A post by Khulan Gansukh, Claudia Heidemann, Naomi Koepfli, & Van Dao
Sheep are often underestimated as livestock, and their numbers in Germany continue to decline [1]. Yet they provide milk and meat, while also playing an important role in nature conservation. At Milchschäferei Asbach, Raphael welcomed us to the farm and shared both the challenges and the many rewards of keeping sheep.
The Milchschäferei Asbach is located in the district of Eichsfeld, close to the border with Hesse, in the Green Belt – a former inner-German border area that is now recognized for its high ecological value [2]. This location highlights the farm’s strong commitment to conservation.
Today, the farm keeps around 250 sheep on 37 hectares of pasture, most of which consist of species-rich dry grassland. The Milchschäferei Asbach is run by Raphael who took over the land in 2015 with just a small flock of sheep in an old cowshed. Since then, they have expanded step by step – sheep by sheep. The farm is certified organic and produces cheese in its own dairy following Demeter guidelines.
The flock consists of Krainer Steinschafe (also known as Bovška Ovca), a rare breed in Germany. These sheep are small and light, weighing only 40–60 kg, yet they are extremely adaptable. They thrive on extensive grazing and produce good milk yields even without concentrated feed [3]. At Milchschäferei Asbach, the sheep are valued not only for their milk – the main product of the breed – but also for their meat. The meat is known for its tender, fine texture and pleasantly mild, slightly spicy flavour. In addition, the farm sells breeding animals, including rams, ewes, and young lambs.
Sheep’s milk is something special: although each ewe produces only about one liter per day, the milk is exceptionally rich. Compared to cow’s milk, it contains more fat and protein, is easier to digest, and has a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3 and less sheep’s milk is needed to produce one kilo of cheese [4]. It is also richer in minerals and vitamins, making it a particularly valuable and nutritious product. Nevertheless, the Milchschäferei Asbach sells the milk only in the form of cheese, since selling fresh sheep’s milk would require additional cooling equipment, while demand and profit margins in Germany remain low. Wool sales are also not profitable – in fact, farmers even have to pay to dispose of it properly.
Apart from contributing to food production, Krainer Steinschafe also help shape landscapes, transforming reed beds into grasslands through rotational grazing. Raphael and his team are doing this in a project for natural conservation within the region of Thuringia.
With his farm Raphael is seeking a balance between his passion for the endangered species of the Krainer Steinschaf, his love for farming sheep cheese and contributing to nature conservation. Alongside running the farm, Raphael owns a construction company and sees the farm more as a passion project than a business – though it still requires countless working hours. The Milchschäferei Asbach is an inspiring example of how people can enrich their own lives while caring for the environment – and even create delicious cheese along the way.
This blog post was written as part of the “Agrobiodiversity Summer School” in Germany in August 2025. This summer school is a cooperation project between the ZHAW Institute of Natural Resource Sciences, the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture in Switzerland and Germany (FiBL) and is supported by the Mercator Foundation Switzerland.
References
[1] Schafbestände gehen zurück. (o. J.). Statistisches Bundesamt. Abgerufen 26. August 2025, von https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Branchen-Unternehmen/Landwirtschaft-Forstwirtschaft-Fischerei/Tiere-Tierische-Erzeugung/schafe.html
[2] Das Grüne Band: Vom Todesstreifen zur Lebenslinie. (o. J.). BUND für Naturschutz und Umwelt in Deutschland. Abgerufen 26. August 2025, von https://www.bund.net/gruenes-band/
[3] Das Krainer Steinschaf. (o. J.). Krainer Steinschaf. Abgerufen 26. August 2025, von https://www.krainersteinschaf.at/das-krainer-steinschaf
[4] Moatsou, G., & Sakkas, L. (2019). Sheep milk components: Focus on nutritional advantages and biofunctional potential. Small Ruminant Research, 180, 86–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2019.07.009