Organic sheep husbandry in Germany - how to tap its full potential

Summary

Organic sheep production in Germany is characterised by diverse production systems. With the choice of breed, flock size and farming methods, sheep farming is feasible under a variety of conditions. The status-quo of the organic sheep sector was analysed based on German-wide surveys of organic sheep farms. This generated new information on current farm organisations and production processes. Weaknesses were identified in production and marketing of organic lamb and sheep milk. A sustainable development of organic sheep husbandry in Germany is only possible if the problems identified are addressed and improved.