The Bianca di Saluzzo () is a traditional breed of

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

originating in the

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

region of north-western Italy. It takes its name either from the town of

Saluzzo Saluzzo (; pms, Salusse ) is a town and former principality in the province of Cuneo, in the Piedmont region, Italy. The city of Saluzzo is built on a hill overlooking a vast, well-cultivated plain. Iron, lead, silver, marble, slate etc. are fo ...

, in the

province of Cuneo Cuneo (Italian), or Coni (Piedmontese), is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ( departments of Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Haut ...

, or from the former

Marquisate of Saluzzo The Marquisate of Saluzzo () was a historical Italian state that included parts of the current region of Piedmont and of the French Alps. The Marquisate was much older than the Renaissance lordships, being a legacy of the feudalism of the High ...

, which approximately coincides with its area of distribution. It may also be called the Bianca di Cavour, after the nearby town of Cavour, in the

province of Turin The former Province of Turin ( it, Provincia di Torino; pms, Provinsa ëd Turin; french: Province de Turin) was a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital was the city of Turin. The province existed until 31 December 2014, when it wa ...

History

The Bianca di Saluzzo was once abundant in Piemonte, especially in the historic Marquisate of Saluzzo and in neighbouring

comuni The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

such as Cavour,

Villafranca Villafranca (Basque: ''Alesbes'') is a town and municipality located in the province and the autonomous community (Comunidad Foral) of Navarre, northern Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo ...

and

Garzigliana Garzigliana is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southwest of Turin. Garzigliana borders the following municipalities: Pinerolo, Osasco, Macello, Bricherasio Bricherasio ( ...

. In the 1960s, industrialisation and intensive agriculture caused a decline in the breed, which is suitable only for free-range management. Recovery began in 1999 under the auspices of the Istituto Professionale per l'Agricoltura e l'Ambiente (professional institute for agriculture and the environment) of

Verzuolo Verzuolo is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southwest of Turin and about north of Cuneo. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,379 and an area of .All demographics and ...

, in the province of Cuneo. A breed standard has been submitted to the Federazione Italiana Associazioni Avicole, the federation of Italian poultry associations. Breed numbers remain low. A study published in 2007 used a figure of approximately 700 for the total breeding stock, of which approximately 200 were cocks.

Characteristics

The Bianca di Saluzzo is white, with yellow skin, legs and ear-lobes. The comb is single and large, with 4–6 points. Average weight is for cocks, for hens. The eggs are white and weigh approximately 50 g.

Uses

The Bianca di Saluzzo is a dual-purpose breed. Hens begin to lay at 6–7 months, and may lay approximately 180 eggs per year. For meat production, birds may reach a final weight of 1.7–1.8 kg at about 22 weeks; capons weigh around 3 kg at 30 weeks.

References

{{Chicken breeds of Italy Chicken breeds Chicken breeds originating in Italy Ark of Taste foods Marquisate of Saluzzo