"Seven youths aim for shepherding careers in Thuringia": Seven aspiring individuals have expressed interest in taking up shepherding jobs in Thuringia.
In the heart of Germany, Thuringia is facing significant challenges in the realm of landscape management, with the decline of its sheep population and a shortage of young shepherds posing a pressing issue.
Recent reports suggest that dozens of lambs have gone missing or been found dead in Trusetal, possibly due to wolf attacks. This tragedy, coupled with the theft of around 200 sheep and lambs from two operations in northern Thuringia, has raised concerns among the local shepherding community. One affected shepherd even suspects professional thieves and has a theory about their motives.
The state championship of Thuringian shepherds, held as part of the Shepherd's Day, offers a glimpse into the resilience of this community. The event, which took place in Hohenfelden, Weimarer Land on August 20, 2025, saw five shepherds demonstrate their skills with their dogs and a foreign flock, showcasing their abilities in driving and sorting the sheep. Shepherd Sylvia Lützelberger from Southern Thuringia, who built up a sheep farm almost from scratch after the fall of the Berlin Wall, was among the participants.
However, the future of Thuringia's shepherds is far from certain. Sixty percent of a shepherd's income comes from landscape management with their animals, but Thuringian shepherds find few buyers for their wool. As a result, a Bad Sulza knitting factory has taken the initiative, producing the first sweaters and cardigans from sheep's wool in Thuringia.
The decline in sheep populations and the shortage of young shepherds is a complex issue. Aging shepherd demographics, reduced interest in agricultural professions among youth, and economic pressures on small-scale pastoral farming all contribute to less frequent grazing, allowing shrub and forest encroachment. This reduces biodiversity and alters ecosystems, with the open semi-natural grasslands losing their ecological value and the traditional character of the region’s rural environment.
This impact on landscape management is substantial. Without sufficient grazing, these grasslands tend to become overgrown, leading to declines in plant and animal diversity. Species that depend on these habitats are also affected.
To address these issues, prospects for the shepherd profession in Thuringia depend on measures to attract young talent. This includes improved economic incentives, modernizing pasture management techniques, and educational programs to raise awareness of the profession’s ecological importance. Support from environmental and agricultural policies that recognize the value of grazing in landscape conservation can also play a key role in revitalizing the sector.
While specifics on Thuringia’s sheep population decline are not readily available, this situation is consistent with broader European rural trends reported in agricultural and environmental studies, where rural depopulation and aging farming populations affect extensive livestock grazing and landscape maintenance.
As the search for solutions continues, the resilience and determination of Thuringia's shepherds remain a beacon of hope for the future of their profession and the preservation of the region's unique cultural landscapes.
In the context of Thuringia's declining sheep population, it is crucial to focus on career development in the shepherding profession, as a means to attract young talents. Investing in education-and-self-development programs could help revitalize this sector by equipping the younger generation with modern skills for pasture management. Simultaneously, job-search efforts should be conducted to apply these new skills, ultimately securing the future of Thuringia's shepherds and preserving the region's unique cultural landscapes.
