Texel Sheep Society August 2010 Bulletin

August 2010

Bulletin For members of the Texel Sheep Society Chief Executives Update

CONTENTS

A

CHIEF EXECUTIVE

fter the worst winter for thirty years breeders and producers must have been relieved that they chose Texel! But even the toughest days of winter give way to spring and new hope and the promise of success at the summer shows. We thank and congratulate all exhibitors who made the effort of showing and promoting our breed across the country. A short report and photos on the judges’ pick of the crop is included in this bulletin.

Members are now looking forward to the Society sales which begin, as the show season did, with a return to Northern Ireland and the warm welcome that comes always in abundance from the Northern Irish club members.

SOCIETY FINANCIAL

This year will see an intense period for our national sales, which start on 19th August in Dungannon, followed by the rest of the nationals in quick succession between the 25th and 31st August. This will be a very busy time, with everybody hoping for a repeat of the 2009 averages and clearance rates.

MEMBERS

We welcome many new members to our Society, with eighty new subscriptions so far this year: proof that the Texel is maintaining its appeal. Our aim is always to promote and increase sales of our members’ Texels. The positive and constructive feedback from the membership during the last two years has helped us to focus on revising and updating our promotion and the improvements clearly demonstrate our confidence and position in the sheep industry.

As an industry it’s important to remain innovative and this is no different a challenge to our Society. Texels are now extremely influential, but we must remain dynamic and responsive to market demands, championing the need for change. Our breed must remain robust, prolific and hardy with the essential focus on lean meat yield. No breed of sheep is all things to all people, but with the use of modern technologies, such as the EBV tool box and the versatile and diverse phenotypes we have within our breed, we truly do have a breed that can deliver the demands of the most discerning commercial producer.

SHEEP SOCIETY

QUALITY PERFORMANCE

Another “First” for the Society is the launch of the Lambing Ease EBV. Breeders can now positively select for this trait. This EBV was initiated by the PRT committee and supported by Signet and Egenes, with part funding through a Spark Award from Faraday and provides innovative solutions for Texel breeders. It demonstrates the value we place in commercial traits that will increasingly be required by producers in the future.

Good Luck with your sales and I look forward to meeting many of you over the next weeks.

SERVICE

UPDATE

SUPPORT FOR ATTENDING PRIME STOCK EVENTS NEW ONLINE SEMEN DIRECTORY MAEDI VISNA – STAY VIGILANT AND PROTECT YOUR FLOCK SHOW STOPPERS 2010 BASCO BENEFITS!

Best Regards

SUCCESS

SOCIETY BOOSTS EXPORTS

John Yates Chief Executive

Dates for diary Eblex/Signet/Texel Society breeder development day.

Eblex/Signet/Texel Society breeder development day.

Northern Ireland Premier Show & sale.

Scottish Premier Show & Sale.

NEW Welsh Premier Show & sale.

English Premier Show & sale.

Countryside Live.

Borderway Agri- Expo.

National AGM & Social weekend.

English Winter Fair.

Scottish Royal Highland Winter Fair.

Smithfield Agrilive.

NI Xmas Fatstock Show & sale.

Mr S Curtis. ACMC. N Yorks Trinidad Investments.

Sussex Dungannon.

Lanark.

Welshpool.

Worcester.

Harrogate.

Carlisle.

Lochgoilhead.

Stafford .

Edinburgh.

Stoneleigh.

Ballymena.

11th August 18th August Thursday & Friday 19th & 20th August Wednesday & Thursday 25th & 26th August Friday & Saturday 27th & 28th August Monday & Tuesday 30th & 31st August 23-24th October 2010 29th October 2010 12-14th November 20-21st November 2010 24th November.

2-3rd December.

Early December. ( date TBC)

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

Society Matters Young Texel Breeders Support required

Prime Stock Show Discounts!

Members are reminded of the financial support provided for their entries into the Autumn/Winter Prime Stock events held across the UK. Further information and terms and conditions are provided on the Society website. Members entering the major Prime stock events are eligible to reclaim their entry fees from the society after each event has taken place.

The Society has been asked to source young breeders to assist in English Lamb promotions at the 2011 SIMA Paris Show 20th -24th FFebruary. Contact Fe tthe h Society Chief for further EExecutive x information. in

Society sales factoids!

Sales held under the auspices of the society , including all Club and National sales, collectively grossed in excess of £3.68M during 2009, with National sales clearances for Gimmers and Ram Lambs achieving 85% and Shearling Rams 80%, adding further evidence to the increasing popularity and importance of Society sales. In addition the Border Union Ram sale at Kelso cleared to 98% grossing £720,000 for the influential Texel trade.

