Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T13:12:22.392Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Origin and complete breed standard of Maltese Black breed

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2014

G. ATTARD ,
P. AQUILINA ,
S. CECCOBELLI ,
R. RIDLER ,
C. CASTELLINI  and
E. LASAGNA
G. ATTARD
Affiliation:
Institute of Earth Systems, University of Malta, Malta
P. AQUILINA
Affiliation:
Institute of Earth Systems, University of Malta, Malta
S. CECCOBELLI
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Biology, University of Perugia, Italia
R. RIDLER
Affiliation:
Maple Stone farm, Garafraxa, Ontario, Canada
C. CASTELLINI
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Biology, University of Perugia, Italia
E. LASAGNA*
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Biology, University of Perugia, Italia
*
Corresponding author: emiliano.lasagna@unipg.it
Get access

Abstract

This review is a first attempt to give a comprehensive historical account on the evolution of the Maltese Black chicken breed. The initiative consolidates available information to propose hypothesis on the origins of the breed, and to develop a comprehensive breed standard in conformity with the format of the American Breed Standard. The Maltese Black was established in 1950 as a rustic, dual purpose breed capable of producing adequate egg and chicken for consumption. In the 1960's, it was replaced with commercially available stock, marginalising the breed and restricting its existence to small dispersed populations. An initial attempt to have an in-situ conservation of the Maltese Black started in 1998 with a small flock of about 400 chickens that were later relocated to the Agricultural Research and Development Centre in Malta with the intention of maintaining a nucleus flock as a measure for a long term ex-situ conservation strategy. A recent survey highlights that the present population has drifted significantly away from standards first published in 1950. In efforts to consolidate the breed standard definition of the Maltese Black, the breed standards of related Mediterranean breeds, as confirmed by molecular markers, were consulted to translate and address the missing gaps in the previous breed standards. The updated breed standard presented will act as the bench mark against which all future breeding and selection programs are compared.

Keywords

Maltese Blacklocal breedchickenbiodiversity
Type
Review Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 70 , Issue 2 , June 2014 , pp. 385 - 396
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association 2014 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

AMERICAN POULTRY ASSOCIATION (1998) The American Standards of Perfection, California, Global Interprint.Google Scholar
ANDERSON, A. (1802) A Journal of the Forces which Sailed from the Downs. Published: J. Debrett.Google Scholar
AQUILINA, P. (2012) Dissertation for Bachelor of Science in Mediterranean Agro-Ecosystems Management ‘Descriptors of the indigenous Maltese breed of chicken: the Maltese Black’. University of Perugia/University of Malta.Google Scholar
AZZOPARDI, A. (1933) It-Tigieg. Melita Agricola. Malta: Government of Malta.Google Scholar
BORG, J. (1933) It-Tigieg Maltin. Melita Agricola. Malta February 1933: Government of Malta.Google Scholar
BROCKMAN, E. (1961) Last Bastion: Sketches of the Maltese Islands, United Kingdom, Darton, Longman and Todd.Google Scholar
BROWN, E. (1906) Races of domestic poultry. Edward Arnold, London.Google Scholar
CECCOBELLI, S. (2013) Genetic diversity of Mediterranean autochthonous chicken breeds. PhD dissertation, University of Padova.Google Scholar
CESAREO, J. (1950) The Maltese Black Breed. World's Poultry Science Journal 6: 277-278.Google Scholar
CORNELL, S. S. (1857) Cornell High School Geography. New York: D. Appleton and Company.Google Scholar
COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1804/99 of July 1999 supplementing Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products. Off. J., L 222, 24/08/1999 and pp 1-28.Google Scholar
GANDINI, G. (2004) Piccole popolazioni e loro salvaguardia genetica, in: Pagnacco, G. ‘Genetica Animale Applicata’, casa Editrice Ambrosiana, Milano, pp 291-308.Google Scholar
GOUDER, M. (2012) Artistic interpretation of the complete Maltese Black breed standard. Malta.Google Scholar
GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS REPORT (1933-1934) Department of Agriculture. Malta.Google Scholar
GRIFFITHS, G. E. (1803) The Monthly Review 41: 84.Google Scholar
IL-BIDWI (1950) Tigieg Suwed Maltin. Il-Bidwi. Malta: Government of Malta.Google Scholar
IRELAND H WILLIAM (1828) The life of Napoleon Bonaparte: in four volumes, Vol. 2, pp 352.Google Scholar
MALLIA, J.G. (1998) The Black Maltese: a Mediterranean, light breed of poultry. Animal Genetic Resource Information 24: 41-48.Google Scholar
MALLIA, J.G. (1999) In-situ conservation of the Black Maltese and performance evaluation under small-scale intensive system. First INFPD / FAO electric conference on family poultry. Available at: http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/subjects/en/infpd/documents/econf_scope/add_paper8.html.Google Scholar
PATRICK, D.A. (1975) The Poultry Industry in Malta from the fifties to the seventies. B.A. (General), University of Malta.Google Scholar
POULTRY DIGEST (1951) New Breed Developed, Vol. 10, pp 166.Google Scholar
SHEPARD, D.J. (1920) Report on Agriculture in Malta. Malta: Government of Malta.Google Scholar
UNITED NATIONS FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION. FAO UNITED NATIONS (2009) Available at: http://www.fao.org/.Google Scholar
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII (1945) Agricultural Experiment Station. Issues 95-107: pp 112 Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station, United States. Office of Experiment Stations.Google Scholar