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The Irish Texel Sheep Breed Society

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INTRODUCTION

The Texel Sheep originated from the Island of Texel off the North West coast of Holland, where it has been known for many centuries. Around the beginning of the present century the introduction of some British breeds, principally the Lincoln, and to a lesser extent the Leicester and Border Leicester, and selection of the resulting progeny, has led to the breed as we know it today. It is widely distributed throughout France, where it was introduced in 1933; it is also well known in other European countries, as well as South Africa and South America. The breed was introduced into Great Britain from France in 1973 and is now firmly established as one of the principal terminal sire breeds in that country.



QUALITY

The Texel is a most adaptable breed, is hardy and has thrived under a wide range of environments. The ewe is durable, prolific, and an excellent mother, with an abundance of milk Rams are very active and fertile. The fleece is heavy and of excellent quality.

The Breed has a good growth, excellent conformation and carcass quality. When compared on experiment, Texel cross Lambs had 4% more lean and 4% less fat than the average of lambs sired by other fat particularly suitable for crossing on Suffolk or Suffolk-cross ewes for the production of well conformed, lean lamb of excellent quality. Texel rams are also very suitable for crossing on hill and lowland breeds for the production of crossbred females for use in lowland lamb production. In particular, Texel rams cross especially well with Blackface Mountain ewes to produce the much sought after Texel Greyface ewe.



BREED IMPROVEMENTS

All registered flocks with 15 or more ewes have the option of participating in a Breed Improvement Programme operated by the Department of Agriculture. Under this scheme all lambs are weighed at approximately 120 days of age and their growth rates adjusted for type of birth, sex and age of dam, and these adjusted growth rates are expressed as deviations from the average adjusted growth rate of all lambs in that flock.

Flocks participating in the scheme have their lambs ultrasonically measured for back-fat thickness and muscle depth; these measurements are combined with the lamb's adjusted growth rate, with a positive weighting on growth rate, with a positive weighting on growth rate and muscle depth and a negative weighting on fat depth, to calculate a LEAN MEAT INDEX (LMI). All rams with above average LMI's i.e. greater than 100, sold at society sales are identified by a red star on their back.

FIRST IMPORTED

The First Texels were imported to Ireland in 1964, and a second importation was made in 1972 by the Department of Agriculture. A further importation was made in 1972 by the Department of Agriculture. A further importation was made by breeders in December 1980. All importations were of Dutch Texel from Holland and Texel island. The Irish Texel Sheep Breed Society was formed in June 1976 by the original breeders who purchased pedigree stock from the Department of Agriculture's flocks. There are now over 250 registered breeders with Texel sheep in Ireland, where it is now established as the second most popular terminal sire breed in the country, a popularity which is expanding year by year.

Website:
www.IrishTexel.com

If you would like to contact the Irish Texel Sheep Society, please telephone Jim Walker, Society Secretary, at 053-9158145 or 087-9873264 or email: texelsec@eircom.net