Texel Sheep Society Bulletin April 2019

TEXEL The bulletin for all

Breeders A Texel Society Publication

APRIL 2019

Texel carcasses outperform rest of UK industry p24

Diverse speakers inform members at iTexel conference p12

Society launches recording service p26

Driven to succeed at Strawfrank p32

In Touch with Texel #addtexeladdvalue

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Spring 2019

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TEXEL Breeders Bulletin texel.uk

Texel Bulletin is published by the Texel Sheep Society Ltd twice a year in April and October.

While every effort is made to ensure accuracy of the information contained in this publication, no responsibility can be accepted by the Society for any errors or any reliance on the use of information by readers.

Membership Subscriptions are available by contacting the Society Office Advertising office@texel.co.uk Registrations & sales cataloguing registrations@texel.co.uk cataloguing@texel.co.uk Accounts accounts@texel.co.uk R&D projects edsmith@texel.co.uk Society Governance Chief Executive John Yates Chairman Steve Richardson Stonebridge flock Vice Chairman Roy Campbell Cowal and Royale flocks Treasurer Andy Barr Parkhouse flock

W

elcome to the Spring issue of the Bulletin, with winter much kinder than last year and spring so far showing its softer side too, the year has started in good heart.

There are obvious political issues which have been less promising, but there is little any of us can do to influence that situation and it remains important to focus on the matters we can influence within our own businesses in order to succeed.

To that end the Society has been busy over the last few months implementing a number of changes to ensure it can continue to deliver the high level of service, you its members expect.

The most immediate of these is the introduction of texelplus, the Society’s new performance recording service for members.

Photography MacGregor Photography, Countrygirl Media, Alfie Shaw, Jonathan Long, Wayne Hutchinson

This service replaces that previously provided

by Signet, creating a new platform as the Society rolls out breed specific breeding tools, generated from its extensive R&D programme.

British Texel Sheep Society, Unit 74 - 4th Street, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG

We have ensured it remains linked to the rest of the industry through the National Terminal Sire evaluation, allowing pedigree Texel data to influence the NTS and Texel slaughter progeny data from AHDB RamCompare to feed back in to Texelplus evaluations.

In touch with Texel @BritishTexel #addtexeladdvalue

texel.uk

Modernising registry services is also a high priority, the Society board has commissioned major improvements in the Society’s database and I’ll report further on the impact of this new initiative as the year progresses.

These changes are aimed at improving services to members, increasing access to a broad range of pedigree and performance data and positioning the Society as a digital first organisation.

These are certainly exciting times for Texel breeders as the breed’s popularity increases alongside improved services from the Society.

Contributors Lynsey Clark and Jonathan Long

Tel: 024 7669 6629 Email: office@texel.co.uk

There is no doubt performance recorded stock are increasingly in demand and the Society’s investment will further support breed development and add additional value to its services, ensuring breeders are able to access a performance recording system designed for the most successful breed in the UK and able to include information from the Society’s ground-breaking research and development projects.

With spring now well and truly sprung thoughts are, of course, turning to summer and the range of events which accompany it. As usual the Society will have a strong presence at a number of summer shows and technical events, helping breeders showcase the various attributes of the breed in a wide range of environments and climates.

I look forward to seeing many of you at these events, with an excellent array of Texels at many of them.

John

John Yates, Chief Executive

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April 2019 6

Texel breeders are top Scottish sheep farmers

16

12

iTexel conference sets tone for the future

24

TXL Day Out draws a crowd

Texel carcasses outperform rest of UK industry

NEWS

YOUTH FOCUS

SALES

6. Texel breeders are top Scottish sheep farmers

16. TXL Day Out draws a crowd to Carlisle

20. Judges look ahead to Society National Sales

7. Members respond to Tell Texel survey

18. Five Nations event to visit leading flocks

8. MV scheme changes now in place 9. NI National Sale reverts to export status 10. Feedback from NSA Sale survey 11. FAnGR data shows Texel population stability 12. Diverse speakers inform members at iTexel Conference

4

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20

Looking forward to a busy show and sales season

32 26

30

Passion for breeding at Drumderg

Society launches texelplus service

Driven for success at Strawfrank

SHOWS

TECHNICAL CORNER

LIFESTYLE

21. 2019 feature show judges revealed

24. Texel lambs outperform rest of UK industry

28. Lodge takes Builth recorded flock award

26. Society launches texelplus performance recording service

30. Driven to succeed at Strawfrank

texel.uk

32. Passion for breeding at Drumderg

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News Society Matters

More export markets open A number of new export health certificates have been agreed in recent months for the export of UK sheep genetics.

Recently agreed health certificates are now in place for Mongolia and Brazil for embryo exports, while a health certificate for semen and embryos is now available for the Dominican Republic.

In addition, Argentina has in the last few weeks agreed to lift the ban it has had on UK sheep. Export health certificates are currently being drafted for Argentina.

Society Matters

McGowans take top award Texel breeders Neil and Debbie McGowan of the Incheoch flock, Alyth, Perthshire, won the 2018 AgriScot Scottish Sheep Farm of the Year Award, run by AgriScot and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and sponsored by Thorntons Solicitors.

The couple farm a 485-hectare upland farm at the foot of Glenisla, running 100 pedigree Texels alongside 1100 Lleyn ewes on a low-cost sheep system in terms of capital and labour, along with a suckler herd. The farm uses EID technology and EBVs to help produce ‘functional, efficient and robust breeding stock’ and is one of the pedigree phenotyping farms for the Society’s research and development projects.

Prime lambs are sold to Woodheads, but the McGowans also work with a local abattoir and butcher and sell 30-40 of their lambs direct to the public each year in bespoke retail packs.

Neil McGowan said: “Being announced as the Agriscot Scottish Sheep Farmer of the Year is great recognition of the effort that everyone involved at Incheoch puts into what all Scottish sheep farmers try to do – produce a great product, sensitive to welfare and the environment, in a business that offers a way of life attractive to the next generation.”

Assessor and AgriScot board member Hamish Dykes commented: “We were incredibly impressed by the McGowans foresight and courage to go down their chosen path at such an early stage.”

All details of countries with which export health certificates are currently in place can be found at www.ukecp.com.

Society Matters

Fee Changes Birth notification and lamb registration fees rose on 1st January 2019 in line with the retail price index at 3.3%.

This rise ensures the Society maintains income in line with expenditure and can continue to invest in delivering the high level of service members have become accustomed to in recent years.

In addition, membership subscriptions will rise on 1st October 2019.

Society Matters

Commercial farmers sought In order to continue promoting the breed to best effect.

The Society is keen to hear from members with details of commercial farmers who could be used as case studies in Society publications, including Primestock.

Please email details of potential farmers to office@texel.co.uk, including brief details of the farm and your connection to them.

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Society Matters

tell NSA Events

Last year’s Tell Texel survey of Society members revealed a desire from the membership for future research and development projects to focus on health and welfare topics, adding further weight to the Society’s already industry leading activity in these hard to measure traits.

Society chief executive John Yates said the results showed that more than 50% of respondents felt health and welfare traits were the area future projects should focus on. “These traits, such as susceptibility to specific diseases, are often hard to measure and require extensive research populations to gain the required level of data.

“The Society’s recent projects focussing on mastitis and footrot in the breed have yielded significant information and will allow the Society to introduce genomic breeding values for these traits in future.”

Additionally, more than 75% of those taking part in the survey were interested in using farm software to capture pedigree details should the Society develop specific software for the breed. “There is no doubt electronic data capture is going to be increasingly important for ease of management in future years. It is good to see such a high level of interest in the topic among the members,” said Mr Yates.

This result tallies with a high uptake of online data submission among members, with more than 86% of those surveyed submitting information to the Society electronically.

And, endorsing much of the work of the Society, more than 90% of members felt that Society publications were of value in showcasing the breed and the Society, while nearly 85% felt the Society was doing enough to assist in promoting the breed.

Mr Yates said it was good to see the membership respond so positively to Society activities. “Of course there is always more that could be done, but the Society works hard to extract the best value it can from its promotional activities and publications”.

“It is also pleasing to see that more than 75% of the members in the survey are staying in touch with the Society via social media, ensuring they have access to the very latest Society news.”

He added that the survey results would be discussed by the Society board and would help shape future decision making around a number of key areas of Society activity.

Society Matters

Names for 2019 born lambs begin with the letter…

2019

The Society will, with the support of local Clubs, be attending a number of NSA events this summer to promote the breed and the work being done in the Society’s research and development projects.

Events the Society will be attending include; •

NSA Welsh Sheep 2019, 21st May 2019, Glynliffon College, Caernarfon, LL54, 5DU

•

NSA North Sheep 2019, 5th June 2019, Franklands Farm, Rathmell, BD24 0AJ

•

NSA Highland Sheep 2019, 12th June 2019, Sibmister Farms, Thurso, Caithness

•

NSA Sheep South West 2019, 18th June 2019, Southcott, Burrington, Devon, EX37 9LF

•

NSA Sheep Northern Ireland 2019, 1st July 2019, Ballymena Livestock Market, Ballymena, Co Antrim, BT42 4QJ

Society members are encouraged to attend these events to learn about the latest developments in the sheep industry and keep abreast of matters in these rapidly changing times.

C

News texel.uk

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Society Matters

Society AGM This year’s Society AGM and Social Weekend will take place from Friday 8th November to Sunday 10th November in Northern Ireland and will incorporate the Northern Ireland Texel Breeders Club’s 40th anniversary celebration dinner dance.

Based at the Dunadry Hotel in Co Antrim, the weekend will include the Society AGM, a pub quiz, flock and farm visits and the Northern Ireland Texel Breeders Club 40th Anniversary drinks reception and dinner dance.

For more information and to book your place please see the Society’s website – texel.uk/our-society/agm.

Society Matters

NI recording fee changes Performance recording members in Northern Ireland will no longer be charged the flock surcharge, bringing costs for recording members in Northern Ireland in line with members in the rest of the country.

