for adult sheep and for lambs. However, hay is mainly fed in addition.
In the stables mixed provender (mainly barley) is fed in specific feeding devices (“Lämmerschlupf”) accessible to lambs, but not to adult sheep. These devices are used for targeted fattening.
Moreover, licking stones are offered which provide the sheep with minerals and sodium chloride.
The administering of antibiotics as a preventive measure is banned.
Lambing:
The main lambing periods are spring (March to May) and autumn (mid-September to mid-December). However, farmers strive for out-of-season lambing in order to supply the market continuously with lamb.
Transport and Slaughtering:
The lambs are slaughtered before they reach sexual maturity, at an age of 3 - 5 months on average. The slaughtering weight is between 18 - 22 kg, which corresponds to about 43 kg on the hoof.
Sheep are slaughtered at about 15 on-farm slaughterhouses in the district of Lienz (Dölsach, Assling, Gaimberg, Matrei, Kals, Innervillgraten, etc.) only for the regional market (gastronomy, end consumer).
As there is no EC slaughterhouse in the district of Lienz, sheep intended for food trade have to be transported for slaughter to an EC-approved slaughterhouse at Flattach, Upper Carinthia, about 35 km off Lienz.
For purposes of carcass identification, the "bos"-identification system of Agrarmarkt Austria is used.
Description of meat and carcasses:
The meat is from lambs born and raised in East Tyrol.
The meat is very tender, mild in taste, but aromatic. As the lambs are slaughtered before reaching sexual maturity, the meat is remarkably fine-fibred.
The fat of young lambs has a low melting point and does not taste tallowy.
Osttiroler Berglamm meat has a very unique aroma and flavour, which is an immediate consequence of the wild local plants uptaken by the animals.
The meat conforms E, U, R in the EUROP grading scale.
Fat cover is 2-3 in the EUROP grading scale.
Proof of origin:
The lambs are identified by means of an official mark (ear tag) in accordance with the Austrian Animal Identification and Registration Ordinance (Tierkennzeichnungs- und Registrierungsverordnung) 2007. This system has replaced the ear-tag system of the Osttiroler Lämmerring introduced in 1995.
As a consequence, traceability is ensured from the point of sale to the sheep farm. This means that at each state of production the meat can be traced back to the lamb and the holding on which it was born.
Control:
Lambs sold via Raiffeisen Genossenschaft Osttirol (RGO) are subject to quality controls executed by this organisation and including the farm, transport and the slaughterhouse. Meat safety and quality are ensured by official veterinary checks.
- Marketing:
Over 10,000 lambs per annum are marketed by Raiffeisen Genossenschaft Osttirol (RGO), a figure which corresponds to 75 % of the total lamb production of East Tyrol. The remaining 25 % are directly marketed to private consumers or to the regional gastronomy.
RGO, the main buyer, sells 75 % of the lambs alive to customers in Italy, Germany and East Austria. 25 % of the lambs are sold as carcasses (carcass halves) to the food trade. However, to some extent, the meat is also sold in pieces ready for end consumers.
RGO only buys sheep for slaughtering. Sheep intended for breeding are sold at auctions or directly traded between farmers.
Osttiroler Berglamm is available the entire year. However, peak seasons are Christmas, Easter, spring and autumn. In domestic food trade, lambs are marketed mainly in autumn after grazing on alpine pastures (grazing lambs) or in spring after hibernation in stables (fattened lambs).
Connection with the geographic area and Traditional Knowledge:
- Specific soil and climate conditions in the alpine region of East Tyrol
result in a richness of native alpine flora which enables extensive sheep
keeping on alpine pastures.
- The ewes are local breeds (Tiroler Steinschaf, Tiroler Bergschaf) typical
of East Tyrol.
- Characteristic rearing systems: Extensive management of flocks and use
of alpine pastures during the vegetation period.
- Strong link with the area: Lambs are fed on milk (suckled), grazed, and fed
with fodder produced mainly on the holding.
- This type of management produces young lambs with specific characteristics
in terms of conformation, with light-coloured meat and fat and a tender,
mild-tasting meat.
- The production of Osttiroler Berglamm is the result of Traditional Knowledge
passed down to the partners in the sector: Traditional Knowledge and experience
of sheep farmers (adapting the management of flocks to environmental constraints,
historical selection of local breeds, the expertise of shepherds, the method of
producing lambs, shepherding in mountain areas, out-of-season lambing, genetic
improvement, the know-how of butchers (providing early advice to sheep farmers,
selecting the live animals and the carcasses), and know-how in handling slaughter
tools and equipment) and the experience of the producer organisations).
