The Comisana is one of the most important breeds of Mediterranean sheep. The breed is valued for its high milk yield processed on site to produce a variety of home-made high quality cheeses following a tradition lasting thousands of years.
		The Comisana sheep originated in the Southeast region of Sicily from where it spread throughout Italy, mainly to Toscana, Lazio, Abruzzo, Basilicata, Puglia and Calabria regions. The breed is well suited for the entire spectrum of production system, from extensive to intensive. The total population is about 700,000 sheep, of which 54% are found in Sicily. There are 724 farms with milk recording, comprising 14% of the population.The milk recording program is carried out by the National Farmers Association. Also known as "red head" because of its characteristic red face, the Comisana is a medium-large breed possessing all the morphological characteristics of a good milk producer, such as refined head and a good quality udder characterized by large attachment base and volume and well suited for mechanical milking.
		• Superior adaptability Well adapted to the extreme semi-arid Mediterranean environment, the Comisana breed represents an important resource for the marginal areas of Sicily and the new Central and Southern expansion zones of the Italian peninsula. • High milk production The Comisana breed is raised for its high milk production processed on site to produce high quality cheeses. The average production of Comisana ewes is 200 lt per lactation. In well managed flocks many individuals are producing in excess of 2 lt of milk per day, indicative of the brees high potential. • Excellent cheese yield The milk from Comisana ewes has an average of 6.5% fat, and 5.2% protein and high cheese yield. The most important dairy products are Tuma, Primosale, the famous Pecorino Siciliano and, of course, Ricotta which is consumed fresh and is an important ingredient of pastry industry. • High lamb production Characterized by high fertility (95%) and prolificacy (180%), the Comisana sheep has an excellent production of lambs and their sale represent about 1/3 of the farms' return. • Out of season breeding Another valuable trait of Comisana sheep is its ability to breed out of the traditional breeding seasons ofspring and fall.
		To increase the productivity of the Comisana sheep, the Istituto Sperimentale Zootecnico per la Sicilia in collaboration with Cornell University (USA), implemented a genetic program designed to produce and disseminate rams of superior genetic value in order to increase milk production in Comisana flocks throughout Sicily. The genetic program is carried out in a nucleus composed of several Sicilian commercial farms. The program has two major stages: the Progeny-Test stage, in which 40 young rams are evaluated each year; the Multiplication stage, in which the superior proven rams are used to produce the next batch of young rams for progeny-test and for dissemination of genetic progress. In collaboration with Regional Farmers Association - Sicily, electronic identification of all animals using microchips is used to facilitate the implementation of the breeding groups and the control of milk production and quality within the nucleus flocks. The genetic evaluation of the nucleus is performed by the Istituto Sperimentale Zootecnico per la Sicilia.