Nera di Arbus

The Nera di Arbus, more fully Pecora Nera di Arbus ("black sheep of Arbus"), is a breed of small domestic sheep indigenous to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, Italy.[1][2] It takes its name from the comune of Arbus, in the province of Medio Campidano, in the south-western part of the island. It is raised in the provinces of Cagliari, Nuoro, Oristano and Sassari. The breed achieved official recognition in 2008.[3]

The Nera di Arbus is one of the seventeen autochthonous Italian sheep breeds for which a genealogical herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.[4] In 2008, the first year of registration, 233 head were registered in the herdbook; in 2013 the total number recorded was 4118.[5]

The milk yield of the Nera di Arbus, over and above that taken by the lambs, averages 50 litres in 100 days for primiparous ewes, and 88–98 litres in 180 days for pluriparous ones. The milk averages 6.5% fat and 5.6% protein. Lambs weigh 9.5–9.8 kg at 30 days. Rams yield about 2 kg of wool, ewes about 1.2 kg; the wool is of coarse quality.[4] It is used to make orbace, a coarse hand-woven cloth, from which two traditional Sardinian garments are made: sa mastrucca, the overcoat worn by shepherds; and su sacu, a heavy waterproof blanket.[2]