Massese Sheep

Massese sheep, or Pecora Massese, are an Italian dairy breed from the Massa-Carrara area of Tuscany and the nearby Apuan Alps. They are easy to recognize by their dark slate-gray to black fleece, black skin and points, and often prominent horns, including in many ewes as well as rams. The breed was shaped by hill and mountain grazing and by the demand for milk used in local cheeses, while lambs provide an additional product for regional markets. Its dark fleece sets it apart from the many white Mediterranean dairy sheep.

Massese flocks are usually managed for milk, so udder health, lambing interval, and nutrition during lactation are central. They can use rough pasture well, but high milk output still requires good hay or grazing and supplementation when forage is poor. In wetter or confined systems, routine foot care and parasite monitoring become more important than in dry mountain grazing. Horns call for practical handling facilities and enough feeder space to reduce injuries. Conservation and breed-improvement programs in Italy track productivity and type, so buyers should look for animals from documented dairy lines rather than selecting only for dark color.

Colors: Badgerface, Black, Blackbelly, Broken, Brown, Gray, Grey, Gulmoget, Katmoget, Moorit, Piebald, Red, Roan, Silver, Solid, Spotted, Tan, White, White with Black Points, White with Brown Points