Exceptional demand for Texels at National Sales driven by commercial needs
The recent round of National Texel Sales held in the four home nations saw an unprecedented demand for all classes of Texel breeding stock, with commercial flockmasters driving the trade throughout.
At all four of the National Sales numbers sold rose compared to the previous year’s fixture, with averages rising for ram lambs at every sale too and clearances exceeding 80% at both the Scottish and English National Sales at Lanark and Worcester, respectively, explained British Texel Society chairman Henry Gamble.
“There is no doubt the demand for quality Texel sires has been high so far this season, with commercial buyers active at all four of the National Sales and willing to invest in rams capable of leaving premium priced prime lambs next season.”
At the Northern Irish National Sale, Ballymena, a total of 180 ram lambs changed hands for an average price of £732.49, while at the Scottish National Sale the average settled at £2487.23 for 390 ram lambs sold.
“The average at Lanark jumped by more than £175 with 20 more lambs sold than last year and both the average and the number sold rose at Ballymena too,” added Mr Gamble.
“But while the top prices at Lanark were undoubtedly driven by pedigree breeders there was plenty of opportunity for commercial buyers too, with a number of volume buyers active and at least one commercial customer buying 12 ram lambs.”
The same was true at Worcester, with commercial buyers behind the bulk of the trade and willingly investing in well grown lambs with potential to breed top quality prime lambs, said Society chief executive John Yates.
“We saw commercial buyers at the English National Sale, such as Pershore-based John Cook, buying as many as 18 ram lambs apiece, clearly willing to compete with pedigree buyers to secure the sires they need this autumn.”
Clearance rates at the Welsh National Sale, Welshpool, were also exceptional, with 79% of the ram lambs offered finding new homes at an average price of £681.81, up more than £30 on last year’s sale, said Mr Yates.
The high percentage of rams at Texel National Sales with performance recording data is helping give commercial buyers confidence in their buying decisions too, he explained. “At the Scottish National Sale more than 80% of the recorded ram lambs on offer had performance figures in the top 25% of the breed, with 23% of these in the top 1% of the breed.
“More than 200 recorded ram lambs were on offer at Lanark, making it one of the largest selections of recorded Texels this year and offering breeders and commercial buyers the chance to buy proven performance coupled with exceptional breed type.”
The Welsh National Sale saw 53% of the recorded ram lambs in the top 25% of the breed and the English National Sale had more than 70% of the performance recorded lambs entered in the top 25% of the breed, he added.
Mr Yates said buyers were paying close attention to recording information at all sales, with a clear focus on buying rams with the right figures for their flocks.
As the leading terminal sire breed with a 29% share of the market the Texel has proven itself across the UK in all climates and systems, explained Mr Yates. “The demand for Texels in recent weeks has been as strong as anyone can remember and breeders are looking forward to the coming major sales at Kelso and Builth Wells with increasing confidence.”
Recent prime lamb sales have added to this confidence with Texel sired prime lambs taking the top prices at sales the length and breadth of the UK.
“Despite current pressures on the lamb trade, Texel prime lambs are being eagerly sought after by both retail butchers and major supermarkets for their evenness of fleshing and high meat to bone ratio.”
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