Garfagnina Bianca
The Garfagnina Bianca is an Italian breed of small domestic sheep from the historic area of the Garfagnana, the mountainous northern part of the province of Lucca, in Tuscany in central Italy. It shares common origins with the other sheep breeds of the Tosco-Emilian Apennines – the Cornella Bianca, the Massese and the Zerasca. It is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a herd-book is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders. Breed numbers declined drastically in the second half of the twentieth century. In 1961 there were more than 50000, distributed over much of central Italy; a census in 1983 identified fewer than 50 pure-bred specimens. In 2013 total numbers for the breed were 356.
| Life Span | 10-12 years |
| Weight | 45-160 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Garfagnina Bianca
Finding a responsible Garfagnina Bianca breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells sheeps 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 Garfagnina Bianca. 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 Garfagnina Biancas 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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