Texel society puts £100,000 in to research

The British Texel Sheep Society has created a £100,000 research and development fund.

The fund, created entirely from society cash reserves is intended to support future innovation for the development of the breed to suit UK commercial customers, explained British Texel Sheep Society chief executive John Yates.

“In deciding unanimously to create this fund the society’s board has committed to securing the breed’s future in the UK sheep industry. Having gone from a standing start to becoming the UK’s leading terminal sire in just over 35 years, the breed and its breeders have continually adapted to changing market requirements. This fund will help continue this work and enable the breed to stay ahead of its competitors.”

The fund will be used for a variety of projects, explained Mr Yates. “The Society’s Breed Development Committee, under the chairmanship of Aubrey Andrews, who also chairs the society’s PRT committee, is tasked with providing suitable initiatives as recommendations for the full board.

Mr Andrews said the creation of the fund was fantastic news for the future of the breed. “I’m sure it will act as a launch pad for new projects over the coming years.”

The society currently have in more than 10,000 fully performance recorded lambs produced a year, a 19.5% increase over the past three years and this is expected to grow further in 2012. In addition, the breed has seen a major increase in CT scanning, supported financially for the first time by the society, with a 104% increase in the number of lambs submitted for CT scanning compared to 2010.

The society will use its resources to ensure new technologies are available to the general membership for the breeds’ development.