Hungarian Sheep Have Amazing Horns

Hungarian Sheep Have Amazing Horns LIVESTOCK Sheep/Goats The spiraling horns of Racka sheep are like no other domesticated sheep growing up to 2 ft long The once rare breed is recovering in its native Hungary but is just getting started in the U S Tom and Nancy Richardson believe they have the biggest herd in the U S although they have no full-blood Rackas “As a business we are at the ground floor just taking the first steps ” says Tom Richardson Mossy Springs Ranch “When we lambed in 2015 we had 82 percent pure Rackas for the first time We started with a ram lamb that was half Racka and bred it to other horned breeds in 2008 By 2010 we had 8 ewes that we artificially inseminated with pure-blood Racka semen Their lambs were then 62 percent Racka ” The problem for the Richardsons is their source of Racka bloodlines is limited to straws of semen and selective A I A single straw costs $75 from Super Sire Ltd Breeders like the Richardsons slowly increase the percentage of desired bloodlines “When we started we used horn stock of several breeds to expand the genetic base ” says Richardson “We are trying to select for the Racka genotype ” Rackas were originally bred for wool meat and abundant milk Ewes average around 88 lbs and rams around 132 lbs The standard for ram horns in the Hungarian Racka Registry is a 20-in minimum The standard for ewes is 12 to 15 in In the pure-blood animals the corkscrew horns go almost straight up from each side of the head On the Richardson’s animals they protrude to the side “We keep our rams in individual pens to prevent fighting which could chip their horns ” says Richardson “I’ve learned why the mothers have horns too They can protect themselves and they will turn on you if you go for the babies ” Racka wool is described as long and coarse cream colored to brown or black and an ideal crimp and softness for hand spinners The Hungarian breed registry requires rams produce at least 6 1/2 lbs of wool Richardson has found that even those lambs that don’t have the desired Racka features have value as breeding stock He notes that they are very good mothers and even the ewe lambs produce more milk “Racka lambs are very strong ” he says “We had our vet out to pull a lamb which he set aside saying it wouldn’t make it Then he pulled its twin and said it wouldn’t make it either It turned out that they both did but the ewe didn’t ” The Richardsons aren’t selling breeding stock at this point When they do sell off low percentage Rackas they are sold through an exotic auction service in Macon Mo “We will send out samples of the wool if buyers are interested ” says Richardson “We also will breed a Racka with one of our other sheep breeds to a customer’s order However we never invite visitors to our farm ” Richardson is looking for partnering breeders on the East and West Coasts as a way of protecting the Rackas he has developed “We are looking for breeders with certain criteria to work with ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Tom & Nancy Richardson ph 573 685-2299 or 573 719-0636; nancy121@centurytel net; www rackasheep webs com or Super Sire Ltd 
Martin R Dally 34503 Meridian Rd 
Lebanon Ore 97355 supersireltd@yahoo com

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