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Conservation status | FAO (2007): not listed [1] |
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Other names |
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Country of origin | Italy |
Distribution | |
Standard | MIPAAF |
Use | varied [2] |
Traits | |
Weight | |
Height | |
Wool colour | very variable, polychrome |
Horn status | horned or hornless |
Beard | usually bearded |
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The Alpina Comune is a heterogeneous population of domestic goats widely distributed in the Alps of northern Italy, particularly in the regions of Lombardy and Piemonte. It is highly variable in size, in morphological characteristics such as the type, colour and pattern of its coat and the shape and carriage of its ears, and in type of use. It does not display any of the uniformity characteristic of a breed, other than a consistent hardiness and adaptation to mountain terrain. It is however officially recognised and protected as one. The name Alpina Comune, "common", is more used in Piemonte; in Lombardy it may be called Alpina Locale, "local", or simply Nostrana, "ours". [4]
The Alpina Comune is raised throughout Piemonte, from the mountains of the province of Cuneo to those of the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, and in a large area of the Lombard Alps including the Brianza, the Canton of Ticino, the Grisons, the Lario, the Alpi Orobie, the Val Camonica, the Valchiavenna and the Valtellina. [2] Management is extensive: the animals are kept on medium or high alpine pasture in the summer months. [2]
The Alpina Comune is classed as one of the forty-three autochthonous Italian goat breeds of limited distribution; a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep- and goat-breeders. [5] [6] :89 At the end of 2013 the registered population was variously reported as 497, almost all of which were in Val d'Aosta, [7] and as 510. [8] Figures for the total size of the population vary widely. It was estimated at 22,000 in 1973, and in 2001 at 55,000. [2] Another estimate in 2002 reached the same figure, with 40,000 in Piemonte and 15,000 in Lombardy, [9] while a population of 100,000 was estimated both in 2005 [4] and in 2008. [2]
The Alpina Comune is raised both for meat and for milk. The milk yield is approximately 400–600 kg per lactation of 180–270 days. The milk is used to make cheeses, either pure caprino or mixed-milk, including Toma, Raschera, Bra and robiola. Kids are usually slaughtered at a weight of 10–13 kg; the meat of adult animals is used to make salumi such the violino, a goat's-meat prosciutto. The products vary from place to place depending on the local traditions of the area. [2]
The Corteno or Pecora di Corteno is a breed of sheep from the Val Camonica, in the province of Brescia in Lombardy, northern Italy. It is raised in the comune of Corteno Golgi, from which it takes its name, and in the neighbouring comuni of Edolo, Malonno and Paisco Loveno, all lying within the Comunità Montana di Valle Camonica. It is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.
The Fabrianese is a modern breed of domestic sheep from the Marche region of central Italy. It takes its name from the town and comune of Fabriano, in the province of Ancona. The Fabrianese was created as a dual-purpose breed in the 1960s by cross-breeding local breeds of the Apennines of the Marche with rams of the Bergamasca breed from the Alps of Lombardy. It is raised in the eastern foothills of the Apennines, in the provinces of Ancona, Ascoli Piceno and Macerata in the Marche, and in the province of Terni in Umbria.
The Brianzola is a breed of sheep from Lombardy in northern Italy. It originates in the historical region of the Brianza, from which it takes its name, and which coincides with the modern provinces of Como, Lecco and Monza and Brianza. It is raised principally in the comuni of Brianza, Civate, Galbiate, Proserpio, Suello and Valmadrera. It is a heavy meat breed; the wool is not used. It is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.
The Ciavenasca is a breed of small domestic sheep from the province of Sondrio, in Lombardy in northern Italy. It is raised in the mountainous terrain of the Val San Giacomo, the Val Bregaglia and the Valchiavenna, from which the name of the breed derives. It is raised only for meat; the wool is of very poor quality, and the milk is sufficient only for the lambs. It is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.
The Finarda is a breed of large domestic sheep from the regions of Lombardy and Piemonte in northern Italy. It is heavy breed raised mainly for meat, although it also yields 4–6 kg of wool per year. It results from cross-breeding the Bergamasca and Biellese breeds. It is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders. However, in 2008 the herdbook was empty, and may in fact never have been activated. Most data for the breed dates from 1983.
The Frabosana is a breed of sheep from the valleys of the Monregalese, the area around Mondovì in the province of Cuneo, in Piemonte in north-west Italy. It takes its name from the comuni of Frabosa Soprana and Frabosa Sottana, and was once the most numerous sheep breed of Piemonte. It is raised in the Valle Gesso, the Valle Grana, the Valle Pesio, the Valle Vermenagna and the Valli Monregalesi in the province of Cuneo, and in the Val Pellice in the province of Turin. Two types are recognised within the breed, the Roaschino in the Ligurian Alps, and the slightly smaller Frabosana raised in the area of Mondovì. The Frabosana is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.
The Altamurana is a breed of sheep from the province of Bari, in Puglia in southern Italy. It takes its name from the town of Altamura, in the Murge. It is of Asiatic, possibly Syrian, origin. It is raised mainly in the provinces of Bari and Foggia. It was formerly considered a triple-purpose breed, yielding meat, milk, and wool; it is now kept principally for milk production. It yields approximately 65 kg of milk per lactation, with on average 7.5% fat and 6.5% protein.
The Delle Langhe, also called Pecora delle Langhe or Langarola, is a breed of domestic sheep indigenous to Piedmont, in north-western Italy. It is a rough-woolled breed of southern Mediterranean type, and originates from the mountainous area of the Alta Langa, where the Apennines meet the Alps, in the province of Cuneo. It is raised mainly in the Langhe, but is found in several other regions of Italy including Abruzzo, Basilicata, Emilia–Romagna, Liguria and Tuscany.
