The Racka is a breed of sheep native to the Puszta steppes of Hungary, known for its unusual spiral horns, which can reach up to 50 cm in length in rams and about 25 cm in ewes. The coat is coarse and variable in shades of black and white, and the body is medium-sized, with a narrow head, a woolly forehead, and small, horizontally set ears with the flaps pointing downwards.
Habits
The Racka is a hardy breed, adapted to harsh grazing conditions in semi-arid lands; it feeds on grass and poor vegetation, has an active temperament and can survive in abandoned meadows where other breeds would have difficulty ©.
Reproduction
Rams and ewes reach sexual maturity at around 6–8 months; the gestation period is around 5 months, and ewes usually give birth to a single lamb, sometimes two, once a year.
Distribution
Originally from the Puszta area of Hungary, the Racka breed was later reintroduced and maintained in several Central and Eastern European countries, such as Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland, on farms and in genetic conservation programs to protect traditional agricultural heritage.
