Table 2.
The sheep population in the evaluated herds in Ancona and Macerata provinces.
| Study population | Variables | Number of herds | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macerata | Ancona | N. Total/Percentage | ||
| Mean | 550 (min: 110; max: 1500) | 548 (min: 130; max: 1500) | 549 (min: 110; max: 1500) | |
| Median | 380 | 490 | 400 | |
| Herd type | Dairy | 17 | 16 | 33 (86.8%) |
| Mixed production | 3 | 2 | 5 (13.2%) | |
| Comisana | 8 | 10 | 18 (47.4%) | |
| Comisana-Sarda | 6 | 5 | 11 (28.9%) | |
| Fabrianese | 1 | 2 | 3 (7.9%) | |
| Breed | Massese | 1 | 1 | 2 (5.3%) |
| Sopravvisana | 1 | — | 1 (2.6%) | |
| Comisana-Massese | 1 | — | 1 (2.6%) | |
| Comisana-Fabrianese | 1 | — | 1 (2.6%) | |
| Comisana-Barbaresca | 1 | — | 1 (2.6%) | |
| Spring | 6 | 7 | 12 (31.6%) | |
| Summer | 5 | 5 | 10 (26.3%) | |
| Season of sampling | Autumn | 5 | 4 | 9 (23.7%) |
| Winter | 5 | 2 | 7 (18.4%) | |
| Lactation stage | Early/late | 11 | 10 | 21 (55.3%) |
| Peak | 9 | 8 | 17 (44.7%) | |
| Small (≤500) | 12 | 12 | 24 (63.1%) | |
| Herd consistence | Medium (>500 ≤1000) | 5 | 3 | 8 (21.1%) |
| Large (≥1000) | 3 | 3 | 6 (15.8%) | |
| Clinical signs | Present (diarrhoea and/or wasting) | 16 | 11 | 27 (71.0%) |
| Absent | 4 | 7 | 11 (28.9%) | |