Red Engadine sheep originated in Switzerland in Lower
Engadin and in the bordering Tirolian and Bavarian valleys. They originate from
local varieties, from the Stone Sheep, and the Bergamask sheep. They are medium
to large framed and are distinguished by their ram nose and their long, hanging
ears.
They have a dark-brown body and a red-brown, medium to
coarse wool which with increasing age becomes lighter. They are an easy-care
sheep, well suited to extensive production situations. In the 1980s, the breed
was almost extinct in Switzerland, but conservation efforts reversed the trend
and in 1992, the Swiss Engadine Sheep Breeders Club was formed.