Sheep breeding is not the last in the livestock industry. Promising breeds of these animals, such as texel, bring sheep breeding to a whole new level. Learn more about the wonderful meat and wool breed.

Origin, breed history

The history of the breed originates in Ancient Rome, where, according to historical information, the ancestors of modern texel were bred. In the XIX century in Europe there was a great demand for lamb, which served as an impetus for the development of sheep breeding. The modern history of the breed begins on the Dutch island of Texel, which today is known for its annual catamaran regatta . Did you know? The textile industry in its entire history has created many artificial fabrics that repeat the quality of natural materials, but there is still no analogue of sheep’s wool.

Sheep with the island of the same name was brought to the British Isles, where they thoroughly took up breeding work. To obtain productive individuals with lean meat, representatives of the breed were crossed with sheep Leicester, Lincoln, Kent and Wensleydale.

Characteristic and appearance

Texel by his behavior refutes the statement about the herd of sheep: these animals perfectly tolerate loneliness. An advantage in characterizing a breed is its peaceful nature.

There are three varieties of the breed:

• English - characterized by more elongated limbs and less body weight;
• Dutch is the most productive meat variety;
• French - famous for the early ripening of lambs.

Options

The dimensions of the animals are impressive:

• growth at the withers of a ram up to 87 cm, in a sheep up to 75 cm;
• male weight up to 160 kg, females up to 70 kg;
• the weight of the newborn lamb is 5–7 kg.

Color and color

The description of the breed standard includes three main coat colors:

• white
• the color of coffee with milk;
• white with a blue tint.

In this case, the head and limbs are painted white, there may be dark or black spots on the nose, around the eyes, on the ears and knees.

Lambs wool

The coat is thick, soft with strong curls. Wool is in demand due to its color, softness and flexibility in processing.

Important! In order for the coat to have a representative appearance, not to be burnt out or damaged during walking, a haircut is carried out in early summer.

Body structure features

The peculiarity of the breed in the absence of horns in males; although they are sometimes found, but in their infancy. The backbone of animals is powerful, with a rectangular type of body, on short, strong limbs. Individuals have developed muscle mass. The flat back tapers towards the lumbar region, the tail is thin and short.

Video: Sheep, Texel breed

On the muzzle of elongated shape are short, widely spaced ears. The frontal part is wide with no signs of hair. The eyes are often surrounded by a dark edging, the skin of the nose is black.

Productivity indicators

Texel has a good meat return - 60% of live weight . The quality of the products is high: the meat is tender, with no fat, juicy and does not have a specific smell of lamb. In the market, meat is also valued for its speed of preparation; rack of lambs is especially popular. By 4-5 years old, the animal is ready for slaughter, at this age it already has sufficient muscle mass.

Productivity in wool collection does not lag either in quality or in quantity. The hair is of medium length, its thickness is 30–34 microns and the quality of the rune belongs to the middle class. From one male, up to 7 kg of raw material is obtained, females give 5-6 kg.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of the breed in low-calorie, not having sharp aromas, meat.

• Other advantages:
• dual direction;
• early puberty;
• high productivity;
• unpretentiousness in the content;
• lack of aggression in males;
• good adaptation to a new climate;
• good health;
• the safety of tribal characters when crossing.

• Disadvantages:
• the process of the birth of lambs should be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian (difficulties are possible);
• a good daily gain of lambs lasts up to 3 months, then drops to 300 g per day;
• severe labor process caused the appearance of offspring once a year.

Maintenance and care rules

For the herd in the cold season, you need a room with a temperature of at least + 10 ° C. The shepherd must be bright, have ventilation, and the room must be dry . An area of ​​2 m² is allocated for each individual. It is necessary to take into account the material of the floor covering: it will be cold on concrete for animals, and on soft floors there is a risk of developing foot diseases.

A better option would be a tree. It is advisable to make the door of two wings so that the sheep do not push and 2 individuals can pass at the same time. For drinking bowls, separate containers are selected for each individual, since they drink a lot - 7-10 liters per day. Feeders set elongated, on several heads. Did you know? Sheep has excellent visual memory: they can remember the face of the owner after many years.

In summer, the herd should be released into the pasture, while the fence is better to make thorough. Powerful and tall animals jump over the low hedge, and demolish the flimsy one.

Texel food in winter consists of 3 components:

• grain (oats, beans, barley) - dry and in the form of cereals;
• vegetables and fruits - chopped;
• hay.

In summer, the main food of the herd is green food, from which sheep receive vitamins and minerals, a supply of which is enough for the winter.

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Breeding

Females are considered to be sexually mature for 7–9 months. The mating period in sheep falls in the autumn period. The female has no problems, but, given the large breed, the veterinarian should observe the birth. Lambs of 5-7 kg weigh heavily pass through the birth canal.

Newborn individuals quickly become mobile and independent. The very next day they can be released for a walk. Up to 3 months of age, the lambs demonstrate a good daily gain of up to 600 g, but after this age the gain decreases to 300 g per day.

Important! If the female gave birth to 3 lambs, one of them needs to be given to feed the other uterus, the mother will not have enough milk.

Diseases, their prevention

Texels are distinguished by excellent health and physical development, but they are prone to parasites. Causes of infection can be insects or poor sanitary conditions.

Signs are:

• blood in the urine, fever (pyroplasmosis);
• loss of appetite and weight, diarrhea (echinococcosis);
• increased appetite for weight loss, hair loss, anxiety (helminths).

At the first sign, you need to call a veterinarian who, after conducting tests and clarifying the diagnosis, will prescribe adequate treatment. Prevention of parasites is deworming of lambs, hygiene in the shepherd.

White muscle disease, which affects young animals, can lead to death . Lambs suffer from cramps and breathing problems; they are not held by limbs. The bad news is that it cannot be cured. You can prevent the disease by providing good care and nutrition to a pregnant female.

Mastitis is a disease of a nursing female. The reason is a cold floor or early weaning. The treatment your doctor prescribes is likely to be done with antibiotics. Warming compresses and improved living conditions also help.

Read more about grazing sheep properly.

Breeding prospects

Low-calorie meat, lamb, is valued in many countries, in some also for religious reasons, so sheep breeding can be considered a very profitable occupation in general. If we go to particulars, texel is one of the most promising breeds in this direction. The world community already knows and appreciates the quality of its meat and wool products .

Breeding sheep does not require a lot of costs : they are unpretentious in care, they do not need expensive special food. The breed is characterized by excellent health and fairly rapid puberty. That is, the first costs of maintenance will quickly pay off and bring profit.

Estimated cost and where to buy

The breed in Russia is not common, but you can find breeding animals in private farms. Before buying, make sure that the seller has a good reputation. A novice needs to know that the signs of the breed appear at an early age. Given the rarity of animals in our area, the price can not be low.

On various agro-portals on the Internet you can find ads for sale. Depending on the age and sex of the individual, the price ranges from 5 thousand to 12 thousand rubles. So, texel is a noteworthy breed for both experienced breeders and beginner breeders. Its advantages outweigh the cons, and productivity promises good profits.