Innovis commercial Scrapie Genotyping offer.

Society promotions hitting the target in 2010.

Society Members can make use of a recently negotiated discount with Innovis Ltd. Just supply your flock code when ordering Scrapie Genotype kits from Innovis.

Members visiting the key events so far in 2010 have seen major improvements to the promotional activity by the Society on behalf of members. Improvements in display material and literature as well as working closely with Society Clubs for a more targeted regional promotion.

Batch Size

Current price

Discounted price

(excl Vat)

(excl VAT)

1-10 samples

£18

£15

11-29 samples

£14

£12

30+ samples

£9

£9

Mr Ken Martyn. Barnage Flock MWB Our thoughts and condolences go to Christine Martyn and family of Barnage Farm Forrest of Dean, Gloucestershire. Ken founded the flock in 1978, sourcing foundation stock from across Britain, so will be known by many Members. Ken was a founder member of the Gloucester & Borders Texel Club in 1979, one of the very first Texel clubs. A keen performance recorder and a true advocate and ambassador for the breed, Ken will be sadly missed.

BULLETIN ADVERTISING RATES 2010 Half Page Qtr Page

Members £180.00 £100.00

All prices require VAT adding at the current rate

SHEEP SOCIETY

www.texel.co.uk

Members have also welcomed hospitality at each event, allowing the Society exhibit to be used as a point to meet and greet existing members or meet with new commercial customers.

Next Bulletin - Mid November Commercial £270.00 £150.00

Closing date for adverts 31st October 2010

Maedi Visna - the facts!

BASCO Benefits

There are currently 3000 members from across all breeds in the scheme. Surveys in 2002-03 showed 1.5-3% flocks had MV in the Country. No surveys have been carried out since in non accredited flocks, so this is likely to be an underestimate.

15-33 fold reduced risk of getting MV infection if your flock is accredited. Whilst the level of breakdowns across breeds is no higher in any breed over the past ten years, the number of breakdowns occurring in each breed reflected the proportion of the scheme membership with that breed. 2010 has seen an increase of cases with 4 Texel flocks and 1 other breed. These flocks range from Ayrshire to Scottish Borders, and North Yorkshire to Brecon. These holdings also have other breeds and Non accredited stock. ● 54.5% of breakdowns have Non accredited stock on their holding. ● 23.8% of the PS&GHS membership have Non accredited sheep on their holdings ● These flocks have a 2.3 times increase of risk of their flocks breaking down. ● It is essential that all flocks that remain in the scheme follow the scheme rules.

Members are encouraged to follow the rules accurately to protect their own flocks as well as those that they are trading with. The Society continues to work with SAC PS&GHS and has asked for them to provide more accurate statistics of the prevalence and distribution of cases in the commercial sector from across GB.

MILNBANK FLOCK – LYM Margaret Lyons (Private Sale) Margaret Lyons has sold her entire Milnbank Flock with the exception of her 2010 Annual Ram Lamb Consignments for Lanark Premier & Carlisle, to her flock manager Robbie Wilson in a private transaction.

Robbie, who has achieved great success with the Strathisle Suffolk Flock in recent years, hopes to do likewise with the Milnbank Texels in the future, running the two flocks in tandem.

Margaret Lyons has invested heavily in recent years buying females to a top of 13,000gns from Ettrick, while stud ram deals include the 29,000gns, 2008 Lanark Supreme Champion Millars Outstanding - VMG08528 (Joint Purchase). High profile rams sold from Milnbank include, Milnbank Hitman – LYM01204, Milnbank Lyon King – LYM05245 (13,000gns) and Milnbank Jersey Dudeck – LYM03077 (28,000gns), while Gimmers have sold to 10,000gns

T

he Society website now receives a seasonal peak visitor rate in excess of 6000 unique visitors per month. The Sales and Shows sections are most popular, with many of the main show reports, photographs and results going live the evening of each of the show days. The result section is further enhanced with links direct from each animal ID to the Societies BASCO database, so members can easily review the performance and pedigree data on the show winners.

The Texel Sire Directory has been developed further allowing members to quickly review and research rams online. If you have semen to sell from your stock rams, they ey can be advertised free of charge on thee Sire Directory on thee Texel website.

Contact Dayna@texel.co.uk for further information.

Thinking of planning a Club flock visit, use the BASCO webserach to pin point exactly where each flock lives. This great facility allows for members to use the google maps service via the BASCO websearch. Type in flock name or owner into the breeder search, click on map on post code section.

