Texel Sheep
In 2004 Eagles Ranch's sheep breeding farm have started a new
form of cooperation with de
Noordkroon, a sheep farm that, among others, sells cheese
from their sheep milk.
Origin of the Texel Sheep
Sheep have been present on Texel for ages. Documents dating back
as early as 1477 give us evidence about the presence of many flocks
of sheep on the island of Texel. Until 1860 they were mainly so-called
pijlstaarten, a polled, thrifty breed with good wool, but only
moderately muscled. In approximately 1860 this breed was first
crossed with Leicester Sheep and later with Lincolnshire Sheep.
This improved both meatiness and their quality of wool.
 The race
The founding of the Texel Sheep herdbook in North Holland in 1909
brought more structure to the breeding; the crossbreeding stopped
and breed characteristics were established.
Gradually the Texel Sheep developed into the sheep we know so
well today. When the herdbook was established, Texel Sheep were
mainly found in the provinces of North Holland, but nowadays they
appear in all parts of the world.
A fully-grown ram approximately weighs 95 kilos and stands 70
centimetres at the withers. A fully-grown ewe weighs approximately
75 kilos and stands 68 centimetres at the withers.
Cooperation
 In
2000, cousins Henk Zoetelief and Jan-Willem Bakker decided to devote
themselves to sheep breeding of the Texel Sheep race, free of Maedi-Visna.
Breeding is mainly focused on vitality, growth rate, fertility
and milk production. At the beginning of 2001 their 28 best Texel
ewes were entered into the auxiliary herdbook.
In 2003 this cooperation between Henk and his cousin changed:
two independent sheep farms emerged, but they still manage the
breeding rams together.  Their
rams are bought and sold with every intention of maintaining the
the best quality at both farms.
In 2004 Eagles Ranch's sheep breeding farm have started a form
of cooperation with de
Noordkroon, a sheep farm that, among others, sells cheese from
their sheep milk.
Henk takes good care of the sheep and goats and milks the sheep.
Renske, the woman farmer, is mainly occupied with selling their
products in the Netherlands as well as abroad.
For more information please contact:
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