The Sempione is a rare breed of domestic goat from the mountains of Piemonte in north-western Italy and the neighbouring area of Simplon in the canton of Valais in Switzerland; Sempione is the Italian name for Simplon. The Sempione goat is well documented in photographs from the early twentieth century, but is now thought to be close to extinction, and has more than once been considered extinct. Examples were recorded at Saliceto di Cravagliana in the province of Vercelli in 1983, and others have since been identified in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, particularly in the Val Divedro and the upper Ossola.
The Passeirer Gebirgsziege or Capra Passiria is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from the Passeier valley or Val Passiria, in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano in north-eastern Italy. It is raised in that valley and in the neighbouring Sarntal, Schnalstal and upper Wipptal valleys; it is also present in neighbouring areas of southern Austria. While of Alpine type, it is morphologically quite distinct from the Alpina Comune goat breed. Management is extensive: the animals are kept on alpine pasture from early spring to late autumn.
The Napoletana is a breed of domestic goat from the area south of Naples, in Campania in southern Italy. It is raised on the slopes of Vesuvius, on the slopes of the Monti Lattari, and in the Agro Nocerino Sarnese which lies between them. The origin of the breed is unknown. It may derive from goats of African origin imported to the area in the early years of the twentieth century; the alternative name Torca Nera, "black Turkish goat", suggests an origin in the Mediterranean basin.
The Grigia Molisana is an indigenous breed of greyish domestic goat from Molise in southern Italy. It is raised in the comuni of Acquaviva Collecroci, Castelmauro, Montefalcone nel Sannio, Montemitro and San Felice del Molise; all are in the province of Campobasso, and the breed may also be called the Capra di Campobasso. The highest concentration is in Montefalcone, from which the name Capra di Montefalcone derives. The origins of the breed are not known; studies conducted in the 1980s suggest influence from the Alpino Comune, Garganica and Maltese breeds.
The Cilentana Fulva is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from the province of Salerno, in Campania in southern Italy. It takes its name from the geographical region of the Cilento, much of which is today within the Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni, and is raised in that area, in the Monti Picentini, and throughout the province of Salerno. It is one of three indigenous goat breeds in the Cilento, the others being the Cilentana Grigia and the Cilentana Nera. The Cilentana Fulva is found on lower ground and richer pasture than the Cilentana Nera, and is raised mainly for milk. It appears to derive from inter-breeding of local goats with the Maltese and particularly the Derivata di Siria, with which it shares many characteristics.
The Cilentana Grigia is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from the province of Salerno, in Campania in southern Italy. It takes its name from the geographical region of the Cilento, much of which is today within the Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni, and is raised mainly in that area, but also in the Monti Alburni and the Monti Picentini. It is one of three indigenous goat breeds in the Cilento, the others being the Cilentana Fulva and the Cilentana Nera. The Cilentana Grigia is found on lower ground and richer pasture than the Cilentana Nera, and is raised mainly for milk. The origins of the breed are obscure; it shows the influence of the Maltese and Garganica breeds, and similarities to other Italian grey breeds such as the Ciociara Grigia of Lazio and the Argentata dell'Etna from Sicily.
The Nera Verzasca, also known as the Nera di Verzasca or Verzaschese, is an indigenous breed of black domestic goat from the Valle Verzasca, in the canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland, from which it takes its name. It is raised in that area and in the provinces of Como, Varese and Verbano Cusio Ossola in northern Lombardy, in the north of Italy.
The Roccaverano is an indigenous breed of large domestic goat from the Langhe, in the provinces of Asti and Cuneo, in Piemonte in north-western Italy. It is raised mainly in the Langa Astigiana, mostly within the Comunità montana Langa Astigiana Val Bormida, and is named for the town and comune of Roccaverano in that area. The origins of the breed are unknown.
The Messinese is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from the area of the Monti Nebrodi and the Monti Peloritani in the province of Messina, in the Mediterranean island of Sicily, in southern Italy. It is raised mainly in those areas, but also in the provinces of Catania, Enna and Palermo. Its range partly overlaps that of the Argentata dell'Etna. The breed was officially recognised and a herd-book established in 2001. It was previously known either as the Capra dei Nebrodi or in general as the Siciliana Comune.
The Chamois Coloured Goat, French: Chèvre chamoisée, German: Gämsfarbige Gebirgsziege, Italian: Camosciata delle Alpi, is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from Switzerland. It is distributed throughout Switzerland and in parts of northern Italy and Austria, and has been exported to other countries including France. There are two strains, a horned type from the Grisons or Graubünden in the eastern part of the country, and a hornless type from the former bezirk of Oberhasli and the area of Brienz and Lake Brienz in the Bernese Oberland in central Switzerland. In some countries the hornless variety may be considered a separate breed, the Oberhasli goat. The Swiss herd-book was established in 1930.
The Frisa Valtellinese is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from the province of Sondrio, in Lombardy in northern Italy. It is raised throughout the Valtellina, from which its principal name derives, in the Val Malenco and the upper Val Masino in the Rhaetian Alps, and in the Valchiavenna. It may also be called the Frontalasca, for the village of Frontale, a frazione of the comune of Sondalo in the Val di Rezzalo, or the Rezzalasca for that valley. The name Frisa comes from its frisature, or Swiss markings.
The Di L'Aquila or Capra di L'Aquila is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo in southern Italy. It is raised only in that province. It is a heterogeneous breed with variable characteristics, showing the influence of introductions of Alpina Comune, Girgentana, Maltese and Toggenburg stock. It is large, hardy and productive. Management is extensive: the animals are kept on mountain pasture, and brought under cover for protection from the snow only in the winter months.