Zerasca

The Zerasca is an Italian breed of upland sheep from the province of Massa Carrara, in Tuscany in central Italy. It is raised almost exclusively in the comune of Zeri and the neighbouring comune of Pontremoli,^[3]: 306 and is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a flock-book is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.

Zerasca

Conservation status	FAO (2007): not at risk[1]: 69  DAD-IS (2025): at risk/endangered[2]
Country of origin	Italy
Distribution	Province of Massa Carrara, in Tuscany
Use	meat
Traits
Weight	Female: 62 kg
Height	Female: 75 cm
Wool colour	white
Face colour	white, sometimes mottled with brown or grey
Sheep Ovis aries

It is reared only for lamb; lambs are milk-fed until they are slaughtered.

History

The origins of the Zerasca are uncertain.^[3]: 306 It belongs to the Apennine group of breeds, and is the traditional sheep of the area of Zeri, in the upper Lunigiana, on the border between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna. By the mid-nineteenth century this area had a reputation for producing lamb of good quality.^[3]: 306

Because the area is not easily reached, the sheep remained largely isolated from other sheep populations until the mid-twentieth century. In the years after the Second World War, systematic use was made of Massese rams with the aim of improving milk yield; this resulted in heavier and faster-growing lambs, but also a reduction in resistance to disease and ability to forage on poor terrain, an increase in mammary defects, an increase in colour variability, and little improvement in milk yield.^[3]: 306 A later attempt at improvement by cross-breeding with Bergamasca stock resulted in a lower killing-out percentage (carcase yield) than in pure-bred stock.^[3]: 306

A breed society, the Consorzio di valorizzazione e tutela della pecora e dell'agnello di Zeri, was formed in 2001, and a Slow Food Praesidium established at about the same time.^[4]

The Zerasca is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a flock-book is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders.^[5]: 83 In 2013 the total number for the breed was 951.^[6] A total population of 380 head in 17 flocks was reported for 2023, including 315 breeding ewes and 30 active rams; in 2025 the conservation status of the breed was listed in DAD-IS as "at risk/endangered".^[2]

Characteristics

The Zerasca is of medium size: on average, ewes stand about 75 cm at the shoulder and weigh some 62 kg.^[3]: 307 Rams are always horned; some ewes are polled. The fleece is mostly white, with spots or patches of reddish or grey colour on the legs and face; the face, lower legs and underbelly are bare of wool.^{[7]: 958 [3]: 307} The skin is unpigmented, but may have pigmented areas on the face and legs.^[3]: 307

The sheep are rustic and well adapted to grazing on the mountain pastures where they are kept almost year-round, coming under shelter only in the harshest winter weather.^[5]: 83

Use

The Zerasca is reared only for the production of lamb.^[5]: 83 The milk of the ewes, which has an unusually high protein content, is reserved for the lambs, which are kept at pasture and milk-fed until ready for slaughter.^[4]