Texel young breeders head off on learning experience

More than 40 young Texel breeders are heading off to Ireland this week (12-14 June) for the second Texel Five Nations event.

The event, which follows on the inaugural Five Nations weekend in July 2013, will see young Texel breeders from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland join the Irish contemporaries for a weekend of competitions and learning alongside visits to some of the leading southern Irish Texel flocks.

Texel Sheep Society Youth Development Programme chairman Duncan Mellin says the weekend promises to be a great event and offers younger members the chance to see some outstanding sheep at the same time as learn more about the Irish sheep industry and the Texel breed’s place within it.

“The first Five Nations event two years ago was a huge success and this one promises to be equally as good, with some superb flock visits lined up as well as an action packed competitions programme.

“Alongside that we’ll also be learning more about how performance recording fits in to the Irish sheep industry and the potential use of genomics in Texel breeding. Both of these are hot topics both in Ireland and here at home in the UK, so it will be interesting to get an Irish perspective on how technology can aid breeding better Texels,” he explains.

“Of course the event will have a strong social aspect too and the opportunity to network with Texel breeders from across the UK and Ireland is one which has been warmly welcomed by our YDP members.”

UK members attending the event will receive £2500 financial support from the Texel Sheep Society, with this going towards accommodation for British members and to help support logistics and running of the event by the Irish Texel Society young breeders.  , explained Society chief executive John Yates.

“The next generation of Texel breeders are an important part of the future of the UK sheep industry and the Society is keen to support and encourage them to take on learning experiences whenever they can,” he explained.

“As we enter an exciting era in sheep production when the focus will increasingly be on marginal gains there is no doubt that skilled young people will become increasingly important. The sheep industry needs its young people to be multi-skilled, open minded and technologically competent individuals.

“Events such as this give our young people the opportunity to showcase and further develop their skills in a friendly, competitive environment. There is a world of opportunity available to those youngsters with the right skills and the ability to apply them in a wide range of situations,” he added.