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Sciara

Sciara

The Sciara or Moscia Calabrese is an indigenous breed of domestic sheep from the provinces of Catanzaro and Cosenza, in Calabria in southern Italy. It is a hardy and frugal breed, well adapted to the poor and stony upland terrain of the area. Sources from the early 20th century describe it as dark-coloured; according to the breed standard, it should be white. It is one of the forty-two autochthonous local sheep breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep-breeders; the herdbook is empty. The breed numbered about 15,000 in 1983. No numbers have been reported to DAD-IS or published since that date.

Life Span 10-12 years
Weight 45-160 kg

What to Know Before Buying a Sciara

Finding a responsible Sciara 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 Sciara. 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 Sciaras 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.

Looking for a Sciara breeder?

Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.

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