Finarda (I)
Description
Finarda is a relatively large and heavy sheep with an average ram weight of 100 to 120 kg. The entire body, head and extremities are plain white. Both sexes are polled. The wool is of medium length and half-closed. It is finer compared to the wool of similar breeds. The head is long with a flat and narrow profile. The meaty lop ears can be up to 25cm long.
General and History
Finarda belong to the group of Bergamasca sheep. They originated through crossbreeding Bergamasca and Biellese.
Distribution in the past and today
Main areas of distribution are the plains of Piedmont and Lombardy.
Utilization
Finarda is a mutton-sheep typed breed.
Keeping
Finarda are well adapted to the change of pasture between summer and winter. During the summer the animals stay on mountains pastures. During the winter they graze in the plains.
Performance
Their feritility is high with three lambing in two years and 80% of the lambs being born as twins.
Body weight: 100-120kg (m), 80-100kg (w)
Withers height: 90-100cm (m), 85-90cm (w)
Fleece weight: 6kg (m), 4-5kg (w)
Literature
Günter Jaritz: Seltene Nutztiere der Alpen, 7000 Jahre geprägte Kulturlandschaft, Verlag Anton Pustet, 2014
Schafrassen in den Alpen, Antje Feldmann, Ursula Bietzker, Dr. Christian Mendel, , Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassenl e.V. - GEH, Deutschland