Society Matters

MV scheme changes in place Members are reminded that changes to the MV Accreditation Scheme came in to force from 1st January 2019 to help reduce the risk of MV infection arriving in flocks with new stock.

According to SAC a recent review of MV breakdowns in accredited animals has shown that one of the big risk factors for infection is the purchase and addition of accredited animals to accredited flocks.

Members with MV accredited flocks should also note new guidelines regarding the importation of animals, semen and embryos.

Imported animals accredited under a non-UK scheme must be kept isolated until authorisation is given by the PSGHS vet to add them to the MV/CAE accredited flock.

Updated rules mean it is now mandatory to test all animals added to an accredited flock/herd between six and 12 months after arriving.

All imported animals with recognised non-UK MV/CAE accreditation will require testing as per Rule 4.1.2 “Adding MV/CAE accredited animals to an MV/ CAE accredited flock/herd.”

SRUC also strongly recommends that added accredited animals are tested when they are added to the flock. These tests are designed to address the risk of adding accredited, but infected animals.

However, imported animals that are not accredited under a recognised non-UK accreditation scheme will require testing as per Rule 4.1.5 “Acquiring non-MV/ CAE accredited animals.”

Additionally, there will now be a requirement for members with non MV accredited animals on the same holding to perform a cull ewe screen of 12 non MV accredited animals at the time of the flock’s routine periodic blood test.

Meanwhile, imported semen/embryos from animals accredited under a non-UK scheme must not be used/implanted in MV/CAE accredited animals until authorisation is given by the PSGHS vet.

When infection is found in the nonaccredited flock or the cull ewe screen is not performed, the accredited flock will be classified as high risk and revert to one-yearly testing.

But, semen or embryos from animals that are not accredited under a recognised non-UK accreditation scheme should not be used/implanted in MV/CAE accredited animals.

Society Reminder

Pedigree certificates From 1st April printed pedigree certificates will no longer be automatically issued for either male or female animals. Anyone requiring pedigree certificates should email registrations@texel.co.uk detailing their flock code/name and the individual identifier of the animal a certificate is required for.

Changes to the MV scheme, including requirements for testing bought-in animals, are now in place

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Society Matters

EU export status for NI National Sale This year’s Northern Irish National Sale, Ballymena, will once again be an EU export sale having operated as a non-export sale in 2018 as the Society re-positioned the sale in to a one day format, accommodating members’ requests for greater convenience.

Having achieved a successful event in the new one day format last year, a request from the Society’s Northern Irish Club has been considered and, following further discussion and assurances from the auctioneers, J A McClelland and Sons, and vet advisers, the Society’s board has agreed to reintroduce the export sale status to enable easier trade with Eire.

Show and sales committee chairman Jeff Aiken said the decision would ensure buyers from Southern Ireland were able to attend the sale and bid with confidence. “It is essential we encourage as many buyers as possible to attend Society sales and this move will mean the sale can attract buyers from Eire and they can take their sheep straight home with them from the sale.”

Historically buyers from Eire have bought a number of high-priced sheep from the Northern Irish National and that is a trade Northern Irish breeders and the Society are keen to maximise, added Mr Aiken. “The Society is pleased to be able

to support Northern Irish breeders by making the sale an EU export sale.”

While the Society appreciates that, due to scrapie monitoring status or the scrapie genotype of specific animals, some flocks will be unable to enter or limited in which sheep they can enter, the board of directors made their decision based on the recommendation of the local Club. “In instances such as this the board takes care to listen to those with local knowledge and an understanding of the needs of breeders in a particular region.

Society Matters

Pay for postage when returning DNA samples

“Trade between Northern Irish breeders and those in Eire has been taking place for many years, making this sale an export sale is an important step in facilitating this trade. There is of course, some uncertainty about export arrangements post-Brexit, but this decision has been made with the facts at hand at the time,” he added.

Breeders unsure about whether their flock will be eligible to sell at an export sale are advised to speak to their own vet at the earliest opportunity.

Obituaries The Society was informed of the loss of some dear members and friends.

Self-addressed return envelopes enclosed in the DNA kit are not freepost.

Alexander Thomson Gray - Langside flock – January 2019

Please ensure you pay enough in postage to cover the cost of delivery. Any underpaid or unpaid costs incurred to the Society may be recharged to you.

Deri Jones - Portway flock – February 2019

Members are advised to return DNA samples by recorded delivery, however, a large letter stamp will suffice.

Michael Boyle – Oak Close flock – December 2018 Richard Lawrence - Coton flock – October 2018

News texel.uk

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Society Matters

Members feedback on NSA Ram Sale A survey of Society members selling at the main NSA Ram Sale, Builth Wells, has found that most members are happy with existing entry, penning and unloading arrangements, but concerns exist over access and loading post-sale.

The survey which ran after last autumn’s sale drew responses from more than 50 vendors, with more than 90% saying the current entry system was easy to use.

Of those who felt it could be improved a later entry date was the most preferred option.

Meanwhile, more than 60% of those responding felt they would prefer an online entry system in future.

And, while 54% of those responding felt that leaving the sale was a good experience, 46% felt otherwise, with better parking and access a key issue for more than half of those answering the survey.

Importantly, most vendors are using the online catalogues to check for any errors

A later entry date was a preference for some members.

ahead of the sale and reporting those errors to the Society by phone or email.

Society show and sales committee chairman Jeff Aiken said member feedback on this major sale was important.

“The Society thanks those members who responded to the survey and will pass the results back to the NSA Ram Sale committee for them to consider and implement any changes they see as appropriate.”

Society Matters

UK genetics perform in NZ UK Texel sire Vorn Yardstick has continued to perform well in New Zealand, recording the highest Terminal Sire Index across all Texel flocks in New Zealand and being the sire of the two top priced Texels sold at auction in New Zealand this season.

Bred by Herefordshire-based John Vaughan,Yardstick was the highest indexed lamb in the UK in 2016 and has been used in two flocks in New Zealand, with Peter Black’s Blackdale flock selling sons for NZ$8000 and NZ$6200 this season.

In addition,Yardstick ranks as the fourth highest sire for growth and the 10th highest for terminal worth across all breeds in New Zealand. An

outstanding achievement for a ram with no recorded performance background in New Zealand. He has also achieved

excellent lamb survival figures of 95%, confirming his worth to New Zealand Texel breeders.

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Society Matters

Society Matters

Society provides data for FAnGR Every three years the Society provides statistics to the Farm Animal Genetic Resources Committee (FAnGR) to update population data of pedigree Texel sheep.

FAnGR provides advice to DEFRA on the conservation and sustainable use of farm animal genetic resources.

The table below shows the number of Texel sheep in various categories recorded in the years 2015, 2016 and 2017. These statistics are entered in to a breed inventory which is used to show how breed populations are changing over time and can help identify status, trends and potential threats.

As these figures reveal the pedigree Texel population has remained relatively stable during the three years 2015-2017, with both male and female birth notifications varying little over that period, explained database manager Emily Goodman.

“Likewise, the number of sires used across the breed is relatively stable over those three years, with circa 2700 sires used in each of the three years.”

Society chief executive John Yates said the stability in the breed was a sign of the health of the breed at both a pedigree and commercial level. “The breed remains the most popular terminal sire in the UK and also one of the leading sires of crossbred ewes.

These figures reinforce that, with both numbers of males and females birth notified and the number of pedigree flocks remaining relatively steady.”

2015

2016

2017

Number of pedigree UK born females birth notified in the year

29,817

29,548

29,443

Number of pedigree UK born males birth notified in the year

26,122

25,260

25,409

Number of sires which produced the pedigree UK born offspring

2728

2699

2734

Number of dams which produced the pedigree UK born offspring

33,070

31,913

32,074

Number of flocks which have pedigree offspring this year

1483

1466

1471

Number of flocks which have pedigree offspring in any of the past three complete years

1750

1796

1835

The average sire has about 20 birth notified progeny each year.

National Sale Pre-Entries move online To help streamline the entry process for Society National Sales this year the Society is moving to an online system for the pre-entry process.This move has been made on a number of grounds, with the main intention being making the entry system more accessible for members and simplifying the process for both members and office staff.

In addition, it will help reduce Society printing and postage costs and enable the Society’s resources to be used more effectively, explains Society chief executive John Yates.

“Historically, all members have been sent a paper pre-entry form, but with most members entering National sales being fully online members and only about 20% of the overall membership entering National Sales, there is a significant amount of wastage associated with this process. This is both in terms of physical paper waste and also wasted money in the printing and posting of documents.”

As a result, all National Sale pre-entry details will be available on the Sales pages of the Society website www.texel.uk/sales from mid-May for members to download if they choose, while the pre-entry system itself will consist of an online web form for members to complete.

Those wishing to do so will still be able to complete a paper pre-entry form and return it to the office by post or email if they have downloaded and completed it from the sales page of the website.

The detailed entry forms for National Sales will also move to an online system this year to allow for the addition of individual animals to a sale online.

How to complete your preentry’s online…

1. Go to texel.uk/sales.

2. Complete the online form next to the sale dates with the requested details and pre-entry numbers inserted in the relevant shows & sales and classes.

3. Click and read the conditions of sale.

4. Tick the agreement box.

5. Submit your completed form.

News texel.uk

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The Society’s iTexel Conference, staged at Penrith in November brought together breeders, commercial producers and researchers to share knowledge and understand the latest developments in the breed and the wider sheep industry.

Addressing the conference Perthshirebased Texel breeder and Nuffield Scholar Neil McGowan said ram breeders needed to be able to supply the sheep their clients need that look like the sheep they want to buy if they are to succeed in future.

Neil McGowan

There are reasons to have a positive outlook on the future of the sheep industry, according to speaker Rizvan Khalid of Craven Arms, Shropshirebased Euro Quality Lamb.

Breeders have to get better at marketing and build trust-based relationships with their customers, he explained.

