The Textra™ was developed in 1996 using a mix of Texel, Coopworth and East Friesian breeds. The aim was to create a high performance dual purpose flock which can deliver its own mated live weight in lamb production by weaning at 100 days from birth. The Textra™ has an early reproductive ability which allows for hogget lambing results of 110-140% scanned in lamb, the mature ewe scans around 200% to the ram. Good milk production and high growth are features of this composite.
Key features:
- Lambing:- Ewe 200% Tailing 160-190%
- Hogget 120-150% Tailing 110-130%
- Lamb Dress out 44-48% Meat Yield 54-57%
- Wool Weight 4-6kg/head Adult Micron 36-38
This flock continues to perform well from North Island Hill country to South Island flat to rolling. Features highly in Central Progeny Test Dual Purpose Meat and Growth as well as SIL ACE reports. Past winner of the New Zealand Golden Lamb Award overall and finalists in this event and a winner in the National EWE Hogget Competition.
Performance recorded flock no 4669 on Sheep Improvement Limited (SIL).
Traits tested:
Physical type inspection x 3, weaning weight, 200 day weight, adult weight x 2/year, fleece weight, muscle, growth and fat measures, reproduction, milking, survival and longevity.
DNA testing for cold tolerance, muscling, Carla, microphtalmia, foot resistance, 5K and 50K SNP, Lamb max (GDF9) fertility gene.
There are 3 comments on this post
July 09, 2017
I am from Western Australia, about 12 years ago my wife and I visited your property. Peter and Marion were very generous to us with Peter showing us around all of the farm and sheep, at this stage you had East Friesian and were crossing them Texels etc, it was early days then for the cross.
We had East Friesians and knew that we had to cross them with something to harden them up, Peter at this time was not impressed with most Texels in the Southern Hemisphere. So when we got home we crossed them with Poll Dorsets and had good success with that cross. We retired several years ago so sold them all, but like all farmers was so bored we have started again with some composite ewes and have just managed to find a source of EF x Texel rams (Hard to find in W.A.) from a sheep dairy in Mount Barker near Albany.
We have never forgotten the generosity of your family and the information that we picked up from there. So thank you very very much.
Regards Ken And Barbara Sloan sloany5@westnet.com.au
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