This year’s Texel Society National Sales once again demonstrated the universal appeal of the breed across the UK, with high clearance rates seen at all four sales and strong averages recorded, reflecting the ongoing confidence in the breed.
This confidence, said Society chief executive, stemmed from the unparalleled commercial demand for Texels, driven by the breed’s ability to add value to its progeny in all manner of sheep systems across the UK and beyond.
“Texels remain the UK’s number one sire breed, being sought out for its fast growth, evenness of fleshing and exceptional meat to bone ratio,” he explained.
- National Sales gross £1,874,378, up 25% on 2024
- 742 pedigree Texels sold
- Record ram lamb averages at Worcester (£1450.82) and Ballymena (£2003.49)
- 96% shearling and 90% ram lamb clearance at Ballymena
- Record shearling ram average at Worcester (£3068.66) and 84% clearance
- 82% ram lamb clearance at Lanark
Highlighting the success of the breed was the overall gross takings from the four sales, which hit £1,874,378, a rise of £381,007 (25%) on last year.
Among the star performers was the last of the four National Sales, the Northern Ireland National Sale, Ballymena, which saw records tumble.
Setting a new centre high for a Texel ram lamb at 32,000gns was Largy I Show Speed, while the ram lamb average of £2003.49 was also a new centre record. On top of that the ram lambs achieved a clearance of 90%.
This was, however, bettered, by the shearling rams at the same centre which recorded a staggering clearance rate of 96%, with 71 averaging £1961.46.
Meanwhile, the Society’s English National Sale, Worcester, once again recorded an exceptional demand for shearling rams, with a record average of £3068.66 achieved on an 84% clearance with 71 finding new homes.
The ram lamb trade at the same sale was another to set records, with a new sale record average achieved when 98 sold to level at £1450.82 on a trade which topped at 20,000gns.
Female demand was equally strong at both Ballymena and Worcester, with the former recording an average of £1503.08 for 20 sold, while at Worcester 47 levelled at £1413.03, a second best ever for the centre, with an 87% clearance.
At the Scottish National Sale a strong trade recorded a top call of 110,000gns, with an 82% clearance in the ram lambs and an average of £4798.84, the third highest ever recorded.
Mr Yates said these early season sales had set the trend for the breed for the year, with a solid commercial demand underpinning the trade at most sales. “While the high prices take the headlines, the exceptional clearance rates achieved clearly show the level of demand which exists and bolster confidence in the breed going forward.”