Having spent time travelling the world for his Nuffield Scholarship Mr McGowan said he had seen first-hand how others around the world were marketing and selling their stock. “There is no doubt in my mind we have to change our mindset here in the UK. “As ram breeders we need to be able to understand our customers systems and then identify the rams to suit them.

It isn’t necessary for our customers to understand the technology we’re using, such as estimated breeding values or genomics, if we build the trust with them that we will provide the rams they need to improve their businesses,” he explained.

Mr Khalid said a growing young Muslim demographic across the EU was likely to see increasing demand for sheepmeat.

tools are a vital part of the breeder’s tool box.”

However, he said these couldn’t come at the expense of the stockman’s eye and judgement. “This is the least defined of all the tools available, but ultimately all stockmen look for character and class in

This was backed up by SRUC’s Mike Coffey who simplified it further, suggesting commercial ram buyers didn’t have to have an understanding of how EBVs were calculated.

“I don’t understand how the weather forecast is formulated, but I trust it.”

Mr McGowan said it was though important for breeders to fully understand all the genetic tools available to them. “These range from simple pedigrees through to estimated breeding values and, increasingly, genomics. These

their stud stock. The animals we chose to breed with have character and class that isn’t necessarily understood, but makes them stand out from the rest.”

Rizvan Khalid

“It is estimated that Muslims, which makes up just 5% of the total population, consume 20% of the sheepmeat eaten in the UK. Similarly, in France there are 6m Muslims and by 2030 it is estimated that 29% of 15-19 year olds will be Muslim. “There are differences in the type of sheepmeat required in different countries, with the UK Muslim population being largely south Asian and thus more inclined to eat mutton. However, much of the European Muslim population is northern African and Middle Eastern and are thus more likely to eat lamb,” he explained.

Adding a note of caution Mr Khalid said it would be important for UK producers and processors to maintain their focus on the European market as, while other emerging markets offered opportunities, they were unlikely to be immediate fillips to the trade. “These will be longer-term opportunities and won’t in the near future replace the high volumes taken by EU markets.”

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Natalie Howes of AbacusBio told the conference there were opportunities to increase value from UK lamb, with consumer research suggesting shoppers were prepared to pay 18% more for lamb from higher animal welfare systems and 15% more for better food safety.

Neil Clelland

“There are things which can be done on-farm to add value to lamb through both management and breeding.

Understanding the market better will help too as it gives opportunities to add value or increase sale volumes based on novel traits,” she explained.

Current research being undertaken by the Society has the potential to deliver lamb with optimal intramuscular fat levels for eating quality.

SRUC’s Neil Clelland told the conference that recent sensory panel work had established that for the UK market a chemically assessed intramuscular fat content level of 4-5% was the optimal point.

“Previous work in Australia had found a 5% IMF level to be acceptable, so this work mirrors that pretty well,” he explained. When working with CT scanning as Dr Clelland’s team had been in research for the Society, CT scanned IMF levels of more than 3% were found to deliver the type of eating experience consumers enjoy, he explained.

“Eating quality is vitally important as when consumers have a bad eating experience it can take up to three months for them to re-purchase red meat. IMF levels have a huge influence on sensory traits and measures of eating quality, such as tenderness, juiciness and flavour.”

But there were challenges in taking this approach as marketing lamb based on novel traits needs supply chain transparency and collaboration between breeders, finishers and processors, said Miss Howes. “There is a lot of opportunity to breed traits of appeal to consumers, whether they are for higher welfare, improved animal health or eating quality. The Texel breed is currently at the forefront of this in the UK,” added Miss Howes.

Dr Clelland said being able to predict IMF and thus, potentially, eating quality, by CT scanning could be hugely significant in improving this trait in the breed. It allows potential eating quality to be assessed in live animals, helping breeding programmes identify those breeding stock with more desirable traits.”

Consumers may be prepared to pay more for high welfare lamb.

Natalie Howes

News texel.uk

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Jo Conington told conference delegates that work looking at mastitis in the breed had found a high correlation between sub clinical mastitis found using the California Milk Test (CMT) and lower lamb weights at eight weeks. “Ewes with mastitis reared 3.84kg less lambs at eight weeks of age than those without mastitis.

Tim Byrne

“At a liveweight price of £1.72/kg that’s the equivalent of £6.60 a ewe, a significant impact across a flock,” she explained.

The best way to explain breeding values, be they traditional EBVs or new genomic breeding values, is to put a monetary value on them.

Geneticist Tim Byrne of AbacusBio told the conference that showing buyers what the economic potential of a ram is to their flock will help them understand just what that ram can do for them.

When looking at genetic improvement in future Dr Byrne said a number of new technologies would help breeders make quicker progress to benefit their commercial customers. “Genomics and gene editing are just two such tools which can help breeders in future and greatly increase the economic impact of a breed,” he said.

To make best use of future technologies though it would be important for the value of emerging agricultural technologies to be demonstrated to regulators. “There has to be a balance between innovation and regulation and that requires the regulators to be able to understand the value the technology can offer,” he explained.

Breeding for healthier Texels will soon be possible with the development of genomic breeding values for mastitis and footrot.

She added that somatic cell count as measured by CMT had shown a 23% heritability, giving good prospects to breed for better udder health. “It is important to recognise that historically narrow selection for production traits in other species has led to deterioration in health and fitness in more than 100 traits.

“Elite breeding flocks, such as pedigree Texel flocks produce offspring which are used widely in commercial flocks, having a big impact on the wider industry.

Finding better genetics in these flocks can have a huge impact on the future of the industry,” added Dr Conington.

Jo Conington

Dr Byrne said work done by AbacusBio had estimated that the Texel breed will add £23m a year to the UK sheep industry every year based on current genetic progress and using the existing breeding tools, such as EBVs. “However, when you factor in the potential of genomics you can probably add a further 30% increase in that value.”

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News texel.uk

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TXL

DAY OUT

draws big crowd

T

he inaugural TXL Day Out event staged by the Society’s Youth Development Programme in November drew a crowd of nearly 100 to Carlisle’s Borderway Mart for an action-packed day of interactive learning and fun.

Mr Wilkinson said use of vaccines to prevent abortion and clostridial diseases were a central part of preventative medicine, as was taking steps to reduce the use of antibiotics. “There are some instances where antibiotics are of course required.

Central to the event were a series of workshop sessions with leading industry experts on a number of key subjects, including flock health planning, grassland management and sheep nutrition.

“However, many flocks have developed a practice of using preventative antibiotics as routine, particularly at lambing to prevent watery mouth. This can be avoided when lambs receive sufficient colostrum and hygiene in the lambing environment is maintained at suitable levels,” he added.

The day also gave attendees the chance to try their hand at stock judging and see dynamic butcher Tom Wood demonstrate some novel cuts of lamb to extract value from a carcass.

Kicking off the day was local vet Philip Wilkinson of Paragon Vets who detailed how flock health planning should be used to maximise animal health and minimise the need for reactionary treatments. “The principle behind flock health planning is to implement planned preventative treatments and put in place protocols to deal with situations that arise.

“This can help improve productivity, reduce time spent dealing with health problems and minimise losses,” he explained.

Independent sheep consultant Kate Philips said it was important to ensure ewes were in correct condition ahead of lambing to enable them to produce sufficient colostrum for lambs and that came back to them being in the right condition at tupping.

“Body condition scoring ewes is a tool every farmer should be using four or five times a year to assess how fit their ewes are.

It is proven that body condition score at tupping has an impact on prolificacy and with the number of lambs reared a key factor in flock profitability, having ewes in the right condition

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at tupping is a determining factor in maintaining a successful business,” she explained.

Adding to this theme was grassland management consultant Gareth Davies who said with the UK industry having to compete on a global stage it was going to be increasingly important to reduce costs wherever possible.

“Grazed grass is by far the cheapest form of feed available to sheep farmers and we have to make the most of it if we are going to compete with sheep farmers in the rest of the world.

“That means adopting rotational grazing strategies and planning grazing more accurately and ensuring grass crops are more proactively managed.”

Turning to more practical matters Jeff and Jennifer Aiken of the Procters flock gave a demonstration on show and sale preparation, with Mr Aiken highlighting the need for breeders to adhere to the Society’s rules regarding dressing and trimming of sheep when entering events run under the Society’s auspices.

“When washing sheep before an event do it at least three weeks ahead so the fleece has a chance to build up the natural oils again. Washing them too close to the show will take any goodness out of the fleece. Colouring of the fleece should be done in two or three stages, either by spraying or dipping, to build the colour gradually. On the day itself wash the heads and legs to help make them stand out,” he added.

He also advised young members to consider their appearance when showing their sheep. “There is no point having your sheep turned out to perfection and not looking smart yourself,” he explained.

“And once you’re in the show ring the only thing you need to be worrying about is having your sheep stood correctly and keeping your eye on the judge and showing your sheep to them as best you can. Nothing else matters, your sheep and the judge are the only two things you should be concentrating on.”

Butcher Tom Wood told the audience that it was important to produce carcasses with the right meat:bone ratio and balance of meat throughout the carcass.

“Lamb is a great product and can be prepared in a number of versatile ways provided we have the right sort of carcass. I’m looking for well-formed gigots, wide loins and firm shoulders,” he explained.

With modern consumers looking for easier, quicker ways of producing meals Mr Wood demonstrated how a lamb carcass could be prepared in to some innovate products, particularly when seam butchery was used to strip out individual muscles from the carcass.

“It is important to encourage consumers to eat lamb and a number of novel cuts and smaller joints are key to that,” he added.

Stock judging Winning the under 21 section of the day’s stock judging competition under master judge Gordon Gray of the Ettrick flock, Selkirk, was Robbie Aiken, Lancashire, while the over 21 section was won by Emma Blaylock, Cumbria.

Ready Steady Cook The event also saw four of the Society’s YDP committee take part in a ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’ competition which saw them challenged to produce lamb dishes from scratch in 45 minutes.

