History
An old breed created about 100 years ago, it is named after Argos in the Peloponnese. Its origin is generally attributed to fat-tailed sheep from Asia Minor. According to certain sources, sheep specifically from the islands of Chios and Lesvos were crossed with a localized population of sheep from the Argos region. It is first mentioned by Xatziolos in 1941. It is a lowland type sheep of large size and was the dominant breed in the plains of Argos, a region rich in pastures. The last pure herd in the Argos region was sold in 2000. Several pure and mixed herds of the breed were kept until recently in Messinia. Nowadays, few animals remain in Messinia, two small herds in Elia and one in the Boeotia regions.
Morphological Traits
It is a large-sized, coarse-woolled, fat-tailed sheep. Average weight for rams is 70 kg and for ewes 59 kg. Height at the withers for rams is 85 cm and ewes 70 cm.
A high proportion of rams carry large, strong, spiral horns, and 50 % of ewes have semi-circular horns turned to the back. The head is small in relation to the body, with a slightly convex profile and large semi-pendulous ears. A proportion of specimens exhibit very small pinnas or show total absence. The chest is quite deep but lacking in width. The back is straight and the limbs long and slender. The tail of Argos sheep is a particularly distinctive feature, being rather short, rounded at the base with great width; the outline of its slender tip often reminiscent of the letter S. Some animals have conical shaped tails.
The wool texture shows great variability mainly due to the percentage of awn-like hairs present. The body and the tail’s exterior are covered with wool. The head, limbs and belly are wool free. The body and the limbs are usually white. The face colour ranges from solid white to solid black. There are also rare solid black specimens or with large black areas on a white body. Formerly, depending on the body colour and tail shape, they were called ‘Karabasikos’ or ‘Smernos’.
Population
The total population of the Argos breed is estimated at 150 animals among four breeders, classifying the breed in the ‘Critical’ status.