Blue Texel
The Blue Texel is a Dutch breed of meat sheep. It is a colour variety of the Texel, which originates on the island of Texel in the Wadden Sea. It was established as a separate breed in 1983.[4]: 765 [2]
 An ewe with her lamb | |
| Conservation status | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Netherlands |
| Use | meat |
| Traits | |
| Weight | |
| Height | |
| Wool colour | blue |
| |
History
The Blue Texel was first registered and recorded in the early 1970s in Holland when a blue lamb was born to white Texel parents. After this occurred, Texels were deliberately bred to give birth to blue lambs. By 1983 there were 11 flocks with a total of 213 blue texel sheep.[5]
Breed standard
- Head should be narrow with a white halter mark
- Flat poll with no wool and head covered in fine hair with white tips on the ears
- Medium-sized sheep with a well-muscled body
- Fleece must be dense
- They should stand square and balanced
- Ideal color is a darker head and shoulder, light blue color on the back, and dark again around their back end.
- Black fleece with little or no white markings is not acceptable[6]
Distribution
Blue Texels originated in Holland. They can now be found throughout Europe including Holland and The United Kingdom. The Blue Texel has not yet made its way to North America.
Uses
Blue Texels are typically used as a terminal sire in commercial flocks to add muscle and other meat characteristics to the lambs. Their fleeces are also becoming more popular due to their unique colour pattern. Blue Texels are a new breed in the show ring and often catch the eye of the judge.[6]
See also
References
- Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
- Breed data sheet: Blauwe Texelaar / Netherlands (Sheep). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed April 2022.
- Transboundary breed: Blue Texel. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed April 2022.
- Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
- (http://www.pedigreefarmer.co.uk), Site developed by Pedigree Farmer. "Blue Texel Sheep Society". www.blue-texel-sheep.com. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
- Cunnane, Catherina (2015-10-21). "All you need to know about Blue Texel Sheep | THATSFARMING.COM". That's Farming. Archived from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved 2017-04-03.
External links
