Turchessa

The Turchessa or Turchesca is a rare Italian breed of domestic sheep. It originated on the foothills of Vesuvius, in Campania in southern Italy. It may also be known as the Pecora di Poggiomarino, for the comune of Poggiomarino in that area. Its conservation status is not clear.

Turchessa
Conservation statusFAO (2007): critical[1]: 69 
Other names
  • Turchesca
  • Pecora di Poggiomarino
Country of originItaly
Distribution
Usemainly for milk
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    60–65 kg[2]: 295 
  • Female:
    45–50 kg[2]: 295 
Height
  • Male:
    70–75 cm[2]: 295 
  • Female:
    55–60 cm[2]: 295 
Wool colorwhite
Face colorwhite, sometimes with dark markings
Horn statusspiral horns usually present in males

History

The origins of the Turchessa are unknown. It apparently originated in the foothills of Vesuvius, in Campania in southern Italy, in the area of Sarno in the province of Salerno and Avella in the province of Avellino, but is now distributed mainly in the provinces of Avellino and Benevento.[2]: 294  Like the Laticauda, distributed in the approximately the same area, and the Barbaresca breed of Sicily, it appears to result from the hybridisation of local breeds with Barbary (or Barbarin) sheep of Maghrebi origin. These may have been brought to the area by the Bourbon king Charles VII of Naples.[2]: 234 

It has been suggested that the Turchessa is a synonym of the Laticauda,[3]: 775  which, however, is a broad-tailed breed.[2]: 234 

The Turchessa is one of the forty-four autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution officially recognised by the Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali, the Italian ministry of agriculture.[4] A herd-book is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.[2]: 295 

In 2007 the total number for the breed was reported as 4;[5] in the same year the FAO classified its conservation status as "critical".[1]: 69  Further research into numbers and distribution is needed. A small number are kept by the Consorzio per la Sperimentazione, Divulgazione e Applicazione di Biotecniche Innovative of Benevento.[2]: 295 

Characteristics

The Turchessa is hardy, frugal, and well adapted to the poor pasture of its mountain environment. It is white, often with dark markings to the face and lower legs. The coat is thin and open. The hooves are strong, and are often black. Males are usually horned; the horns are spiralled.[2]: 295 

Use

The Turchessa is kept mainly for milk production.[2]: 295 

References
  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 January 2017.
  2. Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN 9788850652594.
  3. Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
  4. Laura La Torre (16 February 2007). Disciplinare del Registro Anagrafico delle popolazioni ovine e caprine autoctone a limitata diffusione (in Italian). Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali. Accessed January 2017.
  5. Breed data sheet: Turchessa/Italy. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed January 2017.
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