Sheep farming in Baden-Württemberg is coming out of the niche and establishes a Spanish-German cooperation.
Ernestine Lüdeke from Fundación Monte Mediterráneo and Herbert Wiedemann, President of the Baden-Württemberg cooperative for Lamb sign the cooperation in presence of the Lamb-Queen, Kerstin Wiedemann-Riek and Ulrich Rothweiler.
The “sheep-contact” between Spain and Germany started in 1786 when sheep breeder from Münsingen travelled to Spain in order to buy merino-sheep. Still today you can see the genetic fingerprint in the present breed which was started more than 200 years ago.
The extensive pastoralism is a very important instrument in both countries in terms of conservation and management of natural habitats.
Matching with the experience in the 18th century, via the cooperation, the idea is to exchange experiences between sheep keepers, especially concerning extensive pastoralism, in terms of vocational and professional trainig of young people for jobs in extensive pastoralism and to create the “Merino-Route” – kind of a Camino de Santiago for sheep tourism – just as the German sheep keepers did in 1786.
