Greek Shorthorn
(transboundary/brand name)

(most common name):
• Brachyceros
(local/other name):
• Brachykeratiki

The Greek Shorthorn is a brachyceros type and most herds are found in the mountains and highlands of:
• Etoloakarnania
• Epirus
• Kefallonia
• Eastern Macedonia

There are also separate populations further to the south and east. As of 2016, in the Dervenohoria region in Viotia/Boiotia in southeastern central Greece (not far from Athens), there are three herds of about 150 cattle each (free-ranging?).

The following subtypes have beed identified (Kugler, 2009):
• Acheloos - Epirus (dark and light-colored type)
• Agrinio - Epirus (dark and light-colored type)
• Amorgos - Cyclades
• Andros - Cyclades
• Black Etolakarnania - central Greece
• Epiros - Epirus (dark and light-colored type)
• Folegandros - Cyclades
• Gavdos - Crete (probably extinct)
• Highland - Crete (probably extinct)
• Kastellorizo - Dodecanese
• Kekyra/Corfu - Ionian Islands (extinct)
• Kos - Dodecanese
• Lowland (or Messara) - Crete (probably extinct)
• Metsovo Red - Thessaly (on Epirus boundary)
• Nysiros - Cyclades
• Peloponnese - Peloponnese
• Pieria - Macedonia
• Pomak - Thrace
• Rodos - Dodecanese (two types)
• Samos Dwarf - North Aegean Islands
• Sifnos - Cyclades
• Skopelos - Sporades Islands
• Skyros - Sporades Islands (extinct)
• Thessaly - Thessaly (extinct)
• Tilos - Dodecanese

The Greek Shorthorn coat can be:
• light cream
• silver-grey
• light to dark brown
• black-brown
• white

Brachyceros-type cattle are described as:
• small
• shorthorned
• having a long skull with a deep forehead
• having a red, brown or black coat

Former varieties of Greek Shorthorn include:
• Cretan Lowland
• Cretan Mountain
• East

This page was last updated on: 2023-06-08

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