The Zerasca is a breed of upland sheep from the province of Massa Carrara, in Tuscany in central Italy.[1][2] It is raised almost exclusively in the comune of Zeri and the neighbouring comune of Pontremoli.[2] In the years after the Second World War, systematic use was made of Massese rams with the aim of improving milk yield; the result was a reduction in resistance to disease and ability to forage on poor terrain, an increase in mammary defects, an increase in colour variability, but little improvement in milk yield.[2] The Zerasca 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.[3]
| Country of origin | Italy |
|---|---|
| Distribution | Province of Massa Carrara, in Tuscany |
| Use | Meat |
| Traits | |
| Weight |
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| Height |
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| Wool color | White |
| Face color | White, sometimes mottled with brown or grey |
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In 2012 the total number for the breed was 951.[4]
References
edit- ^ Breed data sheet: Zerasca/Italy. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed September 2013.
- ^ a b c Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN 9788850652594. p. 306–307.
- ^ 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. 83. Accessed September 2013.
- ^ Consistenze Provinciali della Razza 97 ZERASCA Anno 2012 (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Banca dati. Accessed September 2013.
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