Margaret Lyons stated that she had greatly enjoyed her 20 year association with the Texel Breed; during this time she has made friends with many fellow Breeders at the Sales and during holiday trips aboard. She also wishes to thank all those who have sent messages of goodwill during her recent spell of ill health.

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

Society Matters

T

he GREAT EXHIBITION was launched earlier this summer. Stoneleigh Park will be the venue for this magnificent celebration of all things British. Further information www.thegreatexhibition2012.co.uk. 2012 will be the year of the Queens Diamond Jubilee as well as the London 2012 Olympics. The year will also celebrate 40 years since the first importation of the Texel breed from France in 1972, although the official Society was not registered until 1974.

Society boost export efforts with new markets now opening due to demand for Texels!

Exports markets continue to open. Semen exports to Brazil are now a reality although the strict health certificate limits the amount of flocks that will eligible, only flocks that have been part of the GB Governments Scrapie Monitoring Scheme for a minimum of 7 years as a minimum requirement. The Brazilian market for British Texel is good, enhanced by its strong economy, and need for prolific efficient meat producing breeds. Exports are expected to start by early 2011. The Russian Federation has also developed certification with the EU, although this is a major jump forward, finer details are still to be provided by Defra.

A

Pioneer is making his way in the Mountains of Switzerland adding further evidence to the easy care and hardy traits of the British Texel.

A long summer holiday in the mountains of Switzerland. - What is wishful thinking for many people is now yearly routine to British Texel ram Glenway Pioneer (MFZ09001), imported to Switzerland by Heinz Pluess, (www.texelschafe.ch), who’s considered a pioneer regarding the introduction of Texel sheep in Switzerland.

Running his own plumbing business, Heinz is farming 19 hectares of land and 3 hectares of woodland in his free time in the north-eastern part of Switzerland. He has 50 to 60 Texel ewes mainly of German origin. Until the end of February the sheep are left on the pasture where they have access to a shed. During the lambing season in

SHEEP SOCIETY

drayton farm ad quarter page

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SATURDAY 21ST AUGUST 2010

DETAILS FROM McCARTNEYS OR SIMON FARMER 07739 035 667

March the ewes and their offspring are kept in a barn for about two weeks.

As soon as weather conditions permit the flock leaves the lowland farm around mid April to spend the coming summertime on a steep Alp at 1000 to 1100 m altitude. There, they are checked on once a week and every two weeks let on to new grazing grounds. Mid August the sheep get shorn on the Alp so they have already some wool grown back at the end of September, beginning of October when they return to the home farm. This way they can stay outside even if the weather should turn wet and cold.

While the sheep are on the Alp hay is made on the home farm for winter.

Glenway Pioneer, the first British Texel ram caused quite a stir and a lot of admiration at a main Swiss exhibition.

Such was the impression he left that his progeny were well sold before the lambs were even born!

www.texel.co.uk

This year pioneer Heinz Pluess is importing three more British Texel rams and with it certainly a further boost to Texel in Switzerland.

Glenway Pioneer has a PRT Texel Index of 309 and is within the top 5% of the breed.

Show Reports 2010 Royal Balmoral

Champion Martin TC Millar’s two shear or above ewe: VMG07341 – Millars

By Corrie Lancelot, a tup purchased from Carlisle for 5000gns, she is out of a homebred ewe and took the championship on her first outing ever. Mr Millar runs 70 pedigree Texel ewes and is celebrating his third breed championship at Balmoral.

Royal Highland

Reserve Beth and Jack Gault’s shearling ewe: GAF090031 – Forkins Taking the reserve spot and second reserve spot was Jack and Beth Gault, Newtonabbey, Co Antrim, culminating to the family’s third reserve championship title at Balmoral.

Their reserve female champion and reserve overall champion is by the homebred tup Forkins Ogara out of a homebred ewe.

Champion - FPG091537 - J P Forsyth – Glenside

Reserve champion - XSR092908 - S

Standing the top of the older ewe class before going on to take the female and overall championship was no stranger to winning ways John Forsyth of Maybole, Ayrshire. This year’s champion came in the form of Glenside Lulu, a five year old ewe by Castlecairn Celtic Star out of a ewe by Glenside His Nibs. Lulu’s outstanding record at the Highland, 1st in her class as a ewe lamb, Champion as a Gimmer, one crop and aged ewe.

