Capra Maltese

Capra Maltese
Conservation status
  • FAO (2007): not at risk: 137 
  • DAD-IS (2026): endangered-maintained
Other names
  • Maltese
  • Malteza
Country of originAsia Minor
Distribution
StandardMIPAAF
Usemilk
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    70 kg
  • Female:
    46 kg
Height
  • Male:
    87 cm
  • Female:
    71 cm
Skin colourunpigmented, dark where the coat is black
Hair colourwhite
Face colourwhite with black sides, black crown and black ears
Horn statussometimes horned
Beardmales usually bearded
Tasselsmay be present
  • Goat
  • Capra aegagrus hircus

The Capra Maltese or Maltese is an Italian breed of domestic goat originating in the east and central Mediterranean area.: 371  It originates in Asia Minor, and takes its name from the island of Malta. It is raised mainly in southern Italy, and particularly in the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.: 371  Although the Mogħża Maltija of Malta is reported to DAD-IS, the official view is that there are no pure-bred specimens of the breed in the Maltese islands, though it remains possible that some modern Maltese goats are closely related to the original type.: 36  Similarly-named goats are also present in Greece, Turkey and the Maghreb.: 371 

History

The Capra Maltese is a traditional breed of southern Italy and of the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Although the breed name derives from the island of Malta, it is thought to have originated in the eastern Mediterranean. It may be the result of cross-breeding of goats of Tunisian origin with local goats of Italy.: 371 

It is one of the eight autochthonous Italian goat breeds for which a genealogical herd-book is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep- and goat-breeders.: 90  The herd-book was established in 1976. The Italian population of the breed was estimated in 1983 to be about 70000, and in 2005 at 40000. At the end of 2013 the registered population was variously reported as 1934 and as 5401, while in 2024 it was reported to be 799, with 626 breeding nannies and 17 active billies.

Characteristics

It is a long-haired white goat characterised by a raven-black area on the top and sides of the head and long pendulous black ears which turn outwards at the tip.: 371 

Use

It is a valued milk breed; the milk has pleasant taste without an excessively "goaty" odour or flavour. Yield per lactation is 242±87 kg for primiparous, 307±141 kg for secondiparous, and 358±160 kg for pluriparous, nannies; it may reach 500–600 kg in 300 days. The milk has an average of 4.28% fat and 3.66% protein.: 372  In Sicily the milk is used to make ricotta and traditional caprino cheeses including Padduni, which has PAT status, and Formaggiu ri crapa.: 372 

Kids are slaughtered at a weight of 8–11 kg.: 372 

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 June 2014.
  2. 1 2 Breed Data Sheet: Maltese / Italy (Goat). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed November 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 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, pages 381–435. Archived 5 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. ISBN 9788850652594.
  5. 1 2 3 Razza Maltese: Norme Tecniche Allegate al Disciplinare del Libro Genealogico della Specie Caprina (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia. Accessed June 2014.
  6. ↑ Breed data sheet: Moghza Matija/Italy [sic]. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed June 2014.
  7. ↑ Rural Development Department (2012). Rural Development Programme for Malta 2007–2013. Malta: Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs. Accessed June 2012.
  8. ↑ Transboundary breed: Maltese. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed June 2014.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ Le razze ovine e caprine in Italia (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Ufficio centrale libri genealogici e registri anagrafici razze ovine e caprine. Accessed June 2014.
  11. ↑ Consistenze Provinciali della Razza 40 Maltese Anno 2013 (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Banca dati. Accessed June 2014.
  12. ↑ Breed data sheet: Maltese/Italy. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed June 2014.