Triumphing in this competition were the combined English and Welsh team of Jo Smith and Will Davis, beating their rivals David McKerrow Jnr and David Chestnutt in the combined Scottish and Northern Irish team.

Judged by a trio of Society directors, Steve Richardson, Roy Campbell and Jeff Aiken, the judges concluded that the winning team’s entry of lamb burgers were slightly more edible than the lamb meatballs and lamb chops presented by the losing team.

Youth Focus texel.uk

Spring 2019

17

Texel Youth Event to visit leading flocks

V

isits to some of the breed’s leading flocks will be a key feature of this year’s Texel Youth Development Programme Five Nations Event being held in southern Scotland in June.

If you have any ideas to develop the YDP programme get in touch with your regional YDP Committee Member or email office@texel.co.uk

A

E B D C

The event, which takes place in Lanarkshire and Ayrshire from Friday 7th June to Sunday 9th June, will see young people with an interest in the breed converge from all points of the British Isles, explains Texel Sheep Society YDP coordinator Ailish Ross.

“The Five Nations Event takes place every two years in a different country, with Scotland hosting for the first time this year. Giving young people in the breed a chance to come together to share experiences and build friendships and business relationships, the weekend is one not be missed,” she explained.

On the Friday participants will visit the Gray family’s Scrogtonhead flock, before moving on to the Clark family’s Garngour, Teiglum and Clarks flocks. “Both of these well established flocks are part of larger farming businesses and have been at the forefront of the breed for a number of years.

weekend, with a ‘Highland Games’ competition taking place on Saturday morning testing the youngsters in a variety of ways.”

Miss Ross says the weekend is set to be an action packed and informative event which will give those attending a range of opportunities to interact with other young breeders in a relaxed, informal setting.

“We are expecting a large attendance and places are available on a strictly first come, first served basis, so anyone wishing to attend is urged to book their place at the earliest opportunity.”

The YDP is grateful to Lawrie and Symington and Natural Stockcare for supporting the weekend as mainline sponsors, Farmgene for its support as a silver sponsor and Galloway and MacLeod as a bronze sponsor.

For more information and to book a place see the YDP pages of the Texel Society’s website – www.texel.uk/YDP

“The Scrogtonhead flock is noted for producing high quality pedigree and commercial shearling rams, regularly being among the top prices at Kelso Ram Sales.

Area A - David McKerrow Jnr Nochnary/Kettle 07843 288 067 Area B - Kirree Kermode Orrisdale 01624 823 534 Area C - Johanna Smith Slapton 07521 143 505 Area D - Will Davis Usk Vale 07779 603 143 Area E - David Chestnutt Bushmills/Clougher 07843 152 743 Secretarial support and coordinator - Ailish Ross Society Office - ailish@texel.co.uk

“Meanwhile, the Clark family’s flocks have, in recent years, been among the top sellers at the breed’s showcase Scottish National Sale, Lanark, selling to a top of 70,000gns for Teiglum Young Gun. Founded by the late Jim Clark from the original imports in 1974, the flocks today are managed by Jim’s sons Alan, Andrew and David in partnership with their mother, Helen.”

Both of these visits are sure to be of interest to young breeders, adds Miss Ross. “Saturday will see another high profile flock visit, with young breeders heading to the Auldhouseburn flock of Hugh and Alan Blackwood.”

This more recently established flock has quickly risen to the higher echelons of the breed, selling females to 20,000gns and tups to 75,000gns for Auldhouseburn Boss. “Saturday will also see attendees take part in the lighter side of the

Youth Focus

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texel.uk

7-9 June 2019

FIVE NATIONS EVENT 2019 Bringing together Young Texel Breeders from five nations for a weekend of flock visits and competitions

Keep up to date on britishtexel

Bookings open 1st March 2019 Youth Focus

texel.uk

texel.uk/ydp Spring 2019

19

National Sale Dates & Judges 2019 This year’s Society National Show and Sales will take place over a period of seven days in the third week of August, running to the same timings as last year’s sales. Dates for these sales are listed below, further information regarding entry dates for each sale can be found on the Society website.

• Scottish National Sale, Lanark, Wednesday 21 August and Thursday 22 August • Welsh National Sale, Welshpool, Saturday 24 August • English National Sale, Worcester, Monday 26 August and Tuesday 27 August • Northern Irish National Sale, Ballymena, Wednesday 28 August Details of Club sales can be found on the back cover.

Scottish National Show & Sale - Charlie Boden - Sportsman’s & Mellor Vale Texels have been a big part of Charlie’s life since he started the Sportsman’s flock with his father, Geoff, back in 1974. Since then the Boden family have had several successes on the show circuit, winning the Royal Show, the Royal Welsh Show and the Great Yorkshire Show.

One of his best achievements was taking the championship at Lanark in 1991 with Sportsmans Victor which went on to sell for 12,000gns.

The following year he won it again with Sportsmans Warlord which sold for 26,000gns.

Charlie established a second flock in 1998, Mellor Vale Texels.

The Mellor Vale Flock has had equally as much success on the show circuit and at the sales. The most famous being Mellor Vale Masterpiece and Mellor Vale Officer which have gone on to sire numerous champions and continue to influence the breed today.

In 2011 Sportmans averaged 6990gns for a pen of eight rams at Lanark, the top price ram, Sportsmans Supreme, selling for 20,000gns. Sportsmans Scania won reserve champion at Carlisle sale and went on to sell for 12,000gns.

Charlie has judged at many shows, including the Texel classes at the Royal Highland Show in 2012 and the Royal Three Counties Show in 2013, its inaugural year as a ‘Royal Show’.

Charlie’s most recent achievement was becoming the first sheep breeder to sell tups for six figure prices, two years in a row, selling Sportsmans A Star for 130,000gns in 2017 and Sportsmans Batman for 100,000gns in 2018.

Welsh National Show & Sale - Robert Bennett - Plasucha Robert Bennett has been involved in pedigree sheep breeding since the age of eight when his parents Alun and Helen started a pedigree Lleyn flock. The Plasucha Texel flock was established in 2007 when he was 16 and it has been a big part of his life ever since.

Robert manages his Texel flock alongside his parents and the flock has been very successful. In 2018, they achieved first prize shearling ewe at the Great Yorkshire Show and won female champion at the Scottish National Texel Sale, which later sold for 18,000gns. They also

had the first prize YDP ram lamb at the Scottish National Sale with Plasucha Big Gun later selling for 32,000gns helping to achieve an average of £12,642 for five ram lambs sold.

Texel breeding is a real passion for Robert and he is very much looking forward to judging the Welsh National Sale.

English National Show & Sale - Andrew Kennedy - Maineview Andrew is delighted to have the honour of judging the English National Sale later this year, having sold at this sale for the last two years. One of his achievements is selling a shearling ewe at 4000gns to the Penparc Flock in 2017.

Andrew and his wife Caroline run the family farm in Northern Ireland with the help of their daughter Ella. It mainly comprises of the ‘Maineview’ pedigree Texel & Dorset flocks. In addition to the sheep, they supply poultry for Moy Park, rearing 250,000 broilers annually. In the winter months they rear Holstein heifers.

Andrew is a keen cattle fitter, travelling the world in his younger days. A highlight for him, is preparing cattle that won all the ‘Royal’

shows in the centenary year. Andrew is now rooted to home soil and is a Semex Sales Advisor.

The most recent achievement for the Maineview flock is winning the Medium Flock in the Northern Irish flock competition in November 2018.

Also winning with the 1st Junior Stock Ram, “Silverhill Bushtucker”. Andrew looks forward to seeing you all at Worcester.

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Northern Irish National Show & Sale - Robert Laird - Cambwell After leaving school in 1985 Robert Laird has maintained the enthusiasm for the Texel breed that his father had, and demonstrated, when he judged the first show of Texel sheep at Lesmahagow in 1976.

Breeding commercially sound sheep that appeal to many buyers is the aim at Cambwell where Robert and his wife, Joyce, are assisted by their two daughters, Amy & Kim. The farm also runs suckler cows and commercial ewes with the offspring finished or sold on for breeding.

Robert has previously judged Texels at the Royal Highland, Royal Ulster, Great Yorkshire, Royal Norfolk and Dublin shows. He has also judged flock competitions and National sales in Worcester, Wales and Blessington, as well as Club sales in Chelford, Lanark, Carlisle, Longtown and the Kelso Recorded section. Robert says that flock competitions have been the most enjoyable to judge, where he has

viewed Texels and met proud owners on their own farms in a wide diversity of land types.

They have always been extremely interesting and informative, from the Highland Club in the North of Scotland, to Derbyshire and the endurance test that is the Northern Ireland flock competition.

Robert’s Cambwell flock has enjoyed many selling highlights, but at Lanark in 2003, seven ram lambs were sold to average 11,000gns with a top of 50,000gns for Cambwell Jacobite. In 2007 a Cambwell Laird daughter made 16,000gns and last year 38 sheep were sold at £1000 or higher. In 2017, 1000 doses of semen were exported and his customer base now includes Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Italy, Germany, USA, Brazil and New Zealand.

Show Judges 2019 Feature shows for the Society in 2019 remain the same as in 2018, with the first being the Royal Ulster Show (Balmoral) from Wednesday 15th May to Saturday 18th May.Texel judging takes place at 9am on Wednesday 15th May. Next up is the Southern England Feature Show at the Royal Bath and West Show from Wednesday 29th May to Saturday 1st June, with Texel judging taking place at 9am on Wednesday 29th May. Following that is the Royal Highland Show from Thursday 20th June to Sunday 23rd June, judging here is at 9am on Friday 28th June.

Then comes the Great Yorkshire Show which takes place from Tuesday 9th July to Thursday 12th July, with the Texel judging kicking off at 9am on Tuesday 9th July.

And the final feature show of the season is the Royal Welsh Show which runs from Monday 22nd July to Thursday 25th July. Texel judging at the Royal Welsh is at 9am on Monday 22nd July.

