In Saxony-Anhalt, there are fewer and fewer sheep on pastures and in stables. According to the State Statistical Office, there were around 56,000 sheep as of November 3, 2025. That was around 2,300 fewer animals than a year earlier. The number of farms also fell by 7.8 percent to 210.
According to the data, the number of ewes in particular has decreased: there were around 40,900 female sheep in Saxony-Anhalt that gave birth to lambs at least once, a decrease of 6.8 percent. In contrast, the number of young ewes rose from 12,500 to 12,900 animals within a year. A good two thirds of the sheep were kept in flocks of 500 or more animals.
According to earlier information, the Saxony-Anhalt Sheep Protection Association believes that the reasons for the decline include the difficulty of finding a successor. Sheep farmers are also worried about the spread of wolves and are uncertain about the economic situation.
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