Vicentina sheep
The Vicentina is a breed of domestic sheep from the province of Vicenza in the Veneto, in north-east Italy. The origins of the breed are not clear, but it descends from the sheep of the Cimbrian cultural area of the Sette Comuni of the Altopiano di Asiago. It may share common origins with the Lamon, with which it was also cross-bred in the years after the Second World War. The Vicentina 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. In 1598 there were 135,000 sheep on the Altipiano di Asiago, and in 1776 there were 200,000. In 1953 there were about 9200 Vicentina sheep; by 1991 the total had fallen to 61. In 2013 the total number for the breed as recorded in the herdbook was 115.
| Life Span | 10-12 years |
| Weight | 45-160 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Vicentina sheep
Finding a responsible Vicentina sheep 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 Vicentina sheep. 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 Vicentina sheeps 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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