The country’s number one sire breed, Texel, is delivering more than ever for Northern England’s sheep farmers, with recent research revealing that the breed is adding more value than ever to the UK sheep industry.
A 2022 study commissioned by the Texel Sheep Society and conducted by world leading genetics consultancy AbacusBio found that expected genetic improvement in the Texel breed over the next 20 years will be worth £23.5m/year to the UK sheep industry, said Society chief executive John Yates.
And, importantly, the recent introduction by the Society of economic selection indexes for both terminal and replacement traits within the breed has the potential to further increase the returns generated by the breed. “Introducing economic indexes to the Texel breed offers the opportunity to increase future benefits by a further £1.2m a year.”
The new economic indexes have also been developed to allow ram buyers more informed selection decisions, with the breed now having both a terminal index and the replacement index, he explains.
“This differentiation is vitally important for those farmers retaining or selling Texel cross ewes as flock replacements as more than 17% of all ewes now carry Texel genetics.
Speaking ahead of North Sheep Mr Yates said introducing economic indexes would also simplify the selection criteria for buyers, with both indexes presented as the potential extra profit per lamb born in a commercial setting, compared to population average. In simple terms, the higher the value, the better the performance of the animal.
“High ranking rams deliver almost £5 a lamb more than lower-ranking rams. Over a ram’s working lifetime, this is easily worth an extra £1000 per ram; generated through shorter finish times and improved carcass quality,” added Mr Yates.
“Farmers retaining female replacements should use the replacement index to select breeding stock as this index includes maternal traits alongside meat traits, to give a balance of characteristics on both sides of the breeding goal. Those solely producing prime lambs should use the terminal index as this is weighted for meat production.”
Mr Yates said that while many still view the breed as solely a terminal sire breed, its influence has significantly increased over the last 20 years as increasing numbers of farmers have recognised the breed’s exceptional maternal traits.
“No other single breed has as much influence on the industry as Texel does. Its combined terminal and maternal influence is huge and the added value Texel brings to a wide variety of farming systems cannot be underestimated.”