Messinese goat
 A billy | |
| Conservation status | FAO (2007): not at risk[1] |
|---|---|
| Other names |
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| Country of origin | Italy |
| Distribution | Sicily |
| Standard | MIPAAF |
| Use | meat, milk[2]: 374 |
| Traits | |
| Weight | |
| Height | |
| Skin colour | dark or pale according to coat colour |
| Coat | very variable |
| Horn status | usually horned[4] |
| Beard | bearded[4] |
| Tassels | present[4] |
| |
The Messinese is an Italian breed of domestic goat indigenous to 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.[2]: 373 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 (in that area) or in general as the Siciliana Comune.[2]: 373
The Messinese is one of the forty-three autochthonous Italian goat breeds of limited distribution for which a herd-book is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep- and goat-breeders.[5][6] At the end of 2013 the registered population was variously reported as 9814[7] and as 10409;[8] the total population is estimated at 42000.[3]: 429
Characteristics
The Messinese is of medium size: nannies stand on average 67 cm at the withers, with an average body weight of 38 kg; billies are on average about 5 cm taller, and weigh approximately 72 kg.[3]: 429 The coat is very very variable, and may be solid-coloured, mottled or patched in black, brown, red or white; the hair is long.[3]: 429
The goats are frugal and rustic, well able to forage in scrub or poor pasture and on steep terrain. Prolificity (the average number of kids per birth) is about 125% and fertility (the number of births per pregnancy) is approximately 88%; the average age at first parturition is 17 months.[3]: 430
Use
The Messinese is reared principally for kid meat. Kids are usually slaughtered at between 30 and 40 days old.[3]: 430
The milk yield per lactation is 137±66 kg for primiparous, kg for secondiparous, and 188±36 kg for pluriparous, nannies.[6] The milk averages 5.83% milk-fat and 4.13% milk protein, and is used mostly to make caprino and mixed-milk cheeses.[2]: 374
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A kid
References
- ^ Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (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: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
- ^ a b c d Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN 9788850652594.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Lorenzo Noè, Alessandro Gaviraghi, Andrea D'Angelo, Adriana Bonanno, Adriana Di Trana, Lucia Sepe, Salvatore Claps, Giovanni Annicchiarico, Nicola Bacciu (2005). Le razze caprine d'Italia (in Italian); in: Giuseppe Pulina (2005). L' alimentazione della capra da latte. Bologna: Avenue Media. ISBN 9788886817493, pages 381–435. Archived 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b c Norme tecniche della popolazione caprina "Messinese": standard della razza (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia. Archived 12 May 2006.
- ^ Strutture Zootecniche (Dec. 2009/712/CE - Allegato 2 - Capitolo 2) (in Italian). Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali. Section I (e). Archived 4 May 2014.
- ^ 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. Archived 21 September 2013.
- ^ Consistenze Provinciali della Razza N0 Messinese Anno 2013 (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Banca dati. Accessed June 2014.
- ^ Breed data sheet: Messinese / Italy (Goat). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed July 2025.