Farm animal genetic resources in Switzerland
Swiss White Alpine sheep
The White Alpine sheep is a sedentary breed, well adapted to mountainous terrain, with a pronounced herd instinct (Rudolf Lehmann / Schweizerischer Schafzuchtverband)
Origin and development
The Swiss White Alpine sheep derives from a number of Swiss White Mountain sheep breeds. Through cross-breeding with the Merino Land sheep and Ile-de-France sheep, the meat and wool performance of the original local types was sustainably improved. Since 2010, breeding values have been estimated annually for fertility and weight gain traits. The Swiss White Alpine sheep is the breed with the largest number of individuals registered in a herdbook in Switzerland.
Description
Large-framed, fertile sheep with good maternal traits, milk and meat performance; hardy; sound limb conformation. Medium-length woolly face with broad mouth; medium-length ears carried horizontally; hornless. Pure white fleece. Non-seasonal lambing, ideally two to three times over 2 years. First lambing at the age of 15–18 months. 52