- Utilization:
In addition to the production of meat from Osttiroler Berglamm, also the production of other traditional ewe’s milk specialties such as ewe’s milk cheese as well as the processing of the close-to-nature raw material sheep wool to special products like wool blankets and insulating materials are playing an important role.
- Protection:
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Key Words
Food and Agriculture, Traditional Knowledge, Austria, Tyrol, East Tyrol, region, sheep, lamb, Berglamm, mountain lamb, Tiroler Steinschaf, Tiroler Bergschaf, lamb meat, East Tyrolean Mountain lamb, Osttiroler Berglamm
Bibliography / References
- Bergamasca
http://www.sheep101.info/breedsB.html#Berg
- Bezirk Lienz
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osttirol
- Das Steinschaf
http://www.g-e-h.de/geh-scha/steinsch.htm
- Dirlmeier U., Fouquet G., Fuhrmann B. Europa im Spätmittelalter 1215- 1378, Oldenbourg
Wissenschaftsverlag 2003. pp. 28-29.
- Geschichte- Das Schaf eines der ältesten Haustiere der Welt
http://www.ama-marketing.at/index.php?id=371
- Geschichte Matreis in Osttirol
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geschichte_Matreis_in_Osttirol
- Osttiroler Berglamm
http://www.amtirol.at/index.php?id=304&topId=7
- Osttiroler Berglamm
www.genuss-region.at
- Rund ums Schaf
http://www.neuesland.at/archiv/years/2007/11/NELA_LAND_0316_32_X.pdf
- Schafe und Ziegen als Nutztiere
http://www.alpinetgheep.com/index.php?verbands_kennung=26&site=landschaftspflege&landschaftspflege_kategorie=2&landschaftspflege inhalt=7&kat_innerhalb=2
- Schwaige
http://aeiou.iicm.tugraz.at/aeiou.encyclop.s/s433158.htm;internal&action=_setlanguage.action?LANGUAGE=en
- Steinschaf
http://www.sheep101.info/breedsB.html
- Tierkennzeichnungs- und Registrierungsverordnung 2007 (Verordnung der Bundesministerin für
Gesundheit, Familie und Jugend über die Kennzeichnung und Registrierung von Schweinen, Schafen
und Ziegen)
www.sbg.ac.at/ver/links/bgbl/2007b166.pdf
- Tiroler Berglamm
http://www.amtirol.at/index.php?id=325&topId=6
- Tiroler Berglamm
http://www.mpreis.at/produktvielfalt/aus-tirol/tiroler-berglamm/index.htm
- Tiroler Bergschaf
http://www.alpinetgheep.at/?site=rassen&verbands_kennung=9&rassen_kategorie=1
- Tiroler Bergschaf
http://www.schafe-ooe.at/Rassen/Tiroler-Bergschaf.html
- Tiroler Bergschaf
http://www.schafundziege.at/index.php?id=61
- Tiroler Steinschaf
http://www.lfl.bayern.de/itz/schaf/09332/linkurl_0_17_0_0.pdf
- Tiroler Steinschaf
http://www.schafundziege.at/index.php?id=65
- Tiroler Steinschaf
http://www.vegh.at/rassen/ausgabe/ausgabe.php3?info=Tiroler% 20Steinschaf
- Wallner R.M. Alte Rassen Ziegen und Schafe
https://www.dafne.at/prod/dafne_plus_common/attachment_download/21652315fe20d5dfb9baa38e7178508e/1148_Kl_Wiederkauer.pdf - Zöllner E., Geschichte Österreichs. Von den Anfängen bis zur Gegenwart, Oldenbourg
Wissenschaftsverlag 1990. p. 99
- 241 Dreitausender in Osttirol
http://www.lienz.com/bergrettunglienz/bergwelt/3000er_ot.htm
All internet references last accessed on 22 July 2008.
Language Code
German
Product of www.genuss-region.at
Yes
Regional contact
Bezirkslandwirtschaftskammer Lienz (District Agricultural Chamber Lienz),
DI Martin Diemling,
Josef-Schraffl Straße 2, A-9900 Lienz
Phone: 059292 2602
e-mail: Martin.Diemling@lk-tirol.at
Authors: Mag. Eva Sommer, Dr. Erhard Höbaus
29.07.2010, Lebensministerium III/4