Romagnola
Italian breeds of chickens
Origin and main characteristics
The breed was common in Romagna and part of Emilia (Ravenna, Forli and Bologna). Fine boned. The comb is single, of medium size, erect in the cock and folded in the hen, red, smooth. The wattles are well developed. The earlobes are oval shaped, small, cream-coloured, sometimes with blue shades, especially in young animals. The shanks can be pure yellow, yellow but spotted with dark, greenish or totally dark, which is the favourite colour. The liveries can be various, as shown by historical pictures, but probably the most common types were: silver, silver buttercup, golden buttercup, white, brown down.
The skin is various as well, but it’s frequently white.
This breed went under selection by Experimental Poultry Station in Rovigo and by the Agricoltural Inspectorate of Ravenna County, which obtained homogeneous stocks of silver buttercup, golden buttercup, silver pencilled, golden pencilled.
A small stock is reared in collaboration with the University of Parma, at Veterinary Faculty.
The breed is included in a protection project supported by the Parma Province and by Animal Production Department of the Faculty of Veterinary.
For further information:
-Dr. Alessio Zanon: phone: +39 0521 902625; e-mail: [email protected]
To find breeders:
- Giuliano Serafini (PR), mobile +39 335 7010592; e-mail: [email protected]
- Tommaso Hartung de Hartungen (PR): mobile +39 3384517881
In order not to loose such a precious patrimony, the institutions of the original region of Romagnola have been involved. This way it was possible to create interest in the protection of this breed and a convention has been signed between Animal Production Department of Parma and the Control Agency for Agriculture and Environment of Cesena and Forli. The aim of this collaboration is to create an technical assistance pole for the reintroduction of the breed in its original territory where it completely disappeared. The first result is the creation of four breeding in the county of Forli-Cesena in 2004.
For further information:
- Osservatorio Agroambientale
Via Masiera I°, 1191 - 47020 Martorano di Cesena (FC):
phone +39 0547 380637; fax +39 0547 380795
Heads:
- Stefano Tellarini:
mobile +39 348 4466487;
e-mail: [email protected]
- PierpaoloPaganelli:
e-mail: [email protected].
www.osservatorioagroambientale.org
Morphology: provisional Standard
Origin and main characteristics
Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Ravenna, Forli and Bologna.
The first breeders came from a farm in Ravenna county.
Number
The whole population is about 250 animals.
Type and production
It’s a primitive breed, quite homogeneous in size but very variable in livery, colour of shanks and skin. The aim is to maintain the excellent rusticity and prevent crossbreeding.
Morphological provisional standard
Shape
Trunk: well shaped, slightly sloping at the back.
Head: medium size.
Beak: quite short but strong, slightly curved, yellow with dark stripes or completely slate-grey.
Eyes: big, very lively, from orange to brown or black, with prominent pupil.
Comb: single, with 5 or more points, smooth. Folded in the hen.
Wattles: long and smooth.
Face: red.
Earlobes: small, cream-coloured, sometimes blue-shaded, especially in young animals.
Neck: medium length, well developed neck hackles.
Shoulders: broad and well shaped.
Back: short and flat.
Wings: tight to the body, closed.
Tail: big and broad, opened in the cock, closed in the hen.
Brest: ample and well shaped.
Thighs and shanks: medium size, fine-boned, four toes with variable colour: yellow (2% of population), spotted yellow (3%), greenish (3.5%), flesh-coloured (10%), bleu and completely dark (the rest of population). Big muscles. Strong pigmentation.
Skin: tender and delicate, whitish, sometimes light yellow.
Abdomen: well developed.
Defects: excessively small size.
Size: medium.
Bones: fine.
Mean weight:
- Cock: 2.0-2.5 kg
- Hen: 1.9-2.0 kg
Plumage
Structure: tight to the body, without cushions.
Colour: frequent are Golden Buttercup, Silver Buttercup, ”Moschettata oro ed argento”, Brown Down, White, Cukoo, etc. (Single liveries are not selected and they are traditionally reared in promiscuity).
White eggs, minimum weight 55 g.
Romagnola cock (photo Alessio Zanon)
Romagnola cocks (photo Alessio Zanon)
