site.btaBulgaria’s First Shepherd Academy Aims to Preserve Indigenous Breeds

The first academy for shepherds in this country, Po Todorovi Koshari, has been opened near the village of Vlahi (Southwestern Bulgaria), the organizers said on Tuesday. The academy aims to bring together people interested in becoming shepherds, restoring forgotten traditional practices and preserving indigenous breeds.

Each of the four training seasons in the academy will provide an introduction to the history of the autochthonous breeds in Bulgaria, the making of sheepfolds, the grazing and milking of the animals, the cleaning of pastures and traditional practices in animal husbandry.

Over 20 would-be shepherds and 8 children are taking part in the first training season and are actively involved in raising a mixed flock of two autochthonous breeds - the Karakachan sheep and the mountain long-haired goat.

The initiators of the Academy also intend to establish a practice in the preservation of the autochthonous breeds, describing them as a living national treasure. The present-day representatives of those breeds bear the traits of their wild ancestors, naturally preserving their most valuable qualities and breed characteristics. Proven in the field, they not only survive in difficult conditions, but also provide valuable food for humans.

Traditional local breeds of domestic animals are part of the biodiversity and valuable local gene pool, pointed out the organizers of the academy. The autochthonous breeds are currently rare and disappearing in the country, as there are fewer and fewer owners who breed them. The Karakachan sheep, which has been bred in Bulgaria since Thracian times, is resistant to harsh climatic conditions, diseases and infections and has strong immunity. Together with the mountain long-haired goat, it plays an important role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems in the mountainous regions of the country.

Yet, autochthonous breeds in Bulgaria are rare and disappearing, with ever fewer animal breeders having them. Among them is Sider Sedefchev, whose family has been breeding rare Bulgarian breeds of sheep, goats, horses, and dogs in Vlahi for over 20 years. He has some 500 Karakachan sheep and 70 Kalofer long-haired goats.