Stadtwerke extends sponsorship for Mainbogen sheep farm
02.02.2021 – The Mainbogen sheep farm is growing and thriving: 26 lambs have been born since the beginning of January 2021, and 16 females are still pregnant. Thanks to the support of Stadtwerke Offenbach, sufficient winter feed is available for the flock in Rumpenheim: Shepherdess Melanie Brost organized more than 13 tons of hay for the cold season, and there is also fresh fruit and vegetables every week.
In addition to her job in the SOH HR department, the 28-year-old currently works five hours a day in the winter quarters of her flock: she pushes wheelbarrows through the mud and hauls water canisters, erects tents for the animals, acts as a midwife for the ewes and collects the droppings of her six shepherd dogs. In order to do all this, Stadtwerke Managing Director Peter Walther has allowed her to reduce her weekly working hours to 30 hours until the end of March 2021. "I have great respect for the way Melanie Brost looks after her sheep farm and am happy to support her," he says. "That's why we are continuing our sponsorship of the flock this year."
The sight of the little lambs compensates the shepherdess for all her exertions. "But it's not just the sheep that are happy when we can finally go out onto the meadow at the end of March," says Melanie Brost. Then their contribution to landscape conservation in Offenbach begins again: the grazing of the Mainbogen and other urban areas by the sheep protects nature from scrub encroachment and promotes species-rich flora and fauna, also thanks to the natural fertilizer.
The herd has now grown to 83 animals, and in a few weeks there will be more than 100. Brost wants to keep most of the "girls" - hopefully some of the bucks will be suitable for breeding, while others will be sent to slaughter at around nine months old. In the medium term, the shepherdess would also like to market meat and dairy products: "But because of the hygiene requirements, we would need proper winter quarters with more space and a permanent barn." Negotiations with the city of Offenbach about a suitable plot of land are still ongoing.
To cover the rising costs of winter fodder, Stadtwerke Offenbach provided the Mainbogen sheep farm with 3,000 euros last year: In addition to the hay bales, there is high-energy silage as well as fruit and grain, carrots and beet. Melanie Brost has built a special "lambing pen" for the offspring: "Only the little ones fit in this pen, and concentrated feed in pellet form is available for them around the clock." From around three weeks of age, the lambs start to eat here, while the youngest ones are still loudly "mowing" for their mothers to satisfy their hunger with milk.
When the flock returns to the public with their cute offspring, they will probably become even more popular than before. "I am very touched by people's interest and sympathy," says Melanie Brost, whose lovingly maintained Facebook page "Schäferei Mainbogen" now has almost 1,800 fans. All sponsorships for the newborns have already been allocated. Incidentally, the Stadtwerke sponsored sheep Tilda is doing very well, which pleases Peter Walther. As he announces, the Mainbogen sheep farm will once again receive 3,000 euros from Stadtwerke Offenbach's sponsorship pot in 2021: "In addition to pure public services, we want to create added value for the citizens of Offenbach," emphasizes the Managing Director. "And especially in times of coronavirus, animals in the big city are a ray of hope for us all."
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