The Sarda is an Italian breed of domestic goat indigenous to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia, off the west coast of central Italy. It is raised throughout the island, particularly in the provinces of Cagliari and Nuoro. It is an ancient breed that has been influenced by the Maltese goat.
The Sarda is one of the eight autochthonous Italian goat breeds for which a genealogical herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep- and goat-breeders. The herdbook was established in 1981. In 1998 the total population was , of which were registered in the herdbook; at the end of 2013 the registered population was .
Characteristics
The animals are of medium build, long-necked and deep-chested; nannies have well-developed udders. The breed is particularly hardy and well-suited to being raised in a feral or semi-feral state in tough conditions. As much as possible of the available pasture is used by the Sarda sheep. Goats are marginalised and allowed only the poorest terrain; they are fed little or nothing over and above what they can graze.
Use
The milk yield of the Sarda per lactation of 220–240 days is litres for primiparous, litres for secondiparous, and litres for pluriparous, nannies. The milk contains an average of 3.94% milk protein, and is used to make milk products including: Gioddu, a fermented milk product; Casu Axeddu, a mixed pecorino–caprino cheese; and ricotta.
Kids are slaughtered at a weight of .
References Le razze ovine e caprine in Italia (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Ufficio centrale libri genealogici e registri anagrafici razze ovine e caprine. Archived 21 September 2013.
Consistenze Provinciali della Razza 47 Sarda Anno 2013 (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia: Banca dati. Archived 23 September 2015.
Razza Sarda: Norme Tecniche Allegate al Disciplinare del Libro Genealogico della Specie Caprina (in Italian). Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia. Archived 23 September 2015.
Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. . Archived 23 June 2020.
Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon (2008). Atlante delle razze autoctone: Bovini, equini, ovicaprini, suini allevati in Italia (in Italian). Milan: Edagricole. .
Breed data sheet: Sarda/Italy (Goat). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2026.
Strutture Zootecniche (Dec. 2009/712/CE - Allegato 2 - Capitolo 2) (in Italian). Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali. Section I (e). Archived 4 May 2014.
Lorenzo Noè, Alessandro Gaviraghi, Andrea D'Angelo, Adriana Bonanno, Adriana Di Trana, Lucia Sepe, Salvatore Claps, Giovanni Annicchiarico, Nicola Bacciu (2005). Le razze caprine d'Italia (in Italian); in: Giuseppe Pulina (2005). L' alimentazione della capra da latte. Bologna: Avenue Media. , pages 381–435. Archived 5 October 2014.