Maltese sheep

Maltese

Conservation status	critical (population size unknown)
Country of origin	Malta
Distribution	Maltese Islands
Type	dairy
Use	milk
Traits
Wool color	white
Face color	red or black markings
Horn status	hornless in both sexes
Sheep Ovis aries

The Maltese (Maltese: Nagħġa Maltija) is a traditional dairy sheep population indigenous to the Maltese Islands. Historically maintained for dairy production, it is associated with the production of ġbejniet, traditional Maltese cheeselets. The population declined during the twentieth century and has been the subject of research and conservation initiatives aimed at documenting its characteristics and preserving Maltese indigenous livestock.

History

Sheep husbandry has been practised in the Maltese Islands for centuries. Historical accounts document sheep grazing, milk production and cheesemaking, with sheep traditionally kept in flocks supplying dairy products for household consumption and local markets. The historical importance of sheep is reflected in the development of ġbejniet, which remain part of Maltese and Gozitan food traditions.

The Maltese sheep population declined during the twentieth century as agricultural practices changed and other sheep breeds were imported. The introduction and use of Friesian sheep and crossbred animals contributed to changes in the composition of local dairy flocks.

Characteristics

The Maltese sheep is described as having a slender body, a long neck, semi-pendulous ears and a long tail. It's fleece is predominantly white, while the head displays reddish or black markings.

The population has traditional been maintained for dairy production. Sheep of the Maltese breed are recognised as eligible milk sources under the product specification of Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ.

Use

Sheep's milk is used to produce ġbejniet, small cheeses associated with Malta and Gozo. Traditionally, cheeselets have also been produced from goats' milk and mixtures of milk from different species. The broader term ġbejniet therefore does not refer exclusively to sheep's milk cheeselets.

The product specification for Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ requires whole raw sheep's milk to originate from eligible sheep in registered flocks within the Maltese Islands. It covers three varieties: fresh (friska), air-dried (niexfa) and peppered (tal-bżar). The specification permits milk from sheep of the Maltese breed and eligible crosses.

In January 2025, the Ġbejna tan-nagħaġ received Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status from the European Union following an application submitted by Xirka Produtturi Nagħaġ u Mogħoż, an association representing Maltese sheep and goat farmers. The designation protects the specified sheep's milk cheeselet rather than all traditional ġbejniet or the Maltese sheep breed itself.

The registration followed an earlier attempt to obtain European protection for the broader name ġbejna. That proposal encountered objections concerning cheeses produced using different types of milk, and producers reached a compromise over the name of the product to be registered.

Population

The 2020 Census of Agriculture recorded 16,177 sheep in the Maltese Islands, including 10,227 breeding females. Of the total 11,295 sheep were kept on Malta and 4,882 on Gozo. Sheep were recorded on 953 agricultural holdings. These figures cover all sheep breeds and crossbred animals and do not provide a separate count of the indigenous Maltese sheep population.

References