Taking the reserve overall championship place and reserve female championship was a shearling ewe from Steven Renwick,Yarrow, Selkirk. An embryo-bred female, she is by Knock Ottis, a tup bought for 2800gns two years ago, and out of a Watchknowe ewe that stood champion for Steven at the Highland in 2008

Renwick – Craig Douglas

ROYAL HIGHLAND

ROYAL BALMORAL

24 – 27 June

12 – 14 May ALAN CLARK of

GREAT YORKSHIRE

KEITH CAMPBELL of

ROYAL WELSH

GARNGOUR (CJN)

13 – 15 July

COWAL (CKC)

19 – 22 July

PAUL QUICK of

DAVID CHAVE of

LOOSEBEARE (QEL)

Peacehay (CFP)

Great Yorkshire

Championship was taken by ‘Baltier Panther’, FEB09977 – Spotsmans/Baltier Jointly owned by Boden & Davies (SPORTSMANS) and R & E Forsyth (BALTIER).

Sired by Kidston Olympian (WYK0800010) to dam Baltier FEB06602.

Messers Boden’s purchased a half share in Baltier Panther at the Scottish National 2009, Lanark for 11,000gns with R & E Forsyth retaining half share.

Royal Welsh

Reserve Champion was awarded to a

Champion Texel – THB091598 –

Reserve Champion - THB 081347 -

Shearling Ewe CJN096513

Owned by Heulwen & Guto Thomas

Owned by Heulwen & Guto Thomas

– Garngour

– Bryn Garth

From J & H Clark (GARNGOUR). Sired

by KILTARIFF OSPREY (BBK08071) to dam Garngour CJN05052.

This powerful female is half sister to Garngour Nirvana CJN07598, who sold to 40,000gns at the Scottish National lock in sale, and grand sire to the 220,000gns Deveronvale Perfection.

Heulwen Thomas and her son Guto, from Anglesey, took yet another breed championship at the 2010 Royal Welsh Show.

Their homebred shearling ewe, THB 091598, a first timer to the show season this year, she is by Glanllyn Morgan out of a Bryn Garth ewe by Haddo Jordan.

– Bryn Garthh The celebration continued for the Thomas family as they also secured the reserve female and reserve overall championship with their February 2008-born ewe THB 081347 by Annan Jewel out of a Bryn Garth ewe by Douganhill Jeronimo.

The Society congratulates Heulwen and Guto, Bryn Garth is the first flock to achieve Champion and Reserve Champion in the same year at RWAS and adding to flocks continued success at this event.

Full reports are available at www.texel.co.uk

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

Society Matters Helen Mary Woodhouse 27th April 1937 – 1st July 2010.

It will be with much sadness that many members, especially those of the ‘eighties’ will hear of the death of Helen Woodhouse.

Helen was secretary of the British Texel Sheep Society during the eighties decade.

Helen was the daughter of a doctor and did not get involved in agriculture until moving with her family to a farm in the north of England. She always appreciated the difficulties of farming, especially in upland areas.

Helen felt that the British Texel Sheep Society had given her the opportunity to change the direction of her life; she was the figurehead of the society through difficult and changing times.

Helen was always very approachable, had a great smile and a twinkle in her eye. She loved musicals and she loved work, perhaps sometimes shouldering too much and failing to delegate.

During the time Helen was the face of British Texels, the society expanded hugely and definitely ‘grew up’. Registrations came in house with the advancement of technology and then moved on to a joint venture with British Holstein.

On leaving the British Texel Sheep Society, Helen filled her time working as a house sitter and using her wonderful caring skills looking after people’s pets and often the people themselves. Helen also spent a great deal of time making halters for many breeders. She will be greatly missed for her clerical stewarding at the Royal Welsh Show and the Royal Welsh Winter Fair.

Helen had spent the last 10 years renovating a Pembrokeshire house during her ‘spare time’. After six months of illness, Helen died suddenly and her funeral service was held on 10th July 2010.

LLANTHOMAS TEXELS ----------------------------------------Reduction Sale on behalf of Powell and Marion Jones

102 PEDIGREE TEXEL FEMALES AND RAMS

34 Gimmers, 66 Senior Ewes and 2 Shearling Rams Wednesday, 8th September at 6 p.m. at Brecon Market Joint Auctioneers: Gareth Griffiths, Clee Tompkinson & Francis Tel: 01874 622488 and Chris Jones, McCartneys Tel: 01874 622386

SHEEP SOCIETY

www.texel.co.uk

SOUTH WALES TEXEL BREEDERS ----------------------------------------ON FARM DISPERSAL SALE OF THE YNYSAU FLOCK On Behalf of Mr D G & Mrs E A Richards, Tegfryn, Pumpsaint, Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire, SA19 8YY

120 PEDIGREE TEXEL FEMALES AND RAMS 52 Senior Ewes, 29 Gimmers, 29 Ewe Lambs, 3 Stock Rams & 10 Ram Lambs

Friday, 20th August at 5 p.m.

