Cilentana Nera
The Cilentana Nera is an Italian breed of domestic goat indigenous to the province of Salerno, in Campania in southern Italy. It takes its name from the geographical region of the Cilento, much of which is today within the Parco Nazionale del Cilento, Vallo di Diano e Alburni, and is raised mainly in that area and in the Monti Alburni. The range extends to the Monti Picentini and to the area of Ricigliano in eastern Campania and Muro Lucano in Basilicata. It is one of three goat breeds in the Cilento, the others being the Cilentana Grigia and the Cilentana Fulva. The Cilentana Nera is found on higher ground and on poorer pasture than the other two, and is raised mainly for meat. It has been influenced by the Garganica and Napoletana goat breeds. The Cilentana Nera is one of the forty-three autochthonous Italian goat breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep- and goat-breeders. In the 1980s numbers were very low, and in 1983 the breed was thought to be close to extinction; however, a census in 2008 found 3683 head, and at the end of 2013 the registered population was variously reported as 2403 and as 2098.
| Life Span | 12-14 years |
| Weight | 25-75 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Cilentana Nera
Finding a responsible Cilentana Nera breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells goats commercially — especially those selling online or through third-party dealers — to hold a federal license and submit to regular inspections. A legitimate breeder should be willing to provide their USDA license number, invite you to visit their facility, and show you where the animals are housed and socialized.
Before committing to a purchase, ask the breeder for veterinary health records, vaccination documentation, and any genetic testing results relevant to the Cilentana Nera. Reputable breeders will also ask you questions in return — about your living situation, experience with animals, and ability to provide long-term care. A breeder who asks no questions and is eager to ship an animal immediately is a significant red flag.
Use the search tool below to check whether any USDA-licensed facilities breeding Cilentana Neras appear in our database. If they do, review their inspection history carefully. Look for patterns of violations, pay attention to severity levels, and compare their compliance grade with other breeders in the same state. This due diligence takes minutes and can save you from supporting a facility with documented animal welfare problems.
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Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.
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