When I saw this funny looking animal I was thinking about something from another planet. The goats look so strange with their twisted horns.
The ‘capra girgentana’ is an old goat breed coming from the today Iran-Iraq region. It is not clear if they came with the Greeks more than 2.500 years ago or the Arabs in the 8th century to Sicily. Fact is that it was once a very common domestic animal and today it is near to distinction. There are only some 350 animal. And I saw a couple with their little one in the Valley of the Temples.
They are mainly appreciated for their milk. It is very easy digestible and the cheese is high quality.
There are some other Girgentana goats in the region of Calabria.
I loved a lot the twisted, spiral horn. Also they looked very easy, calm but the same were interested at people looking down to them. Hope they will be ‘in use’ soon and I will find some goat cheese of Girgentana goat to try. I haven’t seen it yet.
Sicily/Italy:
For further information:
Website about Sicily
Great post, thank you for the sharing