The Di L'Aquila or Capra di L'Aquila is an indigenous breed of domestic goat from the province of L'Aquila, in Abruzzo in southern Italy. It is raised only in that province. It is a heterogeneous breed with variable characteristics, showing the influence of introductions of Alpina Comune, Girgentana, Maltese and Toggenburg stock. It is large, hardy and productive. Management is extensive: the animals are kept on mountain pasture, and brought under cover for protection from the snow only in the winter months.[2]

Di L'Aquila
Conservation statusFAO (2007): endangered[1]
Other namesCapra di L'Aquila
Country of originItaly
DistributionProvince of L'Aquila
StandardMIPAAF
Usemilk, meat[2]
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    70 kg[3]
  • Female:
    55–60 kg[3]
Height
  • Male:
    75–80 cm[3]
  • Female:
    65–70 cm[3]
Wool colorvariable
Horn statushorned or hornless

The Di L'Aquila 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.[4][5] In 1983 the total population was estimated at 5000–6000.[2] The herd-book was activated in 2002,[6] but no stock has been recorded in it for many years;[2][7] in 2007 the population was reported as 590.[8]

Use edit

The Di L'Aquila yields about 250–300 kg of milk per lactation,[6] which in pluriparous nannies lasts on average 210 days.

Kids are slaughtered at a weight of 8–9 kg.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ 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 July 2014.
  2. ^ 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. p. 332–33.
  3. ^ a b c d Norme tecniche della popolazione caprina "Di L'Aquila": standard della razza (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia. Accessed July 2014.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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. 96. Accessed July 2014.
  6. ^ a b 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. p. 381–435. Archived 5 October 2014.
  7. ^ Consistenze Provinciali della Razza L7 Di L'Aquila Anno 2013 (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Banca dati. Accessed July 2014.
  8. ^ Breed data sheet: Di L'Aquila/Italy. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed July 2014.