Royal Ulster Show - Robert H Wilson - Milnbank Texel Sheep have been a big part of Robbie’s life since he started looking after the Milnbank flock in 1998 before going on to buy the flock in 2010.

One of his best achievements is having the top average of £10,185 for five lambs at Lanark in 2011. Further memorable achievements for the flock on the Lanark circuit have been, selling Milnbank Ur The Boy for 40,000gns in 2013 and winning overall champion and reserve overall champion twice since 2010. Females from the flock have sold to highs of 20k, 18k & 16k.

Robbie thoroughly enjoys bringing a team of sheep to The Royal Highland Show every year with a highlight being bringing out the overall Texel champion in 2017.

The flock now numbers 50 Texel ewes and 450 commercials with an extensive ET programme.

Robbie is very much looking forward to judging his first Royal Show.

Royal Bath and West Show - Steve Richardson - Stonebridge Steve started with Texels in ‘91’; his aim at that point was to sell a sheep for £1000 and to win the ram lamb class at the Great Yorkshire Show. Move on 27 years and he has won the ram lamb class at the GYS twice, had the supreme champion once, had the champion at Skipton twice and has sold sheep up to 9500gns.

Currently the Texel Sheep Society chairman, he is staggered by the honour of that role and still can’t believe he is doing it! Steve’s other enterprises consist of 200 breeding sows and 2000 followers, which

are fed on home mill-mixed feed from the 320-acre arable unit. Pigs are sold direct to retail butchers in the local area and to local wholesalers.

Steve would like to thank his family and loyal staff for their support that allows him to fulfil these roles. He is looking forward to judging the 2019 Royal Bath & West Show.

Shows texel.uk

Spring 2019

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Royal Highland Show - Roger Strawbridge - Tamnamoney Roger Strawbridge runs the Tamnamoney Texel flock on the family farm just outside Coleraine in Northern Ireland. Roger’s late father, Ivan, firmly believed in the potential of Texels way back in the early 80’s both for breeding and as a terminal sire.

Roger grew up working with his father’s commercial flock before founding the Tamnamoney pedigree flock in 1990. Roger’s breeding policy over the last 29 years has been to breed quality lambs with traits essential for both pedigree and commercial producers.

Roger has had the privilege to judge a number of shows and sales and feels honoured to be asked to judge the highly esteemed Royal Highland Show and looks forward to seeing the usual high standard of exhibits in June along with wife Barbara and daughter Ivanna.

Great Yorkshire Show - Iolo P Jones - Llangwm Iolo, along with wife, Gwennan, and children, Hari, and Begw, farms on the North Wales hills with ground more than 1000ft above sea level. They run a flock of 120 pedigree Texel ewes alongside 1000 commercial ewes, while Iolo also operates his own pregnancy scanning business.

Given the challenging weather conditions, the flock focuses on commercially sound sheep paying particular attention to skin and carcass aiming for both the pedigree and commercial markets. The flock sells at the three mainland National sales annually, together with consignments at the Carlisle and Ruthin club sales and the Main NSA Sale, Builth Wells. In addition, in lamb gimmers head to various sales around the country every year.

After 20 years of select breeding, the first highlight for the flock came in 2010, when selling Llangwm Rocky for 32,000gns at Lanark, and in 2015 after winning reserve male champion at the Royal Welsh Show, selling Llangwm Wario for £30,000. Success also followed at

the Royal Welsh show last year, winning the ewe lamb class, the group class and with his stock tup breeding the overall champion.

The flock has also won the Champion Flock of Wales title in two consecutive years. Iolo was honoured to be selected to judge the Royal Highland Show in 2017 and it follows on that he feels extremely privileged and honoured to be given the opportunity to judge the Great Yorkshire Show this year.

Iolo feels fortunate to be involved in the leading sheep breed in the UK and with the special people that are involved within the breed.

“The shows and the sale season is the best time of year for me, when you get to see the best stock, the best people and the great socialising that is involved. It is an honour to judge this prestigious show and I can guarantee you that I will enjoy every minute of it.”

Royal Welsh Show - Richard Henderson - Ballynahone Richard has been involved with breeding pedigree Texel sheep from his early teens. Before starting a pedigree flock, a commercial flock of Texel cross ewes was run on the family farm. These ewes were put back to a Texel ram, with the lambs often winning spring lamb competitions at local markets. This success pulled Richard into the world of pedigree breeding.

He says he has enjoyed showing right from the outset and has been lucky enough to have won the Royal Ulster Show on four occasions.

The Ballynahone Texel flock is run alongside a small pedigree Limousin herd, which has seen bulls selling to 8000gns.

A few of Richard’s sale highlights in recent years include setting a Northern Ireland Texel female record at 19,000gns and another female sold at the same sale going on to win breed champion at the Great Yorkshire Show and reserve breed champion at the Royal Welsh Show in 2018.

Richard says it is a tremendous honour and privilege to have been asked to judge such a prestigious show and he is looking forward to seeing first-hand the quality of stock and excellent show and its facilities, which it is so well renowned for.

Youth Focus

22 Spring 2019

texel.uk

texel.uk

WIN A RITCHIE LAMB WEIGH CRATE

ENTER OUR FREE COMPETITION

BY VISITING US AT

2019 NSA EVENTS* We have a Ritchie lamb weight crate worth more than £1000 available to be won this summer.

To support the launch of the Society’s service, we have teamed up with Ritchie to help make flock management and prime lamb selection easier.

Weighing lambs regularly is essential in helping prime lambs meet market specification and maximise prices.

#addtexeladdvalue * Events: NSA Welsh Sheep, NSA North Sheep, NSA Highland Sheep, NSA Sheep South West, NSA Sheep Northern Ireland.

texel.uk

Spring 2019

23

Texel lambs outperform industry standards

U

sing Texel sires can improve slaughter lamb grading performance by just shy of 20%, according to data collected in the Society’s Taste versus Waste project.

Over the course of the two-year project 24% of the project’s lambs were classed as top-spec, with a total of 84.5% grading as in-spec (see table one). This compares with 18.8% of all UK lambs grading as top-spec and 64.8% grading as in-spec (see table two), explains Society R&D manager Ed Smith.

In addition, more than 97% of lambs slaughtered in the project graded in the top three conformation grades (E, U and R), compared to 85% of all UK lambs.

“A standard lamb payment grid was used to determine whether lambs were ‘in-spec’ (base price), ‘out-of-spec’ (deductions on base price) or ‘top-spec’ (enhancements on base price),” he says.

Relating the grading performance of the project lambs to ABP’s payment grid and using a base price of £4.15/kg, the average price of a lamb slaughtered in the project was £1.20 higher than the price of average lambs slaughtered in the UK. Table 1. Percentages of Texel-cross lamb carcass grades achieved in the Taste vs Waste project.

TvW %

1

2

3L

3H

4L

4H

5

Total

E

0.0

0.0

0.9

0.9

0.2

0.1

0.0

2.1

U

0.2

3.0

20.1

9.6

1.2

0.1

0.0

34.2

R

0.7

11.0

39.0

9.6

0.6

0.0

0.0

60.9

O

0.3

1.1

1.3

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.1

2.8

P

0.0

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.1

Total

1.2

15.2

61.3

20.1

2.0

0.2

0.1

100.0

Top-spec In-spec Out-of-spec Table 2. Percentages of whole industry lamb carcass grades achieved in 2017 (source: AHDB).

2017 %

1

2

3L

3H

4L

4H

5

Total

E

0.0

0.9

3.1

1.5

0.4

0.1

0.0

6.0

U

0.0

2.6

12.2

6.6

1.5

0.3

0.1

23.3

R

0.3

8.6

29.3

14.4

3.0

0.5

0.1

56.2

O

0.5

3.8

7.2

2.4

0.3

0.1

0.0

14.3

P

0.1

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.2

Total

0.9

16.0

51.8

24.9

5.2

1.0

0.2

100.0

Top-spec In-spec Out-of-spec Lambs in the project were sired by a team of 58 performance recorded Texel rams over two breeding seasons (2016 and 2017), with these rams coming from 18 flocks and being used on 2050 commercially managed Scotch Mule ewes in four flocks.

While the primary focus of the project was collecting meat eating quality data from the lambs in the project, the grading information has confirmed the benefits offered by using Texel sires.

The Taste versus Waste project has been funded in part by InnovateUK and delivered through a collaboration between the Society, SRUC and ABP. This project will end in the coming months and the final results will be available later in the year.

VIA

This project has seen more than 1450 Texel x Lleyn lambs finished from four commercial partner farms in its first year, with video image analysis data (VIA) collected from all these lambs, in addition to standard grading information.

This information will be analysed by project partner SRUC over the coming months, but as in the Taste vs Waste project what is already clear is that commercially managed project lambs graded better than average UK industry lambs.

Data analysis will focus on identifying Texel genetics with the ability to produce carcasses with increased lean meat yields with specific data from primal cuts that provide the high value carcass cuts, explains Dr Smith.

“In the first year 42 performancerecorded pedigree Texel sires were mated to 1060 Lleyn ewes; and in the second year a further 38 sires were mated to 1200 Lleyn ewes spread across five flocks. In total, sires for this project have been sourced from 20 pedigree flocks.”

Pregnancy scanning indicated there were more than 2100 lambs in utero in the five flocks and lambing is well underway.

Another key aspect of this project has been the continuation Technical Corner

24 Spring 2019

texel.uk

of the Society’s footrot and mastitis research program. To date, these hard-to-measure health phenotypes have been collected from more than 4000 ewes in the flocks that participate in the Society’s Pedigree Phenotype Farm Initiative, supporting the creation of the first commercial genomic reference population for a UK pedigree sheep population.

This year genomic breeding values for both footrot and mastitis will be provided to the flocks that are currently engaged with the initiative, enabling them to take more information into account when making selection decisions. With plans to widen this service across the entire Texel population in future years.

