Alpina comune
Italian breeds of goats

Origin and diffusion

The animals are well adapted to the local mountainous environment.
It is the most common goat in the Alps, particularly in Piedmont around the Verbano and in the Cuneo province; in Lombardia in the provinces of Como and Sondrio (Valtellina and Valchiavenna).

Morphological and economic characteristics

Height at the withers:
- Male: 75-80 cm
- Female: 65-70 cm
Weight:
- Male: 60-65 kg
- Female: 50-55 kg

It presents a large variety of sizes, of morphological characteristics (plain or pied coat, variously coloured white, black or brown; ears with different shape and bearing) and variously productive. The average yearly milk production is 400-600 kg. Milk is entirely given to kids or mixed with other kinds of milk to make typical cheese varieties (Toma, Raschera, Bra, Robiola).Meat production comes from kids weighing 10-12 kg alive.

Alpina comune (photo Luigi Brambilla)

Alpina di Novara (photo Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia)