The country’s number one sire breed is delivering more than ever for Northern Ireland’s sheep farmers, with recent research revealing that the breed is adding more than 23.5m a year to the UK sheep industry.
A 2022 study commissioned by the 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 Texel Sheep Society chief executive John Yates.
Speaking ahead of NSA Sheep Northern Ireland, 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.”
Mr Yates said sheep farmers across Northern Ireland had long recognised the versatility and added value the Texel breed offered their businesses. “Texel cross lambs are in high demand no matter what ewe breed they are out of and demand for Texel sired prime lambs, store lambs and ewe lambs surpasses that of any other breed.
“Texel lambs regularly earn premium prices in Northern Irish primestock sales, being at the top or near the top of the trade week in, week out. Likewise, demand for Texel cross females is equally strong in Northern Ireland, with these offering farmers the opportunity for further premium prices at autumn sales,” he added.
“The recent introduction of economic selection indexes for both terminal and replacement traits within the Texel breed offers Northern Irish farmers the potential to further increase their returns. Using performance data as part of your ram selection criteria has huge potential to add extra value to a business.
“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.
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 a replacement index, he explained.
“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.
“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.”
