November 2010
Bulletin For members of the Texel Sheep Society Chief Executives Update
Contents
The late spring and the array of shows and Society sales soon polished off what remained of summer! Members were left with little time before the rush to provide the industry with good value, quality Texels for the start of a new breeding season.
Chief Executive Update
The successful sales reported on the Society’s website are proof of members’ achievements and show that Texels have had another outstanding year. Improved marketing, including the new-look Society website, saw a rush of 21,000 visits with 80,000 pages viewed in August alone.
BASCO New Initiative
Society and breed promotion enjoyed increased expenditure in 2010, targeted at our presence at specialist events such as Scot Sheep and the National Sheep Event, which took place in August at Malvern. A truly professional promotion, at a highly successful event! Our Scottish National flagship sale didn’t fail to impress either, with a gross sale income of over £800,000 exceeding last year’s world-record breaking sale. The 2010 sale results show more ram lambs forward with better clearance, proving the continuous popularity of our breed from both commercial and pedigree breeders.Visit the Society website to read full sale reports and view colour photographs of pre-sale show winners from around the UK.
SHEEP SOCIETY
QUALITY PERFORMANCE SERVICE SUCCESS
Commercial demand didn’t fade with the breed’s influence clearly present at the major ram sales at NSA Builth and Border Union-Kelso, more information within this bulletin. We now eagerly await our national AGM, held this year in conjunction with the Scottish Clubs 25th Anniversary and Drymsynie has been fully booked. If you were unsuccessful in booking space at this popular social weekend, think ahead and perhaps provisionally put your name down for next year’s event, to be held in Belfast at the La Mon Hotel in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Breeders Club in late October 2011.You won’t be disappointed, for sure! Breeders have many challenges in managing a profitable flock. One such challenge is bio-security, which, when carefully managed, ensures the protection of your flock, most of all a valuable pedigree flock. I would encourage all breeders to consult their veterinary surgeon and to take a whole farm approach to limit the chances of disease entering your flock. Maintaining membership of the PS&GHS, along with the necessary safeguards of double fencing and gating, is paramount if breeders are to reduce the risk of their flock contracting Maedi Visna. There is no such thing as perfect biosecurity, but identify and prioritise the risks, make a plan and most of all, adhere to it!
Society Matters
National Sale & Royal Show Dates Judges Selection 2011 Builth NSA & Border Union Kelso Sales roundup 2010 Maedi Visna – is it worthwhile! Exports Update Society 1st Season Sire of the Year Trophy Performance Recording adding value Texel Member wins Sheep Farmer of the year New Texel Merchandise available
As Christmas approaches we offer new and updated merchandise and look forward to your orders for some new Texel clothing which we hope you will wear with pride around the shows and sales helping us to promote Texels to the industry. Finally, a warm welcome to the 389 new members that have joined the Society since I took the position of Chief Executive with 125 joining in 2010 alone. I hope you enjoy being part of our great Texel community. Best wishes
John Yates Chief Executive
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
British Texel Sheep Society, National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2LG Tel: 024 7669 6629, Fax: 024 7669 6472, Email: office@texel.co.uk