Summary
The Merinizzata Italiana is a breed of domestic sheep from southern Italy.[1][2] It is a modern breed, created in the first half of the twentieth century[1] or in recent decades[2][3] by cross-breeding of indigenous Gentile di Puglia and Sopravissana stock with imported Merino breeds such as the French Berrichon du Cher and Île-de-France, and the German Merinolandschaf. The aim was to produce a good meat breed without sacrificing wool quality. The Merinizzata Italiana is raised mostly in Abruzzo, mainly in the provinces of L'Aquila and Teramo, with small numbers in neighbouring regions.[2]
| Country of origin | Italy |
|---|---|
| Distribution | centre, south |
| Use | Dual-purpose, meat and wool |
| Traits | |
| Weight |
|
| Height |
|
| Wool color | white |
| Face color | white |
| Notes | |
| hornless | |
| |
The Merinizzata Italiana is one of the seventeen autochthonous Italian sheep breeds for which a genealogical herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.[3] In 2000 total numbers for the breed were estimated at 600,000, of which 19,000 were registered in the herdbook;[2] in 2013 the number recorded in the herdbook was 27,260.[4]
Lambs are usually weaned at 6–7 weeks, and slaughtered soon after, at a weight of 10–15 kg. Rams yield about 4.5 kg of wool, ewes about 2.5 kg; the wool is of good quality, with a fibre diameter of 18–26 microns.[2]
References edit
- ^ a b Breed data sheet: Merinizzata Italiana/Italy. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed January 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN 9788850652594. p. 246–247.
- ^ a b Le razze ovine e caprine in Italia (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Ufficio centrale libri genealogici e registri anagrafici razze ovine e caprine. p. 24. Accessed January 2014.
- ^ Consistenze Provinciali della Razza 31 Merinizzata Italiana Anno 2013 (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Banca dati. Accessed January 2014.