29th September 2011

Performance recorded rams to the fore at major Texel sales

This year’s National Texel sales have once again proved the strength in depth crucially demonstrating the continuing commercial appeal of the breed.

And, it is the ability of the Texel to combine strong type with exceptional performance which has drawn ever increasing numbers of commercial producers to the breed.

Such is the exceptional marrying of breed type with performance that at this year’s Ballymena, Lanark, Welshpool and Worcester National Society sales commercial buyers and breeders rubbed shoulders creating a strong demand for performance recorded lambs.

These sheep also commanded high places in the breed championships and also went on to record some of the highest prices too. Meanwhile, at Kelso, one of Europe’s largest commercial ram sales it was a Texel in the top 1% of the breed which sold for the day’s highest price of any breed.

Scottish National sale overall champion Cowal Saltire CKC 1100271 14,000gns, with an Index of 428 (Top 1%)

Leading the way was the champion at the Scottish National Sale, Lanark, Cowal Saltire (CKC1100271) from the Campbell family. The lamb had the highest index in the Lanark sale catalogue at 428 - putting him well within the top 1% of the breed. He won the recorded class at the Great Yorkshire Show before going on to win the performance recorded class and overall breed championship at Lanark, which had over 600 rams catalogued. This one later sold for 14,000gns.

Welsh National sale overall champion Procters Santander PFD 1101004 2100gns, with an Index of 311 (Top 5%)

At the Welsh National Sale, Welshpool, Procters Santander (PFD1101004) from Procters Farm, won the performance recorded ram lamb class and again went on to become the overall sale champion. With an Index of 311, his breeding potential ranks him within the top 5% of the breed, he sold for 2100gns.

English National sale overall champion Cambwell Stewart - LTC1100528 3400gns with an Index of 313 (Top 5%)

And at the English National Sale, Worcester, the overall championship went to another recorded ram lamb, the winner of the open class - Cambwell Stewart (LTC1100528) from Robert Laird. This full ET brother to this lamb sold for 28,000gns the previous week had an index of 313 - putting him in the top 5% of the breed, he went at 3400gns.

Northern Ireland National sale reserve overall champion Mullan Supremacy HBN1100274 – 4400gns

Across the Irish Sea at Ballymena,the new venue for the Northern Irish National, the winner of the recorded class scooped the reserve overall breed championship, with this being Brian Hanthorn’s ram lamb Mullan Supremacy, (HBN1100274). This son of Mossknowe Pudsey sold for 4400gns.

On top of that, at the recent Kelso Ram Sales the top price of the sale was a 15,000gns bid for the winner of the Performance Recorded Texel show from Maurice Hardy-Bishop. This was Grey Peel Rambo HMF1000004, a Drinkstone Oh So Smart son which went on to sell for a breed centre record of £15,000, to a trio of buyers – Bruce Goldie, Townfoot, Mouswald; Jonathan Watson, of Redhead and Watson, Bowsden Moor, Berwick-upon-Tweed; and Ted Fox, Elsdonburn, Kirknewton, Wooler.

"The dominance of high index Signet recorded sheep at these major Texel sales is unprecedented," said Samuel Boon, EBLEX breeding specialist.

"It shows that when judging criteria focus on growth and carcase traits the sensible use of performance records can assist in the identification of breeding lines that excel in the show ring.

"There has been a 27% increase in the number of Texel flocks performance recording with Signet this year and a lot of flocks sent their highest index breeding stock out to these early sales.

“The strong demand for recorded rams at these sales was a clear sign that breeders recognise the advantages of buying stock rams with known levels of genetic potential and invested believing that performance recording was going to become even more important in the years to come."

British Texel Sheep Society chief executive John Yates added that the continuing increase in performance recording by Texel breeders boded well for the future of the breed, where both style, functional type and performance are now clearly being achieved. This is a credit to the Society and the breeders who have invested in this technology.

“Additionally the 1st Season sire of the year, Glenside Razzle Dazzle, (FPG1000055), bred by John Forsyth (Glenside), the award based on the three top sale prices for sons sold at the 4 National sales in 2011. Razzle Dazzle has an index of 310 placing him in the Top 5% of the breed. He is jointly owned by four Aberdeenshire flocks, Milnbank, Deveronvale, Insch and Strathbogie, he made a tremendous impact this year on all four flocks. His sire also performing well and last year’s winner of the award Strathbogie Python (IJS09289) a Millars Outstanding son , with a current index of 326 placing him in the high ranking Top 1% of the breeds evaluation.

“Our commercial customers are becoming ever more particular about the rams they buy and our breeders are responding by providing them with sheep with exceptional carcass qualities backed by performance figures which continue to deliver and improve year on year. Reliability of past purchases adds to the confidence with which commercial producers can use performance recorded figures for Texels.”

“The Texel breed has the largest population of recorded females of any breed in the UK, which along with the whole breed evaluations and inclusive recorded breeder’s focus group within the Society structure make for valuable resources for the breed’s future development.

“The Society is already actively involved in developing DNA links with assistance from research organisations to help capitalise on genomic evaluations as they become available assisting in development of critical SNP chips. Coupled with a dramatic 231% increase in the number of Texel lambs being CT scanned this year, the future looks extremely promising for the leading terminal sire breed.”