It broadly resembles a Light Sussex, with the difference that it has yellow skin and legs, which are traditionally preferred by Italian consumers of chicken meat.
A standard for the breed was published by the now-defunct Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Specie Avicole, or national association of breeders of avian species, in the latter part of the 20th century, and is published for historic interest on the website of the Federazione Italiana Associazioni Avicole, the federation of Italian poultry associations, the authority governing poultry breeding in Italy.
[4] According to the old ANSAV standard, the Ermellinata di Rovigo is white with typical "ermine" markings – black neck hackles, wing-tips and tail; that is, it has the same Columbian colour pattern as the Light Sussex.
[5] Cross-breeding buff Livorno cocks with Ermellinata di Rovigo hens produces an autosexing hybrid, with ermine-silver males suitable as spring chicken, and buff hens of light to medium weight that are good layers of ivory-pink eggs.
Another autosexing hybrid is obtained by cross-breeding with New Hampshire cocks, which produces fast-growing ermine-coloured cockerels, and medium-weight red layers of salmon-brown eggs.