Laryngeal chondritis

As part of an AHDB/Nottingham University funded veterinary fellowship a study on laryngeal chondritis, also known as ‘Texel Throat’, has been completed. This is a disease of unknown cause that affects the upper respiratory tract of sheep, with Texel and Texel-type breeds appearing to be predisposed. University of Nottingham researcher Katie Waine has completed an assessment of the anatomy of the larynx of Texel and Bluefaced Leicester rams to investigate if the anatomy of the Texel could predispose the breed to laryngeal chondritis.

As part of the study, 23 larynxes from Texel and 20 from Bluefaced Leicester rams were selected from a fallen stock centre and measurements taken from both the animals and their larynxes. One larynx from each breed was also analysed using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

The study has demonstrated that the shape, size and appearance of the larynx differ within Texels and between Texel and Bluefaced Leicester rams.

Overall the Texel larynx has a smaller height and length and has a funnel shaped airway which means that some anatomical features are disproportionately large. This disproportionate laryngeal structure and significantly smaller airway could play a part in predisposing the breed to laryngeal chondritis.

There were also an increased number of lesions observed in Texel larynxes compared to those in Bluefaced Leicester rams.

This could indicate that laryngeal problems might be more common in some breeds than others.

SRUC’s feed intake measuring equipment offers the opportunity to find the most feed efficient sheep.

On the 19th March, Dr Smith attended the first CARAS Wales Demonstration and Innovation Day at the Royal Welsh Showground. Sponsored by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and CARAS Wales (Council for Awards of Royal Agricultural Societies) this new one-day event showcased some of the latest technologies available to farmers and the wider agriculture industry.

And, on the 28th March Dr Smith attended a special livestock showcase event to discover how the combined capabilities of the UK Agri-Tech Centres are being used to drive greater efficiency, resilience and wealth across the agrifood sector.

In addition, later in the year Society chief executive John Yates and Dr Smith will attend the 70th Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) to showcase how the efforts of the Society and its members are improving the genetics and genomics of the Texel breed.

This study is an important first step in characterising the laryngeal anatomy of Texels, however, one drawback is that no clinical information was available on any of the animals studied. It is, therefore, not known if any (or none) of the animals were affected by laryngeal chondritis when they were alive. Additional studies with more detailed clinical descriptions are required to further the understanding of this disease.

Engagement with industry

The Society continues to engage with the wider industry through a range of meetings, workshops and events. On the 13th February, the Society’s R&D projects manager Ed Smith attended the SRUC sheep feed efficiency workshop at Crianlarich to learn about the feed intake recording equipment available. This was an interesting day learning about the practicalities of using the equipment and how it can be used to identify the most feed efficient animals, an area currently under-investigated in sheep.

Technical Corner texel.uk

Spring 2019

25

Society’s service delivers Texel performance recording

F

rom 1st April the Texel Sheep Society will be providing performance recording services for Texel breeders under the texelplus brand.

This change in the provision of recording services follows the Society negotiating a contract directly with SRUC Egenes to provide the evaluation services and the need to develop a platform that fits with the Society purposes, actively engaging in R&D and genetic improvement to support the breed’s development, explains Society technical assistant Ailish Ross.

Running in parallel to this change AHDB-Signet has introduced the new National Terminal Sire (NTS) Evaluation this year, for all terminal sires breeds in the UK. “To ease the transition to the new system, the Society has agreed to support this new evaluation by providing pedigree Texel data and allowing NTS to form the base evaluation for Texel flocks.

“The Society will provide an additional layer to the NTS, delivered through the texelplus platform, by incorporating new breeding values and indexes, including the value provided by genomics. Benefits to the Texel membership will be significant, adding the value of accessing information from the RamCompare project, the Society’s own R&D initiatives and the

incorporation of unique health and meat quality breeding values developed specifically for the Texel breed,” she adds.

“The Society aims to continue the collection of novel data from new traits and develop new breeding values from its £3 Million Research and Development work, rolling these out in 2020, once breeders have gained a clearer understanding and impact on their flocks from the changes that will result from the AHDB introduction of NTS. “There are a few changes breeders will notice this year in addition to those introduced by the new evaluation, others are due to the introduction of Society administration, as it becomes the bureau for admin support.”

BLUP reports for active recorded flocks will now be available online and monthly. “Please remember that during 2019 the main changes to breeding values, rankings and indexes are a result of the launch of AHDB-Signet’s NTS. The Society will continue to monitor the impact and effectiveness of NTS as it progresses its texelplus services.”

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The first major change breeders will notice is the change in branding, the Texel Sheep Society’s data recording/genetic improvement service will now be promoted as:

For pedigree Texel breeders the texelplus service will continue to be as easy as:

1 2 3

Record birth weight and lambing ease along with your pedigree data at lambing Record the weights of lambs at eight weeks of age

The TEXEL TERMINAL INDEX and TRAITS have been REBASED

The terminal sire index has been reset to the average performance of the breed in 2010 rather than the base set in 1990.

Why? This is to make indexes more relevant and understandable for commercial producers as there has been significant genetic improvement within those 20 years.

What changes might breeders see?

You will find that all animals index will have ‘fallen’ in number. With Top 10% animals having an index of 210 compared with the 361 it was before the change.

Ultrasound scan and weigh lambs between 35-40kg CT Scan a selection of your lambs

However, the way this information is displayed and how you will need to communicate to your customers has changed.

The National Terminal Sire Evaluation has made changes to your evaluations and the figures displayed for your flock.

Meat traits are now based on a fixed WEIGHT rather than age What does this mean?

Animals now have their muscle/fat EBVs predicted for a fixed 40kg live carcass weight rather than at a fixed age.

This removes double counting within the evaluation and has made the trait more accurate.

Why? This is to make the trait more commercially focussed as lambs are more commonly drawn for slaughter once they hit a specific weight and fatness cover, rather than at an age.

What changes might breeders see?

This has caused some re-ranking within these meat traits – muscle depth, fat depth, CT lean weight, CT fat weight.You might find that animals which were previously high for carcass traits and growth rate, will have fallen on these EBV rankings. The previous evaluation method measured scan weight and carcass traits together – high growth rates encouraged high muscle depth because total muscle mass is greater in a bigger animal. Now they are measured separately, so animals are rewarded for having a lot of muscle relative to their weight (40kg). There will be more animals within the breed with a negative fat depth.

This is because at a fixed weight of 40kg animals with superior muscling tend to be leaner. Therefore, some animals now appear negative within this trait.

The TEXEL TERMINAL INDEX has been

UPDATED

The Texel Terminal Sire Index is now influenced from crossbred animal data that has been collected through the RamCompare project and from those breeders who have recorded data from Texel cross animals.

RamCompare introduces data into the evaluation from the abattoir such as carcass weight and carcass conformation. To date more than 40 Texel rams have been used within the Ramcompare project.

NEW CT predicted traits are being introduced. These are predicted on a fixed weight rather than age also: Trait

Explanation

Eye-Muscle Area (EMA)

The total area of eye muscle.

Intra-muscular Fat (IMF)

Predicts the levels of intramuscular fat within the loin, which can influence Meat Eating Quality.

Spine Traits (Thoracic spine length, thoracic vertebra number, lumbar spine length, lumbar vertebra number, total spine length, total vertebra number)

Six new spine traits are being introduced. These are to assist in selecting animals who have increased areas of saleable meat yield in high value areas.

For more information on texelplus, including data submission and BLUP run dates, please see the Society website – www.texel.uk/texelplus

Technical Corner texel.uk

Spring 2019

27

Lodge Aramis sold for Geoffrey Stringer’s best ever price of 3800gns

Lodge flock takes Builth recorded flock award D edicated Texel breeder Geoffrey Stringer’s Lodge flock may not be a household name within the breed, but it certainly made it’s presence felt at the main NSA Ram Sale, Builth Wells, last autumn.

For Geoffrey, who started with Texels in 1981, achieved his best ever price of 3800gns for Lodge Aramis, and also collected the Society shield for the highest shearling ram pen average for a performance recorded flock at £2152.50.

Having been in the breed for close on 40 years Geoffrey credits his success to sticking to his type of Texel, one which can thrive on the unforgiving land at his Talgarth-based smallholding and produce strong commercial rams suited to regular customers at Builth.

“I started in the breed a little bit by accident, having moved to our smallholding in the late 1970s and started with a few commercial sheep. I used a Texel ram on these ewes and liked the lambs he produced. In the summer of 1981 our son was on holiday on the west Wales coast with his grandparents and my wife and I went down to collect him.

“Unbeknown to me, our trip coincided with a farm sale in the area which included some pedigree Texels and I bought my first

ewe there. She was a Grougfoot ewe and I bred up from her as well as buying the odd female from George Scott and Gordon Gray at Builth over the years.”

Having previously bred Welsh Cobs, Geoffrey immediately found satisfaction in the breeding of pedigree Texels, always trying to improve his flock by using complimentary sires. “That’s the fascination in breeding any form of livestock, always trying to match the right genetics to move the flock forward.”

And it was a desire to further improve which saw the Lodge flock start performance recording in the late 1980s as another way of understanding the flock better and getting a better knowledge of many of the unseen parts of the sheep. “It gives such an insight in to other aspects of the sheep other than the visual traits. The more you know the more you can target certain areas for improvement,” he adds.

Geoffrey says this ‘inside knowledge’ was starkly highlighted to him soon after he started recording by one ewe in particular.

“She looked great and had a lot of visual appeal. But she simply didn’t cut it when it came to performance, her muscle scores

Lifestyle

28 Spring 2019

texel.uk

were some of the poorest in the flock. She simply wasn’t the full package.”

Going hand and hand with his better understanding of his 30-ewe flock Geoffrey has, over the years, sought to use AI and ET technologies judiciously to advance the best bloodlines in the flock, including sourcing semen from top performance rams whenever possible.

