The Irish Texel Sheep Society is set to host its premier show and sale this weekend (Friday, August 12 and Saturday, August 13) at Blessington Mart in Co. Wicklow.
The show is kicking off at 12:00p.m on the Friday. The sale of females will take place that evening at 6:30p.m, while the sale of males will take place the next morning at 10:00a.m.
Over the two days, there will be:
- 70 shearling and 220 ram lambs;
- 80 shearling ewes and 50 ewe lambs.
“We are delighted to have top-quality stock travelling from all corners of the country to this sale,” a spokesperson for the society said.
“This will give commercial farmers excellent choice, no matter what their budget is.
“The Irish Texel Sheep Society is the largest member of the LambPlus recording scheme, which gives an excellent choice of rams with stars.
“This sale will also give the pedigree breeders the prime choice of rams and ewes to add to their flock.
“The breed is renowned for their hardiness, exceptional carcass fleshing ability and are extremely clean. These traits, among others, make Texels the ideal cross of the upland or lowland ewe necessary to produce the lambs to suit the needs of the commercial sheep farmer and the meat industry.”
All sheep will be inspected on the Friday morning. The “vast majority” of lambs at the sale, according to the society, will be performance recorded, with each animal’s €uro-Star rating included in the catalogue.
And, for the first time, the sires of all lambs on offer will be DNA-verified, the society said.
Online bidding will be available through MartEye, however if bidding this way you are asked to register in advance with the mart. Ringside bidding will also be available.
Transport can be arranged too, the society said.