Noticiana
| Conservation status | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Italy |
| Distribution | south-eastern Sicily |
| Use | dual-purpose, primarily for milk[2] |
| Traits | |
| Weight |
|
| Height |
|
| Wool colour | white |
| Face colour | brick-red |
| Horn status | usually hornless |
| Notes | |
| lop-eared | |
| |
The Noticiana is an Italian breed of domestic sheep indigenous to the inland parts of the province of Syracuse, in the south-eastern part of the Mediterranean island of Sicily, in southern Italy.[3]: 252 Its name derives from that of the town and comune of Noto. It is raised in the province of Syracuse and in neighbouring parts of that of Ragusa.[4] It is a southern Mediterranean breed, and derives from the Comisana.[3]: 252
The Noticiana is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a herd-book is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.[4] However the herd-book is apparently empty[3]: 253 and none have been reported for many years.[5] The numbers and conservation status of the breed are unknown.[3]: 253
The milk yield of the Noticiana averages 35 litres in 100 days for primiparous ewes, and 80 litres in 200 days for pluriparous ones. The milk is used to make the regional cheeses of the Val di Noto area, fresh and peppered pecorino, and ricotta.[3]: 253
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 Breed data sheet: Noticiana / Italy (Sheep). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2025.
- ^ 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. 252–253.
- ^ a b Norme tecniche della popolazione ovina Noticiana: standard della razza (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Ufficio centrale libri genealogici e registri anagrafici razze ovine e caprine. Archived 23 September 2015.
- ^ Consistenze Provinciali della Razza 07 Noticiana Anno 2013 (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Banca dati. Archived 23 September 2015.