DRAKE, Sask. — A popular European sheep breed continues to make inroads in Canada.
The Texel, a Dutch breed named after the Isle of Texel off the coast of the Netherlands, has gained popularity among commercial breeders, said Mels Gandelann of the Canadian Texel Association.
However, a lower lambing rate of 1.6 to 1.8 lambs per year has long been a stumbling block for purebred breeders.
Even so, Gandelann estimates there are now 35 to 40 registered purebred Texel breeders in Canada, which is an increase from six in the 1970s.
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Richard Herlinveaux, who raises purebred Texel and Hampshire sheep at Hazelmere Farm near Victoria with his father, Robin, and moth-e r, Maureen, said Texels have become the dominant breed in Europe because of their well-muscled, high meat carcasses.
This is third year Hazelmere Farm has brought Texels to the Grasslands All Canada Sheep Classic, which was held recently in Drake.
Richard said the breed has continued to do well alongside the Hampshires.
Robin started breeding Texels four years ago after attending the Royal Smithfield Show in London, England. The overwhelming representation of the breed at that show led him to conclude it was worth considering on this side of the Atlantic.
“I’ve seen the carcass qualities: trim, neat, and clean,” he said.
“The English breeds are good, but they’ve got a lot of waste on them. But you cross those two up and boy you’ve got a heck of a lamb.”
Gandelann said sheep producers in Canada are typically paid on a per lamb basis rather than for the quality of carcasses. He hopes recent developments in Quebec, where a quality-based system has been established, bodes well for the future of purebred Texels in Canada. Higher quality carcasses could make up for Texel’s lower lambing rate under such a system.
Gandelann said Canadian breeders still have a long way to go to increase the quality of their flocks.
Breeders are scattered from Nova Scotia to British Columbia, which prevents the breed from attaining the levels of market share it enjoys in smaller European countries.
Travelling such large distances makes it more difficult for breeders to obtain the best genetics.
Robin Herlinveaux said that even though the breed requires more husbandry than other breeds, he thinks the future for the breed is bright in Canada and will continue to raise them.
“We’re very happy with the Texels, and we’re going to promote them,” he said.
