Alte Rassen Ziegen u. Schafe o.T. - Arche Austria

SUMMARY
1. From 1955 many alpine pastures were abandoned and the importance of milk yield in
autochthonous goats decreased in pursuance of the mechanization of agriculture. This eco-
nomical change did not obtain to rare goat breeds as long as they were allowed to feed in their
traditional environment. Over the next thirty years many alpine pastures, which were feeding
habitats of goats before, became hunting-grounds with excluding goat presence. At this time,
at the late eighties, policy first estimated livestock biodiversity as genetic resource and as
public good. Hence subsidies were established.
2. Local denomination of the Grey-Black-White Mountain Gout (“Peacock” Goat) and old
photos of this breed and of the Grisons Striped at alpine pastures in Salzburg refer to their
autochthonous breeding in Austria.
3. In alpine pastures the favourite food of mountain goats is composed of Vaccinium sp., Cal-
luna vulgaris, brushes like Alnus alnobetula, Salix sp., leafs of ash-trees (Fraxinus excelsior),
but goats also need grass and herbs. Heath vegetation, brush leaves and herbs have equal
share in three fourth of food; the residual part is composed of grass and conifers. According to
this feature, goats may be used as biological control of undesirable brows without exterminat-
ing certain rare plant species. Grazers like sheep do not feed deciduous plants in the same
quantity.
4. Alpine rare goat breeds are well adapted to the ecological conditions of the Alps. This
study gives instructions how to get them used to a home territory without shepherd. In exten-
sive stock domesticated goats do not disturb game nor dispute the feeding resources. The tra-
ditional summer environment is more prosperous for mountain goats than enclosed pasture.
5. A farmer can get from 16 % to 25 % of the average revenue of an alpine farm from rare
goat husbandry. From subsidies he may obtain about 36 % to 48 % of the income from goat
production. About 55 % of the alpine goat farmers have sources of income from environmen-
tally produced (“biological”) food.
6. The best option for breed conservation of small ruminants is in situ. Autochthonous rare
breeds of goats and sheep cannot maintain without preserving their traditional environment
and without the socioeconomic survival of alpine farmers. Agriculture in so called “marginal
areas” is suspected to require public subsidies in future.
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