Navarra
Navarra
The Navarra is a native Spanish sheep (Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758) with a main aptitude for the production of meat.
Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Animalia,
Phylum Chordata,
Mammalia class,
Order Artiodactyla,
Suborder Ruminantia,
Bovidae family,
Subfamily Caprinae,
Genus Ovis,
O. aries species,
Navarre breed.
Geographic and Area Distribution –
The Navarra sheep is a breed raised in Spain in the provinces of Álava, Burgos, Soria, La Rioja, Navarra and in some areas of Aragon. The origin of this distribution is that which corresponds to the transhumance carried out by the herds of Salazar and Roncal in search of pastures during the winter.
The Breed is widely distributed in a very diversified climatic range, with the use, through grazing, of municipal pastures, natural and artificial grasslands and always linked to the grazing of the by-product of agricultural production both in dry and irrigated areas. Breed perfectly adapted to grazing in extreme climatic conditions in areas with rainfall exceeding 1000 ml/year and also in semi-desert areas of 150 ml/year.
This sheep is widely established in the regions of Navarra and La Rioja, where its stocking density gives an idea of its socio-economic importance (60 sheep per square km). It also contributes to the importance of the customs of mountain farmers who have settled in other regions.
Origins and History –
The Navarra sheep is a breed of sheep which in the past was known as Roncalesa or Salacenca and which, since the herds no longer practiced transhumance, remaining as sedentary flocks, has acquired the name of Navarra.
These herds took advantage of the mountain pastures between the months of May and September. The rest of the year, they moved to winter pastures in warmer climatic zones. The flock moved with the shepherds to the valleys of the Pyrenees. However, originally, herds were linked to the production of meat, milk, leather and wool.
Some breeders refer to this breed, as churras (due to the shape of the wool), this is more common among Latxa breed breeders when referring to the Navarra breeds, to indicate that they are meat sheep.
Morphology –
The Navarra breed is characterized by individuals with subconvex, mesoform and eumetric profiles.
They have a white colored fleece, fine and shiny short coat in a yellowish-white hue.
The mucous membrane has pinkish tones or with brown pigmentation, with the presence in some animals of small brown spots at the extremities (muzzle, ears and legs).
The average height at the withers of the male is 75 cm, that of the female is 60 cm.
The average weight of the male is 95 kg, that of the female 57 kg.
Males have horns only in some specimens but these are usually removed for reasons of ease of handling, although removal is not a selection criterion.
Productive attitude –
Navarra is a sheep raised today mainly for the production of meat.
Breeding takes place partly in stabling and partly in pasture, with long periods of feeding by exploiting pastures inaccessible to other species and by-products of agricultural exploitation.
The breeding is, therefore, semi-extensive with the use of pastures or by-products of agricultural activity, possibly integrated with cereals. Ewes that have calved usually stay in the barn with the lambs in times of scarcity and receive compound feed and straw or grain and grass from the farm. There are farms that take advantage of the pasture but always with guided grazing.
It is a sheep adapted to the extreme conditions typical of the areas where it lives: snow, rain and low temperatures in winter and summers with high temperatures. Important is its great adaptation to sudden changes in temperature, typical of the regions in which it lives.
For this reason it is a sheep suitable for marginal environments, such as those of the semi-desert of Bardenas, where it also exploits the food in areas of steep mountain slopes where livestock cannot access.
The Navarra breed has excellent fertility in the breeding season, so hormonal treatments are not needed to be used in intensive calving rhythms. Only its off-season prolificacy is impaired. The calving system is mostly intensive with three calving seasons per year.
It also has a great herd instinct which facilitates its management in the pasture. Great maternal instinct, so lamb abandonment is rare, which results in lower lamb mortality. Furthermore, these sheep are difficult to handle in individualized treatments, as they are not used to being handled by the farmer.
This sheep is bred for the production of suckling lamb and lamb of the highest quality.
The meat is protected by the EU denomination “Cordero de Navarra IGP”.
Guido Bissanti
Sources-
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– Daniele Bigi, Alessio Zanon , 2010. Atlas of native breeds. Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs reared in Italy, Edagricole-New Business Media, Bologna.
Photo source:
– https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/ganaderia/temas/zootecnia/razas-ganaderas/razas/catalogo-razas/ovino/navarra/usos_sistema.aspx#prettyPhoto[pp_gal]/0/