Blue Texel society up and running

The recently launched Irish Blue Texel Society has confirmed a date of Friday 9 August for its first show and sale. The show takes place at 4pm with the sale commencing at 7pm including an entry of 50 hogget ewes/rams and ewe lambs/ram lambs. The breed is relatively new to the Irish sheep sector but secretary Philip Crowe is heartened by the numbers which have appeared since work began on establishing the society in 2018. He says there are 30 members signed up and interest is growing.

The Blue Texel breed is distinctive due to its blue-black wool colour. Approximately 90% of lambs will be born white in a crossbred situation. They are marketed on their terminal attributes and characterised for their conformation and kill-out potential.

Philip adds that lambs are easily finished and offer the potential to kill at lighter liveweights and improve conformation when teamed up with lesser-conformed breeds such as hill crosses.

Meanwhile, group member Ann Gunning says there has been a good reaction from young handlers who find the medium-sized sheep easier to handle. Contact Philip on 086-074 3931 for further details.

Borris ewe breeders

The Borris Ewe Breeders Association is moving its sale from a Thursday for the first time in the association’s history. Group chair Maurice O’Donoghue says the move to Saturday 17 August for the association’s show and sale of Suffolk Cheviot cross females is a one-off decision which has been taken to avoid a clash with a local show.

The sale, which takes place in Borris mart, starts with ewe lambs at 11am and ewes at 1pm. The second sale will revert to the traditional Thursday sale date.

First sale for Irish Suffolks

The first sale of the recently formed Irish Suffolk Sheep society takes place on Saturday 3 August in Roscrea Mart. Secretary Anne Mitchell says the society has 90 members with membership growing. Anne says the aim of new society members is to “produce hardier and more commercial type of Suffolk sheep presented for sale in their natural state”.

Good variation at Maam Cross sale

The Maam Cross Mule Group has a confirmed entry of 1,200 ewe lambs for its sale on Saturday 17 August in Maam Cross Mart, Co Galway. The 12-member group has been operating for over 30 years. Group member Stephen Joyce says there is a good variation in sheep on offer. “We have breeders working with the traditional Scottish Blackface ewe, while others have incorporated Lanark genetics. The same can be said for the Bluefaced Leicester rams. Some are using the traditional Blue while others have gone for a cross-type ram but all have the characteristics of hardy maternal sheep.”