Nera Verzasca

The Verzaschese originates in the Valle Verzasca, in the canton of Ticino in southern Switzerland, from which it takes its name. In Italy it is one of the forty-three autochthonous goat breeds of limited distribution for which a herdbook is kept by the Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia, the Italian national association of sheep- and goat-breeders. In Switzerland the Nera Verzasca is among the endangered breeds for which a herd-book is kept by the Schweizerischer Ziegenzuchtverband or Federazione svizzera d'allevamento caprino, the Swiss federation of cantonal goat breeders' associations. In 2010 the total population in the two countries was , of which , or about 63%, were in Italy. At the end of 2013 the registered population in Italy was variously reported as and as , and that in Switzerland was . == Use ==

The average milk yield per lactation of the Nera Verzasca was measured in 2003 at litres for primiparous, litres for secondiparous, and litres for pluriparous, nannies; a study in 2008–2010 found an average yield of litres in 208 days, with an average of 3.50% fat and 3.06% protein. In Italy the milk is used to make caprino cheeses such as Formaggella del Luinese, which has DOP status, while in Switzerland much of it is made into Büscion, a fresh goat's-milk cheese; ricotta is made in both areas. Kids are slaughtered at an average age of 41 days, at an average weight of . == References ==