Garganica

Garganica
Conservation status FAO (2007): endangered[1]
Country of origin Italy
Distribution
Standard MIPAAF
Use milk, meat
Traits
Weight Male: 65 kg[2]
  Female: 50 kg[2]
Height Male: 85 cm[2]
  Female: 75 cm[2]
Wool color glossy black with reddish lights[3]
Face color black
Horn status horned in both sexes
Goat
Capra aegagrus hircus

The Garganica is a breed of domestic goat which originated on the Gargano promontory in the Puglia region of southern Italy. From there it has spread to other parts of Puglia and to neighbouring regions.

History

The Garganica is indigenous to the Gargano, and derives from cross-breeding of local animals with goats imported from western Europe, probably at the same time as the importation of Merino sheep that led to the formation of the Gentile di Puglia sheep breed.[3]

The Garganica is one of the eight autochthonous Italian goat breeds for which a genealogical herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.[4][5] The breed standard was approved in 1976. Numbers have fallen sharply in recent years;[3] In 1870 there were 33,725 head; by 2002 this had fallen to 18,000.[6] The conservation status of the breed was listed as "endangered" by the FAO in 2007.[1] In 2008 the total population was estimated at 3000, of which 511 were registered in the herdbook.[3] At the end of 2013 the registered population was 773.[7]

Characteristics

The animals are of medium height and not heavy: adult males typically weigh 65 kg, and females 50 kg. The heads are rather small and adults have long, coarse black or dark chestnut hair. The skin of the kids are prized for their curly, raven-black hair.

The breed is noted for its toughness and is well suited to being raised in a wild state in very difficult habitats.[3]

Use

The milk yield of the Garganica is reported as 120 litres in 180 days for primiparous nannies, and 170 l in 210 days for pluriparous ones, in one source;[3] another gives a yield of 180–250 l.[4] The milk is used to make the traditional regional cheeses of the Gargano, including canestrato and cacioricotta del Gargano.[3][6]

The meat is used to make muscisca, a traditional food of transhumant pastoralists. Strips of goat's meat are salted, flavoured with garlic, and air- or sun-dried.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed May 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Breed data sheet: Garganica / Italy. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed May 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN 9788850652594. p. 362–63.
  4. 1 2 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. 19. Accessed May 2014.
  5. ↑ Strutture Zootecniche (Dec. 2009/712/CE - Allegato 2 - Capitolo 2) (in Italian). Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali. Section I (e). Accessed May 2014
  6. 1 2 Il cacioricotta che ha salvato la capra (in Italian). Quale Formaggio. Accessed May 2014
  7. ↑ Consistenze Provinciali della Razza 41 Garganica Anno 2013 (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Banca dati. Accessed May 2014.
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