Sempione
The Sempione is a rare breed of domestic goat from the mountains of Piemonte in north-western Italy and the neighbouring area of Simplon in the canton of Valais in Switzerland; Sempione is the Italian name for Simplon. The Sempione goat is well documented in photographs from the early twentieth century, but is now thought to be close to extinction, and has more than once been considered extinct. Examples were recorded at Saliceto di Cravagliana in the province of Vercelli in 1983, and others have since been identified in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, particularly in the Val Divedro and the upper Ossola. Its origins are not clear; it may be related to the Vallesana breed or to the Alpina Comune. Genetic studies to confirm or refute these hypotheses have not been carried out. The breed is not recognised in Switzerland; the Swiss ProSpecieRara foundation registered all identifiable members of the breed in Switzerland and in Germany in 2013. In Italy the Sempione 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 national association of sheep- and goat-breeders. It was listed as critically endangered by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2007. At the end of 2013 the registered population was variously reported as 4 and as 25.
| Life Span | 12-14 years |
| Weight | 25-75 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Sempione
Finding a responsible Sempione 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 Sempione. 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 Sempiones 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 Sempione breeder?
Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.
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