Texel Sheep are known worldwide for the highest scoring lean double muscled carcasses. There is only one problem.......they
most often only have a single lamb once a year.
Here at Prolific Acres Sheep Farm, we have been diligently
and tirelessly working to produce a genetic strain of Texels that regularly produces twins.
We are accomplishing
this using a prolificacy gene called THE BOOROOLA GENE. This single identifiable gene is responsible for how many eggs
are produced by the ovary in the ewe at breeding. A ewe that carries one copy (B+) will produce 1 more lamb per lambing.
A ewe that carries 2 copies (BB) will produce 2 more lambs per lambing.
We are currently the only farm
in Canada with Booroola-Texel breeding stock. Currently we only have limited numbers available for sale, but as time
goes on we expect to be able to offer more.
We produced the first documented DNA Certified BB Booroola
Ram here in Canada in 2006. We have used him for 2 seasons now on Texel blood ewes and he has been sold to our new partners
in this enterprise, Ron & Adele Service of Black Walnut Lane. They will take possession of him in time for the 2008
breeding season to use on their Texel ewes. Between us, we should be able to supply the ever increasing demand for TWINNING
TEXELS.
We have successfully produced 1 more BB Ram in 2007, whom is now a yearling and will replace
the original sold to the Service family.
We will be DNA testing this year's progeny to determine
how many more BB rams we have produced this year (2008). BB's are very rare and difficult to produce.
We
will begin registering Booroola Texel ewes in 2009 as follows:
Since CLRC allows for registration of
% Texels, we will breed the Booroola (B+ and BB) ewes to a Registered Texel Ram each year, thus increasing their Texel blood
with each generation. We will continue to track the B-Gene throughout each genetic line. Their B-status will be
noted on their Registration papers as well. They will be considered purebred at 15/16 and rams at 31/32 as per CLRC
rules.
Contact us for TWINNING TEXELS. DOUBLE your lambing average in one generation! The
wave of the future!
