Texel sheep: Difference between revisions
m m |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
== Origins == |
== Origins == |
||
Texel sheep were reported to have been on the North Sea coast of Europe for many centuries. The breed takes its name from the Isle of Texel in the Province of North Holland. |
|||
They had been seen on the coasts of [[Europe]] long before they were [[domesticated]]. The sheep were then domesticated, and are now abundant in [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]] because of the suitable [[climate]] and other conditions. |
|||
Texels were selected from Denmark and Finland to suit New Zealand and Australian conditions. In addition to their natural attributes of heavy muscling and leanness, they had to be mobile sheep capable of travelling distances, free lambing and easy care. A select Australian flock began quarantine in New Zealand in 1988 and an objective genetic selection program was implemented. |
|||
In February 1993, selectors appointed by the Australian Texel Stud Breeders Association Inc. chose a total of 790 Texel ewes and 50 Texel rams from a base flock of 2220 Texels available for import to Australia. The Australian Texel Corporation Pty. Ltd. (ATC) was formed by a group of investor-breeders who imported the sheep to Australia and undertook all the embryo transplants and semen collections and was responsible for the release of foetuses via recipient ewes to Australian studmasters. |
|||
The first Texels were born in Australia in September, 1993, and the first volume of the Annual Flock Register was produced in April 1994. |
|||
== Breed Description == |
== Breed Description == |
||
Revision as of 08:40, 25 August 2006
Texel sheep are bred all over the world, from the USA to Britain. They are bred for their meat, like many other sheep breeds similar to them.
Origins
Texel sheep were reported to have been on the North Sea coast of Europe for many centuries. The breed takes its name from the Isle of Texel in the Province of North Holland.
Texels were selected from Denmark and Finland to suit New Zealand and Australian conditions. In addition to their natural attributes of heavy muscling and leanness, they had to be mobile sheep capable of travelling distances, free lambing and easy care. A select Australian flock began quarantine in New Zealand in 1988 and an objective genetic selection program was implemented.
In February 1993, selectors appointed by the Australian Texel Stud Breeders Association Inc. chose a total of 790 Texel ewes and 50 Texel rams from a base flock of 2220 Texels available for import to Australia. The Australian Texel Corporation Pty. Ltd. (ATC) was formed by a group of investor-breeders who imported the sheep to Australia and undertook all the embryo transplants and semen collections and was responsible for the release of foetuses via recipient ewes to Australian studmasters.
The first Texels were born in Australia in September, 1993, and the first volume of the Annual Flock Register was produced in April 1994.
Breed Description
The Texel is a heavily muscled sheep, and is well developed. The wool has a large staple, and is well defined. After a year, the wool is around 10cm, which means that the wool on a Texel grows at a high rate. The wool should have a low 30's micron.
Advantages of Breeding the Texel
- It is a very strong breed.
- The ewes produce very good milk for the lambs.
- The lambs have a fast growing rate.
- All sheep have a high quality conformation.
- All meats are very high quality.
- Not much fat is found on the sheep, maximising profits for both farmer and butcher.
External Links
.png){kind=small} | This article about a mammal is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |