Sicilian grey
Donkeys, or the ‘Grey from Sicily’ are also commonly known as ‘Ferrante’.
They are a very
ancient breed. We have some news in Chicoli (1870) about two donkey breeds in
Sicily: an ordinary working breed (Sicilian) of small size with an uneven coat
and the lower parts of the body constantly white and the breed of Pantelleria,
a saddle breed from upper-class stables. Later about the Sicilian donkey
Mascheroni (1927) considers two subbreeds, the one from the eastern provinces
(similar to the Apulian donkey – Martina Franca) and the other from the western
provinces (similar to the Pantesco donkey), which is described with a totally
grey coat, of small size, with proportions that are not as elegant or perfect
as those of the Pantelleria donkey.
Today there are
about a hundred examples between 4 months and 14 years of age, very rustic and
frugal, accustomed to live in the wild, sharing the grazing land with other
autochthonous animals.
They are 120-128
cm high at the withers. They are naturally gifted for work and endurance, this
special feature has been ratified by biometric indexes which show the
difference with the most common Ragusa breed.
Content and Photo source: Agraria.org.
About Sicilian Grey Donkeys
