Britain is leading the way in sheep breeding

The biennial event for the northern English counties is this year on Wednesday, June 8 at West Nubbock Farm, Hexham.

One of the opening events will be a breakfast seminar on export opportunities, organised by the British Livestock Genetics Consortium, a self-help organisation for livestock breeders chaired by a former export manager for the Meat & Livestock Commission, Henry Lewis, and assisted by EBLEX.

Mr Lewis says British sheep breeding has leapt ahead with the help of the EBLEX-run Signet system for recording the breeding and growing performances of ram and ewe lines.

The discussion will be chaired by David Dixon of Hartley Castle Farm, Kirkby Stephen, who has sold hundreds of Texel-cross sheep to France.

In Yorkshire, Stephen Richardson and wife Sherry of Great Houghton, between Barnsley and Doncaster, have been building up a trade with Romania in pure-bred Texel rams and ewes and got an order from Brazil last year for 250 straws from one ram ... although the deal fell through when they got the animal to the Wolverhampton AI centre and his semen would not freeze.

The BLGC stresses that exporting requires investment to meet customer demand for health assurances and adaptability to cope with the hitches and the voluminous paperwork.

The Richardsons have helped fix Romanian deals for other farmers, in Yorkshire and in Scotland. And through involvement with the Texel Society, they are aware of demand from Switzerland and Brazilian neighbours including Guyana.

Henry Lewis said: “Britain has the biggest sheep industry in Europe and we are not really capitalising on the advantages which come from that. We can offer potential importers a comprehensive package deal, from breeding animals to management and training consultancy.

“The Americans are busy selling around the world and they do not have the right sheep for most people. Their industry is only a quarter of ours.

“The British have been playing the cross-breed game for a long time – as in crossing Swaledales with Bluefaced Leicesters to get the competitive Mule – and we have invested a lot in breed improvement more recently.”

English Mules have become popular in France and Germany and Swaledale and Blueface breeders are among those finding their bloodlines in demand.

Mr Lewis’s organisation is looking for farmers to meet visiting missions, at North Sheep and beyond. Email [email protected]/

To attend the seminar, simply turn up on the day.

For more on the event, see www.northsheep.org.uk or contact Julie Sedgewick on 01325 314650. Entry to NSA North Sheep on the day will be £12 for adults, £6 for NSA members, free for students and under-15s. Discounts available for advance booking.

There’s still time to enter

ENTRIES are still being sought for the stock judging competitions at North Sheep.

Carrs Billington Agriculture has put up £450 in prizes for four categories – gents, ladies, under-25s and under-18s – in judging of Blackface, Bluefaced Leicester, Mule, Swaledale, Texels and a novelty class.

In a separate competition, on the EBLEX stand, Shearwell Data is offering £100 for the best judge of lambs and £50 for the best under-21. See website or call Julie Sedgewick on 01325 314650.