![]() Ewes and lambs in Segovia | |
Conservation status | DAD-IS (2023): not at risk [1] |
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Wool colour | white |
Face colour | black-and-white |
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The Churra is an Iberian type, breed or group of breeds of sheep. [2] : 920 [3] : 280 [4] : 107 The word churra simply means 'coarse-woolled'. The Churra originates in the Duero Valley in the autonomous community of Castile and León in north-western Spain. [2] : 920 In the province of Zamora the milk is used to make Zamorano cheese. [5] : 132
There are numerous regional variants of the Churra in Spain. Two of these are recognised as separate breeds: the Churra Lebrijana of Andalusia, also known as the Atlantica or Marismeña, named for Lebrija on the Guadalquivir and found in the coastal provinces of Cadiz and Huelva in south-western Spain; [2] : 741 [3] : 283 [6] and the Churra Tensina, named for the Valle de Tena in the province of Huesca in the central Pyrenees. [2] : 931 [3] : 287 [7] Others include the small Sayaguesa, associated with the comarca of Sayago in the south of the province of Zamora and reared mostly for meat; [2] : 906 the Churra del Bierzo or Blanca del Bierzo, an endangered polled type from the comarca of El Bierzo in the province of León; and the Churra Castellana or Churra Campera of Castile. [2] : 920
The Churra is a traditional triple-purpose breed, reared for milk, for meat and for its wool, which is of coarse quality suitable for carpet-making. [2] : 920 Sheep of this type were taken by the conquistadores to the New World, where they gave rise to American breeds such as the Chiapas and the Navajo-Churro. [2] : 920 Cross-breeding with the Merino has given rise to the Spanish : entrefino or medium-fine group of breeds in Spain, and to the Churra Algarvia breed in Portugal. [2] : 920 Other Portuguese Churra breeds include the Churra Badana, the Churra Galega Bragançana Branca, the Churra Galega Bragançana Preta, the Churra Galega Mirandesa, the Churra Mondegueira, the Churra da Terra Quente, the Churra do Campo and the Churra do Minho. [8]
The Drysdale is a New Zealand breed of sheep. It was developed from 1931 by Francis Dry, and derives from sheep of the New Zealand Romney breed in which a mutation caused the coat to be particularly hairy, and thus suitable for carpet-making. It is a specialised carpet wool breed, but also a useful meat breed.
The Valais Blacknose, German: Walliser Schwarznasenschaf, is a breed of domestic sheep originating in the Valais region of Switzerland. It is a dual-purpose breed, raised both for meat and for wool.
The Galician or Galician Mountain Horse, Spanish: Caballo de Pura Raza Gallega, Galician: Raza Equina Cabalo Galego do Monte, is a breed of small horse from Galicia, in north-western Spain. It is genetically very close to the Garrano breed of northern Portugal. It was in the past used as a war-horse and in agriculture; it is now raised principally for meat. The horses are bay or black.
The Sayaguesa is an endangered Spanish breed of domestic cattle. It is named for the comarca of Sayago in the province of Zamora, in the western part of the autonomous community of Castilla y León, and is raised almost exclusively in that area. It may also be known as the Zamorana, the Moles de Sayago or the Castellana variedad Sayaguesa. It was traditionally kept mainly for draught work, but is now raised principally for meat.
The Algarve Churro or Churra Algarvia is a Portuguese breed of domestic sheep. It is distributed mainly in the Algarve and Alto Alentejo regions of southern Portugal, particularly in the arid Barrocal sub-region of the Algarve. It is primarily raised for its meat, although it also produces and is raised for carpet wool. Traditionally, it was also raised for its milk, used in cheesemaking, and for vegetation management. In subsistence agriculture, the traditional uses of the breed persist.
The Bergamasca is a breed of domestic sheep from the mountainous part of the province of Bergamo, in Lombardy in northern Italy. It originates from the area of the Val Brembana and the Val Seriana valleys, and is particularly associated with the plateau of Clusone. By the beginning of the 20th century it had spread through much of Lombardy; it is now raised in most parts of mainland Italy, particularly the province of Teramo in Abruzzo, where more than 80% of the registered stock are kept. The Bergamasca is also present in Brazil, Serbia and Venezuela. It is raised principally for meat, and is often used for cross-breeding with other meat breeds to improve meat yield. In Lombardy, it is traditionally raised by transhumant management: the herds spend the summers on the alpine pasture, and over-winter in the Po valley.