It was this policy which resulted in Lodge Aramis, with this 2017-born sheep being a son of the noted Cambwell Trademark, with his full ET brother Lodge Athos selling on the same day at Builth for 1500gns. Both of these rams are out of a homebred dam by another ram which Geoffrey credits for doing a lot of good within the flock, Mellor Vale Reyna.

“Reyna was a tremendous ram I was lucky enough to buy a share of in 2010 with Roger Williams of the Clun flock, Phil Evans of the Grug flock and the Watkins family’s Millend flock. Sired by Baltier Panther, he left some great females which have consistently bred well for me.”

Indeed, the dam of Aramis and Athos is a former show gimmer for Geoffrey who has competed at local shows and the Royal Welsh Show for most years since he started in the breed. “She stood second at Brecon Show in 2013 on the day that Reyna was breed champion and reserve interbreed champion.

“That was a good day, but last year’s Builth sale was easily the best day I’ve had in the breed and to do it close to home was even better.”

Geoffrey says that while he is committed to performance recording he doesn’t chase figures for figures sake and still places great importance on correctness and breed character.

“I’ve always enjoyed showing and have made many good friends among local Texel breeders, having sheep which are functional and have the potential to perform in the show ring is an important factor in my breeding plans,” he adds.

However, with limited acreage Geoffrey is careful in his selection criteria when it comes to replacement females and aims to sell a high number of ram lambs each year too. He says ewe numbers cannot go above 30 without extra land being taken on and he generally only keeps a handful of ram lambs to run through to shearlings. “Using AI widely means I often keep a good lamb or two to use as sweeper tups behind the AI.”

Geoffrey says a strict selection policy has helped get the flock where it is today, with a blend of types being used to develop the flock over the years. “Looking back I blended different types together in order to get the sheep I wanted, using both taller, stronger rams and thicker Dutch-type bloodlines too.

“Now I pay careful attention to correctness and look for rams with traits I feel need improvement, always paying close attention to muscle figures as well as fat depth and growth rates. I’m looking for lambs which can carry cover to higher weights without getting too fat, but not being too lean either.

“This is where the breed has major appeal for many prime lamb buyers and particularly those farmers selling deadweight, so I feel it is important to provide what they want,” he concludes.

These lambs are wintered inside to give the ground a break, but get back out fairly early in spring when possible.

Meanwhile, the flock lambs in February and lambs are creep fed and weaned early to allow ewes to be put away to harder ground over the summer, allowing the lambs the better grass and the best chance to thrive.

Society director Steve Smith presents Geoffrey Stringer with his award.

Lifestyle texel.uk

Spring 2019

29

Driven to succeed at Strawfrank S

ince its foundation just eight years ago, Allan Campbell’s Strawfrank flock has become an established name in the Texel world, securing the top lamb price at the Kelso Ram Sale for the past four years in succession.

But while he was new to the breed as a buyer 2011, Allan’s interest in Texels began several years before that, when he went for work experience with the Lairds at Cambwell, aged 15.

He explains: “From that point, I think I always had it in my head that I would have my own Texels one day. They are a versatile breed and I wanted to establish a tup producing flock that would appeal to commercial farmers.”

The family runs a busy haulage company, established by Allan’s father, Dick, 35 years ago and based in Carstairs, Lanark. In 2011, they were able to purchase the yard where the lorries are kept, plus 28 acres, which gave them a starting point to begin building up some sheep and cattle numbers in Allan’s chosen breeds – Texels and Limousins. Surrounding land was gradually bought up in the subsequent years, bringing the total acreage to 220 acres.

Allan says: “I bought 20 females from the Dunlops’ Eastfield flock in 2011, which gave me some good, solid foundation ewes, and a couple from in-lamb sales too, including a Cambwell gimmer at the Select Seven sale in 2012, a daughter of Allanfauld Rockafella. She has bred really well and has been responsible for a lot of the success of the flock in recent years.”

Kenny O’Connor works on a part-time basis, with extra help brought in at lambing time.

Aiming for a flock of powerful sheep, with good skins and conformation, Allan says they have kept this in mind when buying both females and males.

Early rams used included Cambwell Trademark, Strathbogie Usher and Tima Valentino, all of which clicked well with the females in the flock.

Allan explains: “Strathbogie Usher was bought jointly for 5000gns and has bred some of the flock’s best females.

Trademark, which we had on loan from Cambwell, has bred us lambs to £5400 and £4200, and Valentino, which was bought jointly for 4000gns, bred our dearest lamb to-date, the £5600 Strawfrank Wambo Rambo.”

These lambs were all sold at Kelso Ram Sales, where Strawfrank has established a solid customer base and achieved a strong average over the past few years – £1228 for 12 in 2015 and £1525 for 14 in 2016. In 2017, sons of the 7500gns Ballynahone Yorkie sold to £4400 and averaged £1497 for 17, while in 2018, trade peaked at £5000 for Strawfrank Balvenie, a Cambwell Aristocrat son.

The flock now numbers 60 pure ewes and 300 cross ewes, which run alongside 30 Limousin cows and followers. Shepherd

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Allan says: “The type of tups we breed just seem to suit the Kelso market, and because we’ve always got on well selling lambs there, we’ve never felt it necessary to try keeping them for an extra year to sell them as shearlings. There seem to be more buyers going there specifically for lambs now.”

This was confirmed at the end of 2018, when Allan sold in-lamb gimmers for the first time, at the inaugural Lanark Crackers sale. Despite being first in the ring, they achieved a top of 4000gns, for a Ballynahone Yorkie daughter, with the pen of six averaging £1242.

The 2019 pen will include sons of Haddo Breadwinner, the 24,000gns tup which Allan bought a quarter share of at Lanark, plus he also got the use of Paul Slater’s £29,000 Kelso purchase, Garngour Awesome.

Outwith the sales, time doesn’t allow for attending many shows, but Allan says they always make an effort to exhibit at the local Carnwath Show, where they’ve secured the Texel championship for the past two years, with the same ewe. A Strathbogie Usher daughter, she is part of the current flushing team, while Allan classes her full sister, which stood second at the Royal Highland as a ewe lamb, as the best breeding ewe in the flock.

Following the tup sales, AI-ing takes place on 21st September and the best of the females are flushed, to help boost the best genetics in the flock. The 2018 flushing team of five had a successful go, averaging 12 eggs between them. Lambing then starts mid-February, all inside, with the ewes brought in two days prior to lambing.

The cross ewes meanwhile, which have been bred up from bought-in Cheviot Mules, are put to homebred Texel rams and lambed in March, alongside 100 home-bred hoggs. Some of the ewe lambs are kept as replacements and the rest sold either through Lanark Mart or local company, Scotch Lamb Marketing, from the end of June, with the last of them away by the end of November.

Allan adds: “We’ll hopefully do a bit more showing in the future, it’s a great part of farming, getting out and meeting new people and also being able to compare the standard of your sheep to others. I’ve never regretted buying into Texels, the adaptability of the breed as a terminal sire or for the maternal attributes, means the demand for them will hopefully continue long into the future.”

“We’re planning on increasing the cross flock to 500 over the next few years, but we’ll stick at 60 with the pure ewes and just keep trying to improve the flock. I’m a lot happier with the flock as a whole now, they have better heads now, as well as good carcases.”

Lifestyle texel.uk

Spring 2019

31

Passion for breeding at Drumderg A

need for a new hobby after the end of his rugby playing days and a passion for breeding fuelled the development of Alistair Breen’s Drumbeg flock.

For Alistair the foundation of the 30-ewe flock came having worked with Texels commercially on the family farm where his father still milks alongside a commercial flock of 120 ewes all put to Texel sires.

“I’d seen the demand for Texel cross lambs from a commercial point of view and was keen to introduce some pedigree sheep to the farm too. A pedigree Texel flock seemed a natural progression and allowed me to indulge my passion for breeding,” says Alistair who works off the farm full time in sales.

“Ultimately, I gave up playing rugby and needed a new hobby!” he adds.

“I would like to be farming full time, but dad is still fit and active and there isn’t the work there for two of us full time, so I’m still working off-farm and farming part-time.”

The flock’s early purchases came from a number of Northern Irish flocks, including ewes from Braehead and Springhill and Blackstown, with further additions coming from Forkins.

Later purchases include a Garngour gimmer purchased at the Select Seven sale and a ewe bought privately from Knock. “All of the ewes we have bought have brought something different to the flock, but they’ve all been a solid foundation, allowing me to use a variety of sires to progress the genetic base of the flock.”

Success to date includes selling a lamb at Lanark in 2017 for 2400gns, with a number of lambs sold in Northern Ireland to pedigree flocks at prices up to 1800gns, explains Alistair.

Alistair’s children, Harry and Ella, are keen on the sheep too, with their own recently established Lough Erne flock.

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32 Spring 2019

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“The primary aim of the flock is to breed ram lambs for local commercial customers and we’ve enjoyed a good trade at a number of the Northern Irish Texel Club’s sales. Off the back of that we now have more and more buyers coming to the farm to pick rams ahead of the sales. That, for me, is the best sign that we’re producing the right type of sheep.”

Looking to capitalise on the best breeding he has in the flock Alistair has used the homebred Drumderg Won And Only as service sire for the flock in 2015.

This Strathbogie Uno son is out of a Braehead ewe by Cornerstone Tin Tin. “His dam, QDA130342, has been the most successful purchase without a doubt and she clicks with any tup you put her to.

We’ve kept a number of daughters out of her and also from Won And Only. Won And Only bred great commercial tups and also tups to a top call of 1800gns,” he adds.

Likewise, Alistair says Uno is a ram which has bred well for the flock and he has been used to flush ewes too. More recently Alistair has used Garngour Aristotle, a full brother to the £29,000 Garngour Awesome and Forkins Baz, a ram purchased in a partnership with other Northern Irish breeders for 5000gns at Lanark last August.

“Aristotle has bred really well for us, leaving great females with plenty of stretch, top and real breed character. I’m careful when I’m buying rams to be sure they’re the type we need. Importantly, I look at them from the commercial aspect to be sure they’ll breed the type of ram our customers will want,” he says.

