Ciuta sheep

7 September marked the 10th anniversary of the start of the Ciuta sheep project in Valtellina. Under the direction of veterinarian Silvana Cerasa and with the support of Kurt Kusstatscher (South Tyrol) and Hape Grünenfelder (Switzerland), the still original Ciuta sheep could be selected and purchased when they were driven down from the alp in Val Masino. The project started and developed successfully, so that only four years later the breed "Ciuta sheep" was recognised by the state again. As a result of this project, the alpine network Pro Patrimonio Montano (PatriMont) was founded, which today also deals with other old breeds (e.g. the black alpine pig or the Buischa small cattle). Today, the Ciuta project is managed by the Valtellina section of PatriMont.
(Photo of the birthday cake made of Ciuta's wool by Silvana Cerasa)