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The Black Maltese: a Mediterranean, light breed of poultry

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2011

J.G. Mallia
J.G. Mallia
Affiliation:
Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1
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Summary

The Black Maltese is a nearly-extinct light breed of non-sitting, egg-type chicken, present in the Maltese Islands. Formerly widely reared under backyard conditions for its abundant, white eggs, it has now been entirely replaced by intensely-reared synthetic strains of poultry. This breed is also absent from the remaining backyard flocks in Malta, having been replaced by Rhode Island Red commercial strains. The Black Maltese survives in dwindling numbers as a curiosity and show-bird for poultry shows. The current spatial distribution and breed population size were determined, and breed standard was established. Suggestions on safeguarding this breed were also discussed.

Résumé

La “Noire de Malte”est une race de pondeuse légère et non-couveuse en voie de disparition. Fournisseuse de gros oeufs blancs, elle était déjà la race préférée dans les domiciles maltais. Elle est aujourd'hui presque entièrement remplacée par les races commerciales élevées en conditions intensives. Parmi les quelques petits troupeaux qui demeurent domestiques, la noire de Malte a cédé sa place à la rouge de Rhode Island, en effet une race commerciale. A Malte, la “Noire” est de plus en plus rare, élevée seulement comme curiosité ou comme race d'exposition. Nous présentons dans cet article la distribution actuelle de la noire de Malte, ainsi qu'une énumération, une description standard de la race et une discussion de quelques mesures conservatrices.

Keywords

Genetic resourcesChickenMalta
Type
Research Articles
Information
Animal Genetic Resources/Resources génétiques animales/Recursos genéticos animales , Volume 24 , April 1998 , pp. 41 - 48
Copyright
Copyright © Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 1998

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