History
The Anogia Sheep was mentioned as a distinct breed in the middle of the 1960s. It was described as a separate breed in 2000 though previously it was loosely classified among Cretan sheep or sometimes as an intermediate form between the sheep breeds of Sfakia (west Crete) and Sitia (east Crete). It is locally known as ‘Psiloritiko’, after the ‘Psiloritis’ mountain range where it is bred, or ‘Silk Woolled’ due to the high percentage of distinct and refined wool in the fleece of many members of the breed. This fine wool is probably the result of a mutation. It is bred at a great altitude, mainly in the west of ‘Psiloritis’ mountain range and in particular the Amari county of the Rethymnon prefecture but also south of ‘Psiloritis’ in the Iraklion prefecture. It forages in poor and rocky alpine meadows under quite adverse conditions. Indicative of the poor and woody vegetation of its pastureland, is the loss of the incisor teeth even in animals less than three years old. Between October and April herds are moved to their wintering grounds in areas of lower altitude. Many of the existing herds are not milked but kept exclusively for their carcass. In an effort to increase milk production many breeders attempted crosses with Sfakia rams and other Greek and foreign breeds but with questionable results.
Morphological Traits
Anogia is a small-sized, mixed- woolled, thin-tailed sheep. The average weight and height of ewes are 27 kg and 57 cm respectively.
Horns are carried by a small percentage of rams and ewes. The head is of medium size, with a slightly convex profile and small ears held on the sides. The limbs are slender and strong.
The wool texture is a typical characteristic of the breed. It is uniform, refined, smooth and shiny. The head, belly and legs are free of wool. Most animals have white bodies with larger or smaller reddish markings on the head, ears, belly and legs.
Population
According to the Athens CAGR data, in 2006 the population of the Anogia breed was approximately 4,500 – 5,000 animals, classifying the breed as ‘Not at Risk’.