By driving more than 800 sheep up to Hauser Kaibling, the Sheep and Goat Farming Association and the Hauser Kaibling Ski Lift Association have set a new course in landscape maintenance:
Sheep farming in Austria and in the district of Liezen has a long tradition. Over the years, a reduction of agricultural businesses because of constantly increasing costs and a shortage of labour meant a drop in farming in the Alpine pastures. The Alpine pastures became overgrown with dwarf-shrubs and brush, as well as trees. Climate change has also affected the landscape, seeing the forest line move higher up the mountains.
To counter this, the Styrian Sheep Farming Association in partnership with Haus im Ennstal, the Hauser Kaibling Ski Lifts, the LFZ Raumberg-Gumpenstein (agricultural school), as well as the regional agriculture authority in Stainach, created the Alpine Lamb Project on Hauser Kaibling in 2008.
In the first couple of weeks in May, the sheep are driven up Hauser Kaibling, where they spend their summer. A shepherd looks after about 800 sheep and lambs for the entire summer. Before they head up to the alpine pastures, the sheep are registered, weighed, wormed, and undergo a routine health check. The weight of all the sheep together is about 40,000 kg. During the 120 days of grazing, the flock eats more than 1 million kg of grass, alpine herbs, and leaves from the brush. The flock significantly contributes to the maintenance of our cultured landscape.
While the sheep are very comfortable up on the alpine pastures (it is like a health resort for them), the variety of the feed creates the best conditions for the production of high-quality Alpine lambs, which are sold through the Ennstal Valley Sheep Farming Centre.
Not only are the alpine pastures great for grazing, they are also Hauser Kaibling’s ski run areas. By grazing, the sheep provide very ecological ski run maintenance, so the use of heavy vehicles and equipment can be reduced significantly.
The LFZ Raumberg-Gumpenstein scientifically monitors the flock, ensuring the effects of grazing on the plant population is as beneficial as they are for the animals (weight gain, meat quality).
Sleeping problems? A foreign word for our mountain shepherd. Because the sheep are counted during the day. A whole 800 fluffy pieces. In the summer months, the shepherd sets off every day with his or her cloud-white, teddy bear-brown and colorful spotted “employees” to perhaps the most beautiful workplace in the world: the Hauser Kaibling. The sheep's task: To graze the mountain slopes and thus contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and the maintenance of the alpine pasture as a cultural area. These days, the alpine lambs seem to be doing their work particularly conscientiously. They are plucking and plucking, grazing and nibbling on the lush green alpine meadow herbs of the Styrian mountains. It's almost as if they know that they will soon be sharing their little paradise with two-legged friends looking for relaxation.
Always follow the gentle sound of bells over the Hauser Kaibling. Our shepherd is always happy to have company. And if you like, you can lie next to him/her in the meadow. To count sheep on the Styrian Genussberg.
Fun and educational with panoramic views. A successful balance between descent, ascent and relaxation. With learning and discovery stations, magnificent views of the Enns Valley and a good chance of meeting the flock of sheep - the return journey takes you via the natural gem of the Kaiblingalm.
At TOMiziel Berggasthof Scharfetter, Krummholzhütte and Schutzhaus Kaiblingalm you can experience regional delights - from snacks to specialties from “Ennstal lamb”.
Numerous experiences await at the Kaiblingalm reservoir: Water zorbing, barefoot trail, sheep via ferrata, sheep whispering and sheep jumping provide fun and variety. A large photo point, panoramic benches and loungers offer perfect opportunities to relax and enjoy.
With 800 sheep on the mountain and our petting zoo at the 8-seater gondola mountain station at 1,424 meters above sea level, you can experience our woolly sheep, lambs, goats, rabbits, ponies and much more up close.
But pssst... It is important that the animals in the petting zoo also have their rest periods. Please respect the animals' rest periods so that they can relax and enjoy their stay at the facility. Thank you for your understanding!
