Published in Scientific Papers. Series "Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and rural development", Vol. 13 ISSUE 3
Written by Condrea DRAGANESCU
Corkscrew horns Valachian sheep is a breed from the Early Egyptian (Ovis paleoegiptica) phileic group, located in Serbia, Montenegro, Panonia, and Romanian border with Serbia. The tribe was named by Buffon (1780), Darwin (1865) Valachian, by Serbs Corkscrew Horns Valachian (Valaska vitorogta), by Hungarian Racka (=Serbian), by Linnaeus O.a.strpsiceros. The translation of strepsiceros into German=Zackel (Nathusius 1890), produced a confusion with the Valachian philetic group descending from the Thrakian philetic group. To avoid confusion, we proposed (1994) to use for this philetic group the Serbian name Valachian Corkscrew Horns. It is a sedentary sheep, not adapted to transhumance and large flocks, it does not support wintering in open field, even to stay in the rain. It has a smaller weight of fine fibbers in the mixed wool, it seems that its black colour is recessive, reverse than in Valachia (Tsurcana) breeds. It is economically not competitive with other local and improved breeds and it is in danger of extinction in Serbia and even Romania and well conserved in Hungary. It was considered as a historical document (Dunka 1984) and perhaps it is. It is a proof for the former existence of a Valachian tribe in this area, implicit for the Valachian contribution to the ethno genesis of nations in this region. As an interesting genetic resource, but also for the aesthetic aspect of its horns and for some cultural reasons, it deserves to have a good genetic conservation programme.
[Read full article] [Citation]
ethno genesis
Next Issue will be published in April
