History
The Vrahicheros breed (Short Horn) belongs to the Illyrian short horn cattle group, for centuries the most common bovine form in the Balkans. It is generally accepted that this group descends from the now extinct Bos taurus Brachikeros, genes of which are found in many European breeds.
The ability to withstand adverse conditions and their meager nutritional demands enabled the wide distribution of Vrahicheros throughout Greece. These are free range cattle feeding in mountainous and semi-mountainous pastures throughout the year.
Their nutritional needs are met exclusively through grazing and only under severe weather conditions, are supplementary feed and shelter provided. Formerly, the breed was bred primarily for work. Milk and meat productivity were of secondary importance. Nowadays they are bred almost exclusively for their meat.
The “Greek Vrahicheratiki Breeders Association” was formed in 2016 with the aim of recording and monitoring the breed’s population, and implementing breeding programs.
Morphological Traits
Their overall external features suggest they are unimproved dairy type cattle. The breed is short statured with height at the withers for cows ranging from 95-105 cm.
The head is small with a concave forehead and short, thin horns, moderately curved and usually turning to the front. The neck is long with a small dewlap. The body is rather short, the chest rather narrow with a sharp and narrow bony line devoid of muscle across the spine. The belly is comparatively pronounced and the limbs long and slender. Overall muscle development is satisfactory.
Colour usually ranges from light grey to blackened-orange. The horns and the hooves are usually dark. The face is usually dark coloured with a mealy muzzle (white discolouration around the muzzle). The body colour of Vrahicheros is always solid without white or coloured spotting.
Population
Vrahicheros breed is mainly bred in mountain areas of Epiros, Thessaly, Macedonia, Thrace, Aetoloakarnania and the island of Kefalonia. However, it can be found all over Greece. According to 2019 data from the Centre of Animal Genetics Resources (CAGR), the total population is 10,027 animals. However, the number of purebred animals is much smaller, since crossbred animals are hard to identify. The estimated purebred animals are approximately 4,000, classifying the breed as ‘Not at Risk’.