All Wales Champion Flock 1999 and South Wales Champion Flock 2008 Clee Tompkinson & Francis 13 Lion Street, Brecon, LD3 7HY Tel: 01874 622488/07971 111094

www.ctf-uk.com

Another first for the Texel Society as PRT & Signet launch the new Lambing Ease EBV for Texels.

I

n the past few years cost analysis of sheep production has focused the need to develop easy-care systems. A number of features have been identified. Most popularly, but by no means exclusively, easier lambing is always on the agenda as this is perceived to reduce labour requirements , lamb losses and shepherding stress . This comes as a challenge to those at the top end of the pyramid of pedigree breeding of Terminal Sires and, for that matter, of Crossing-sires as well.

This summer the National Texel Breeding Evaluation produced

by Signet provided a new Estimated Breeding Value for Lambing Ease to assist breeders to identify Texel sires whose progeny will require less assistance at lambing. Breeders have been collecting Lambing Ease Scores for a number of years and via a Spark award from Genesis Faraday and geneticist support from Egenes the latest commercially valuable EBV has been created, benefiting the Texel breeders and the Industry as a whole.

It predicts the genetic variation that exists in a ram’s ability to produce lambs that are born without assistance. Expressed as the proportion of extra unassisted lambing events that are expected to arise from a particular sire relative to one with an EBV of zero.

High, more positive Lambing Ease EBVs are more favourable.

Produced as a direct assessment indicating the ease with which a ram’s progeny will be born. In the case of a ewe it is not so much an indicator of how easily she will produce a lamb herself, but rather the ease which her son’s progeny will be born.

For example, a ram with an EBV of +6.0 would be expected, on average to produce 3% more unassisted lambing events compared to a ram with an EBV of 0.0, the figure being halved, as rams will only contribute half of their genes to the next generation.

Interpreting Lambing Ease EBVs The EBV will take into account data on the lamb itself, all known relatives, as well as performance data on related traits that are known to influence lambing ease – such as birth weight and muscling.

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Texel Sheep Society Welsh National Premier Show & Sale Sale Saturday 28th August (Show Friday 27th) Welshpool Livestock Sales Buttington Cross, Buttington Welshpool, Powys, SY21 8SR

For further information phone

02476 696629 Or visit the website

www.texel.co.uk

SHEEP SOCIETY

www.woodburningstoveslimited.com 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

HADDO FLOCK – KWJ The Autumn Texel Female Sales will kick off with a major flock reduction sale from the Haddo flock at Carlisle on Friday 13th August. Will Knock and his sons, Andrew & Graham, will forward 85 stock Ewes & Gimmers from their long established, very successful flock.

Willie stated that the sale should provide a unique opportunity for both new and established breeders to acquire top quality females from well proven female lines.

The sale will include full sisters or close female relatives of many high prices rams sold by the Knox’s in recent years, such rams include:-

The most successful stud Rams used in the 20 year flock history, all of whom will be represented by daughters, were nominated by Graham Knox as follows:-

Glenside Forsyth (9,000gns) Craighead Hercules (50,000gns) Top Hill Joe (122,000gns) Glenside Loneranger (22,000gns) Cowal Maverick (14,000gns) Anglezarke Nimrod (9,000gns) Millar Outsmart (22,000gns)

Haddo Just Right (17,000gns) Jordan (18,000gns) Knoxie (30,000gns) Kinship (10,000gns) King Ransome (9,000gns) Leduc (11,000gns) Neptune (14,000gns)

The majority of the above sires, proved their all round excellence by siring progeny in the 5 figure bracket, while the outstanding Hercules was possibly the first Texel sire to reach “Millionaire” status via his progeny sales.

Andrew stated that the sale will represent a true cross section of the flock, as only a few Gimmers & senior Ewes will be retained in addition to the 2010 Ewe Lamb crop. He was also confident that the sale buyers would attain future success with progeny from their purchases.

more photos available to view at www.macgregorphotography.com

HADDO T EX ELS MAJOR REDUCTION SALE

FRIDAY 13th AUGUST 1PM BORDERWAY MARKET CARLISLE - 85 STOCK EWES AND GIMMERS

Main Sires: Craighead

Hercules, Tophill Joe, Glenside Loneranger,

Cowal Maverick, Anglezarke Nimrod, Millars

Outsmart.

MV ACC, SCRAPIE MONITORED, EAE ACC, BLUE TONGUE VACCINATED

CATALOGUES FROM AUCTIONEERS HARRISON AND HETHERINGTON: 01228 406230 ENQUIRIES: W J KNOX

01651 891264 / 07990540526 / 07751417100

SHEEP SOCIETY

www.texel.co.uk