The Comisana, also known as Faccia Rossa and Lentinese, is an Italian breed of domestic sheep indigenous to central and northern areas of the Mediterranean island of Sicily. Its name derives from that of the comune of Comiso, in the province of Ragusa. It is raised principally in the provinces of Caltanissetta, Enna and Palermo, but is found in many other Italian provinces and has also been exported to other Mediterranean countries.
The Rubia Gallega, Galician: Rubia Galega, is a breed of cattle native to the autonomous community of Galicia in north-western Spain. It is raised mainly for meat. It is distributed throughout Galicia, with about 75% of the population concentrated in the province of Lugo. The coat may be red-blond, wheaten, or cinnamon-coloured.
The Marismeño is a rare Spanish breed of horse indigenous to the marshes of the Guadalquivir River, from which it takes its name. It is now found particularly in the Doñana National Park, which lies mostly in the province of Huelva, in Andalusia in southwestern Spain. Until recently it was not considered a breed; recognition and recovery began in 2003. It is listed in the Catálogo Oficial de Razas de Ganado de España in the group of autochthonous breeds in danger of extinction.
The Ciavenasca is an Italian 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 Garessina or Muma is a breed of small sheep from the Garessina, the area surrounding Garessio in the province of Cuneo, in Piemonte in north-west Italy. It is raised principally in the valleys of the Tanaro, its affluent the Negrone, and the Casotto; it is not raised commercially, but kept as a family sheep. It has been influenced by Spanish Merino and French Alpine breeds. The wool is of fine quality. The Garessina 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 Zamorano-Leonés is a breed of large domestic donkey from the provinces of Zamora and León, in the autonomous community of Castilla y León, in north-western Spain. The name derives from those of the two provinces.
The Devon and Cornwall Longwool is a British breed of domestic sheep from south-west England. It was created in 1977 through merger of two local breeds, the Devon Longwool and the South Devon.
The Terreña, Basque: Behi terreña, is an endangered breed of mountain cattle indigenous to the autonomous community of the Basque Country in northern Spain. It is distributed mostly in the provinces of Álava and Bizkaia, with some localised populations in Gipuzkoa.
The Monchina is a Spanish breed of mountain cattle indigenous to the autonomous communities of Cantabria and the Basque Country in northern Spain. It is related to the Betizu and possibly to the Terreña breeds of cattle of the Basque Country, and is closely associated with the Villano de las Encartaciones breed of dog, which is traditionally used in managing it. It is classified by the Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, the Spanish ministry of agriculture, as a "Raza Autóctona en Peligro de Extinción" or native breed at risk of extinction.
The Euskal Antzara is a traditional Spanish breed of domestic goose. It originates in the historical Basque Country. It is the only recognised goose breed of that area, and one of two Spanish breeds of goose, the other being the Oca Empurdanesa. It is distributed mainly in the comarca of Enkarterri in the province of Bizkaia, particularly in the areas of Abanto, Balmaseda, Güeñes, Karrantza and Zalla.
The Australian Merino is an Australian breed or group of breeds of sheep, forming a significant part of the Merino group of breeds. Its origins lie in Merino sheep imported to Australia from South Africa in about 1796. By about 1830 there were almost two million Merinos in the country.
The Vianesa is a traditional Spanish breed of cattle originating in the autonomous community of Galicia in north-western Spain. It is named either for the municipality of Viana do Bolo in the province of Ourense in south-eastern Galicia, close to the border with northern Portugal, or for the comarca of Viana in which that municipality lies. With the Cachena, the Caldelana or Caldelá, the Frieiresa and the Limiana or Limiá, it forms part of the grouping of dark brown cattle known as the Morena Galega or Morenas del Noroeste.
The Churra Galega Bragançana Branca is a Portuguese breed of domestic sheep. It originates in, and is raised in, the Terra Fria Transmontana in the District of Bragança in north-eastern Portugal, on the border with the Spanish autonomous community of Galicia. It is one of four churra sheep breeds in the district of Bragança, the others being the Churra da Terra Quente, the Churra Galega Bragançana Preta and the Churra Galega Mirandesa.