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12th May 2010
Texel Rams for Switzerland
A Pioneer is making his way in the Mountains of Switzerland adding
further evidence to the easy care and hardy traits of the British
Texel.
A long summer holiday in the mountains of Switzerland. - What
is wishful thinking for many people is now yearly routine to British
Texel ram Glenway Pioneer (MFZ09001), imported to Switzerland by
Heinz Pluess, (www.texelschafe.ch),
who’s considered a pioneer regarding the introduction of Texel
sheep in Switzerland.
Running his own plumbing business, Heinz is farming 19 hectares
of land and 3 hectares of woodland in his free time in the north-eastern
part of Switzerland. He has 50 to 60 Texel ewes mainly of German
origin. Until the end of February the sheep are left on the pasture
where they have access to a shed. During the lambing season in
March the ewes and their offspring are kept in a barn for about
two weeks.
As soon as weather conditions permit the flock leaves the lowland
farm around mid April to spend the coming summertime on a steep
Alp at 1000 to 1100 m altitude. There, they are checked on once
a week and every two weeks let on to new grazing grounds. Mid August
the sheep get shorn on the Alp so they have already some wool grown
back at the end of September, beginning of October when they return
to the home farm. This way they can stay outside even if the weather
should turn wet and cold.
While the sheep are on the Alp hay is made on the home farm for
winter.
Glenway Pioneer, the first British Texel ram caused quite a stir
and a lot of admiration at a main Swiss exhibition. Such was the
impression he left that his progeny were well sold before the lambs
were even born!
This year pioneer Heinz Pluess is importing three more British
Texel rams and with it certainly a further boost to Texel in Switzerland.
Glenway Pioneer has a PRT Texel Index of 309 and is within the
top 5% of the breed.
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