News

14th March 2011

British Texel semen heads South to a new expanding industry

The long awaited Protocols allowing the export of UK ovine genetics to Brazil were agreed in June last year, taking many in Industry by surprise.

Although the British Texel Society had been lobbying persistently over the last 5 years for the trade health certificate, “It couldn’t have come soon enough” says John Yates Chief Executive of the Society, adding “We have seen the value of trading British Genetics with Brazil for some time and have been applying pressure to get an agreed certificate, particular praise and thanks must go to Andrew Taylor of UKECP along with Denise Crawshaw Pellin from the British Consulate- General. Negotiations had been going on for years and at times it seemed that an agreement would never be reached, we are now extremely pleased to be able to fulfil the massive demand from the Brazilian Industry for British Texel, with what will be the largest export of Pedigree sheep semen from a single breed in one consignment from the UK”.

Texel Ram Lamb Garngour Rio from Scotland one of the rams that had semen collected for export

photo: Catherine Macgregor

Andrew Taylor, Veterinary Director for the UK Export Certification Partnership (UKECP), the DEFRA/industry partnership that works together to establish export market priorities and to develop export health certificates for UK livestock and livestock products, including live animals, germplasm and meat, added, “It’s great to see the success of the partnership in developing certification for these valuable markets giving the opportunity to add commercial value to the UK Industry. We are extremely pleased to have helped with this large export consignment and hope that many more will follow”.

The Protocols were strict –allowing only flocks of the highest health status. Close examination revealed that only a tiny minority of flocks were eligible for export.

Tatiana Santos, Trade Development Office Manager for United Kingdom Trade & Investment (UKTI). After many years without being able to export ovine semen to Brazil we have now secured a health certificate that will open a profitable market for UK breeders. Brazil has recently received the first shipment of sheep semen. We are pleased with the outcome and will continue working to ensure the future success of UK exports to the Brazilian Sheep and Goat Industry.

Marcio Aguinsky, representing a number of breeders from the Rio Grande do Sul in the south of Brazil, where 4 of the 18 million sheep that the Brazilian Industry comprises originate, arrived in August last year with the task of finding good genestock from the Texel, Suffolk and Hampshire breeds. He added that “Texels are in big demand in Brazil especially in the South where the climate is temperate, the Brazilian Industry is expanding and high genetic merit stock from a selection of fast growing terminal sire breeds will be in demand”.

The eight rams selected by the Brazilians had semen collected at the export freezing centre. After four weeks of isolation and numerous tests and inspections, semen collection and freezing was completed in early 2011. A series of post collection tests and the collating of seemingly endless documentation followed, culminating in the largest export and first for decades of UK sheep semen to Brazil in March, just eight months from the granting of the protocols.

Denise Crawshaw Pellin, Trade Development Manager for the British Consulate – General, Rio Grande Do Sul, commented, “After many years without being able to import ovine genetics from the UK, we are delighted that the Health Certificate was finally agreed between DEFRA and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture. A significant order for Texel semen has recently arrived in Brazil and we see the British participation at FEINCO, from March 21 to 25 in Sao Paulo, as an excellent opportunity to showcase the UK sheep industry and strengthen the links with Brazilian breeders for additional business”

John Yates added that “this really is something to shout about for the Industry, exporting is never an easy task, especially to high health specification, but to export in volume and with the high level of collaboration achieved at both Industry and Government Veterinary Department level, the export really speaks for itself. We have been very pleased to be able to develop trade for the British Sheep Industry. British Texels are gaining popularity from around the world, exports to Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Ireland and Guyana has also been achieved over the last 12 months, Brazil is a great addition to the Texel export trade”.

It is hoped that the consignment of some 2500 straws with a value of £80,000, will be the first of many to Brazil. Cambwell Rankin a stock sire at the Cambwell flock, who is proving a consistent female breeder, Teiglum Rembrandt and Garngour Rio and three rams from Claybury, Reality, Regatta and Roscoe provided the Texel consignment.

Brazilian breeders are looking for British Texel with breed character with particular emphasis on growth and muscle depth. Rembrandt and Rio in particular have proved popular due to their 316 and 314 Sire Index (top 5% for the breed) and Rio is within top 1% of the breed for scan weight/ growth, and Rembrandt in Top 5%.

Texels are already very popular in the South of Brazil.

Note: The BTS are not the exporters, having assisted in the promotion and development of the health certificates, to develop the trade between members from Brastex (Brazilian Equiv to BTS) and the BTS members. The rams were selected by the Brazilian, Marcio Aguinsky. UK flocks had to have been in the SMS for at least 7 years along with many other health restrictions.