Texel
Ovis aries
Dutch breed with exceptional muscling and very low external fat. ATBA registered. Popular as a terminal sire in crossbreeding programs for lean, well-muscled market lambs.
Breed referenceImage · pending
The shape of the breed,
in plain English.
Dutch breed with exceptional muscling and very low external fat. ATBA registered. Popular as a terminal sire in crossbreeding programs for lean, well-muscled market lambs.
Owner-experience
across 7 dimensions.
Each bar is a 1 to 5 score from breed-knowledgeable owners. Read the bar labels for the trade-off the dimension captures.
Temperament
Flocking instinct
Independent. Scatters easily; harder to drive as a group.Strong flocking instinct. Moves cohesively with the flock.
Lambing ease
Often requires assistance. Best lambed in jugs with supervision.Lambs unassisted on pasture; rarely needs intervention.
Maternal ability
Modest mothering. May reject lambs or need supplementation.Excellent mothering. Strong milk, protective, twins or triplets common.
Parasite resistance
Susceptible. Requires regular deworming.Highly resistant. Tolerates parasite pressure with minimal anthelmintic.
Coat and maintenance
Wool quality / fiber fineness
No wool or coarse hair fiber.Fine wool (sub-22 micron). Premium fiber market.
Heat tolerance
Heat-sensitive. Production drops above 80 F.Heat-tolerant. Maintains condition above 90 F.
Foraging / forage efficiency
Requires high-quality forage.Easy keeper on modest pasture and rangeland.
Heritable traits
in Texel.
Each row is one heritable trait. The frequency label tells you how often it appears across the breed.
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