Lambing in early February the flock is housed as late as possible, usually just a week or two ahead of lambing, with ewes and lambs then remaining housed for up to a month post-lambing.

“It is entirely weather dependent how long ewes and lambs remain inside.

“It gives the grass a chance to get a head start and means the lambs are strong enough to handle the worst the weather can

throw at them once they’re out. Lambs are offered creep feed once their out at grass to give them every chance.”

But once lambs are weaned the ewe lambs receive no feed, running on grass alone through until tupping the following year.

“The only exception to this is any gimmers we want to show,” adds Alistair.

Showing is done at a number of local shows throughout the season, with Alistair’s full time job meaning it is difficult to get enough time off to compete at the Balmoral Show. “We enjoy showing and my daughter, Ella, and son, Harry, are very keen on the sheep and young handlers classes in particular.”

Indeed, so keen is the younger generation of Breens that Alistair bought them a Milnbank ewe at the Northern Lights Sale last December as a foundation ewe for their own Lough Erne flock.

“She’s a Strathbogie Yes Sir daughter out of a ewe by Strathbogie Untouchable and should be a great start for their flock. As with my own flock I’ve been careful to select from consistent breeding families from top flocks to give a solid foundation,” he explains.

An advocate of embryo transfer to maximise the genetics in the flock, Alistair says it is important, in his mind, to breed from ewes before choosing them for flushing. “I think it’s essential to breed from a ewe at least once before flushing them. It lets you see what they’re capable of and gives you the confidence in their potential before going to the expense of flushing them.”

One advantage of flushing, he adds, is that it allows greater selection pressure to be applied to replacements and means there are surplus females to sell. “I’m keen to start selling more females in future and was invited as a guest at an in-lamb sale last year. I’d like to get in the routine of selling in-lamb gimmers each year as it is another potential income stream for the flock.”

Tight skins, length and carcass are important traits for the Drumderg flock

Lifestyle texel.uk

Spring 2019

33

The TEXEL Shop

Polo Shirt Navy or Blue Mens £15.00 Womens £12.00

NEW Rugby Shirt Navy or Blue Mens £25.00 Womens £15.00

Body Warmer Soft Shell Navy or Blue £35.00

NEW Microfleece Navy or Blue Mens £32.00 Womens £31.00

NEW Jacket (made to order) Navy or Blue £42.00

Navy Texel Tie £15.00

Society Umbrella £15.00

Texel Beanie (Black or Grey) £5.00

To order your Texel merchandise please visit texel.uk or call us on 024 7669 6629

Baseball Cap £6.00

34 Spring 2019

Texel Mug £6.00

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Member Fees This Notice supersedes all previous notices of costs and overrides ANY

Go Online

and Save Costs on Society Fees

printed material which you may have in your possession.

All fees take effect from January 1st 2019

2019 Male and Female Birth Notifications 1st Jan - 15th April in Year of Birth

16th April - 31st May in Year of Birth

1st June - 31st Dec in Year of Birth

1st January following year of Birth Onwards

Method

Online Online

Tel/Paper

Online Online

Tel/Paper

Online Online

Tel/Paper

Tel/Paper

Standard BN fees

£1.90

£2.20

£2.11

£2.44

£10.54

£12.20

£122.30

(£2.28 Inc VAT)

ET BN fees

£7.16

(£8.60 Inc VAT)

(£2.64 Inc VAT)

(£2.53 Inc VAT)

£7.62

£7.38

(£9.15 Inc VAT)

(£8.85 Inc VAT)

(£2.93 Inc VAT)

£7.86

(£9.43 Inc VAT)

(£12.65 Inc VAT)

£15.80

(£18.96 Inc VAT)

(£14.64 Inc VAT)

£17.62

(£21.14 Inc VAT)

Female Registrations and Import Registrations (having previously been birth notified) By 15th June in Year of Birth (YOB)

Method

16th June YOB - 31st October in year following YOB

Online Online

Tel/Paper

Online Online

Tel/Paper

£5.35 £5.53

£6.41

£6.00

£6.95

(£6.42 (£6.64 Inc IncVAT) VAT)

(£7.69 Inc VAT)

(£7.20 Inc VAT)

(£8.34 Inc VAT)

Male Registrations and Import Registrations (having previously been birth notified) 1st July - 31st Oct

1st Nov - 31st Dec

Method

1st Jan - 30th June

Tel/Paper £30.58

£45.87

(£36.70 Inc VAT)

(£55.04 Inc VAT)

£61.15

(£73.38 Inc VAT)

Male registration will only be permitted once a genotype has been issued by the laboratory and has been received by the Society office. For purchased rams that require male registration, the Society requires “proof of purchase” in the form of a “ram docket” or a copy of the “invoice of sale”.

Online Online

Tel/Paper

£8.96

£10.37

(£12.44 Inc VAT)

Transfers (only fully registered sheep can be transferred)

Method

Paper £11.65

(£13.98 Inc VAT)

Terms of Membership relating to fees Please note ALL new members are required to set up a Direct Debit payment and use our BASCO online services.

New members pay a joining fee and a subscription fee. Thereafter an annual subscription fee from 1st October each year.

Adult Joining Fee - £60.00 Inc VAT Annual Subscriptions Fee - £54.21 inc VAT Junior (up to age 21) Joining Fee – Free Annual Subscription Fee – £27.11 inc VAT*

Genetic Improvement Service Flock Fee

1st November year following YOB onwards

(£10.75 Inc VAT)

(£146.76 Inc VAT)

Fees £95.00 Additional £/ewe

First 50 ewes

£2.55

51 -150 ewes

£2.05

151 – 400 ewes

£1.00

> 401 ewes

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Flock size is based on the total number of ewes (including recipients) that have a lambing event recorded on the BASCO database that year.

The VAT inclusive prices include VAT at 20%, (*other than the annual subscription which has part VAT relief applied) and may be adjusted at any time.

2019 National Show & Sale Dates Scottish National NI Export Eligible LANARK 21st & 22nd August

Welsh National WELSHPOOL 24th August

English National NI Export Eligible WORCESTER 26th & 27th August

Northern Irish National EU Export Eligible BALLYMENA 28th August

Society Club Sales & Ram Sales 2019 5 August BUILTH WELLS NSA Early Ram Sale Clee, Tompkinson & Francis Tel: 01874 622 488

11 August KENDAL NWA Jct 36 Tel: 01539 5662 00

13 - 14 August EXETER NSA SW Ram Sale Sue Martyn Tel: 01409 271 385

29 August GAERWEN Morgan & Evans Tel: 01248 421582

30 August STONELEIGH NSA Eastern Rugby Sale Tel: 01953 607 860

5 - 6 September CARLISLE Harrison & Hetherington Tel: 01228 406 230

6 September ASHFORD Hobbs Parker Tel: 01233 502222

7 September SHREWSBURY Shrewsbury Livestock Auctioneers Tel: 01743 462 620

7 September NEWARK Newark Livestock Market Tel: 01636 676741

8 September LLANDOVERY Clee, Tompkinson & Francis Tel: 01550 720440

8 - 9 September RUTHIN Ruthin Farmers Auction Tel: 01824 702 025

12 September WILTON Southern Counties Tel: 01722 321 215

13 September RUTHIN (DUTCH) Ruthin Farmers Auction Company Tel: 01824 702025

13 September KELSO For more details Tel: 01573 224 188

14 September WORCESTER McCartneys Tel: 01905 769 770

19 September LANARK Lawrie & Symington Tel: 01555 662 281

19 - 20 Sept SKIPTON Craven Cattle Mart Tel: 01756 792 375

22 -23 September BUILTH WELLS Main NSA Ram Sale Clee, Tompkinson & Francis Tel: 01874 622 488

24 September THAINSTONE Aberdeen & Northern Mart Tel: 01467 623 710

26 September WELSHPOOL Welshpool Livestock Sales Tel: 01938 553438

28 September CARLISLE Harrison & Hetherington Tel: 01228 406 230

3 October BRECON McCartneys Tel: 01874 622386

14 October WELSHPOOL Welshpool Livestock Sales Tel: 01938 553 438

25 November THAINSTONE Aberdeen & Northern Mart Tel: 01467 623 710

28 November BRECON McCartneys Tel: 01874 622386

7 December WORCESTER McCartneys Tel: 01905 769 770

13 December CARLISLE Harrison & Hetherington Tel: 01228 406 230

19 December WELSHPOOL Welshpool Livestock Sales Tel: 01938 553 438

20 December LLANDOVERY Clee, Tompkinson & Francis Tel: 01874 622 488

4 January 2020 BEESTON Wright Marshall Tel: 01829 262100

9 January 2020 SKIPTON Craven Cattle Mart Tel: 01756 792 375

11 January 2020 Leek Leek Auctions Ltd Tel: 01538 372 749

Northern Ireland Club Sales 26 August RATHFRILAND Rathfriland Farmers Co-Op Tel: 028 4063 8493

31 August RUAS BALMORAL Richard Beattie’s Livestock Sales Tel: 028 8164 7105

12 September ARMOY D McAllister Tel: 028 2177 1227

13 September ENNISKILLEN Ulster Farmers Mart Tel: 028 6632 2218

18 September SWATRAGH Sperrin & Bann Valley Mart Tel: 028 7940 1335

20 September HILLTOWN Hilltown Mart Tel: 028 4063 0287

20 September LISAHALLY Richard Beattie’s Livestock Sales Tel: 028 8164 7105

23 September BALLYMENA Co Antrim J A McClelland Tel: 028 2563 3470

25 September MARKETHILL Markethill Livestock Tel: 028 3755 1265

7 October BALLYMENA (Harvest Sale) J A McClelland Tel: 028 2563 3470

11 October GORTIN Richard Beattie’s Livestock Sales Tel: 028 8164 7105

02 December BALLYMENA In-Lamb J A McClelland Tel: 028 2563 3470

Visit texel.uk for latest sale dates