The 2012 lamb crop shall be off six different rams, the four Texel ram’s used are as follows:

 

Ballyhivistock Performer, who this year sired Ballyhivistock Seismic which sold at the N.I. Premier sale for 1,600gns. He is a proven ram who’s daughter’s are the best females we have ever bred, they are the future of the flock and we are looking forward to the first of his gimmers lambing. He also had two son’s last year working in Pedigree Flock’s and both of these flock’s have also reported very favourable results with the females bred off these ram’s and increased prices for their ram lamb’s. We have chosen ewe’s for Performer for the 2012 lamb crop which have either bred well to him before, or are the same bloodlines of those who have. Performer is all about scale, skin and carcass. Below is a photograph of Performer as a two year old.

 

 

Ballyhivistock Poser, who we purchased back jointly from Mostragee Texel's in conjunction with Tosh’s Texel’s, he is a Tamnamoney Ned son out of one of our best ewes by Tullylagan Jackman, she will be six years old in 2012 and is a big powerful ewe with a good mouth and correct udder. This ram as a lamb was third at Ballymoney show, only beaten by Livery Predator and Clougher President, and we sold him at the N.I. Premier sale for 1,100gns. He is a great carcass ram, with a bold eye. He would be perfect to put on Performer daughter’s, but unfortunately the dam’s of both ram’s are by Jackman. Therefore we have put some of the larger ewes which normally went to Performer to Poser as we feel they may suit him better, he has also been put to a number of pure rouge ewe’s and gimmer’s to breed rouge x Texel females as we feel he is perfect for the job.

 

Hullhouse Schnapps, purchased at the Scottish National Sale in Lanark on 25th August 2011, he is a son of Castlecairn Red Arrow and out of the Hullhouse show ewe by Knock Orocco, Hullhouse Rose-woof (she can be seen on the Hullhouse Texel’s website). He is really pleasing us, he has a great carcass and skin combined with terrific movement. We felt he would be a great combination with Performer ewe’s so was given the majority of his gimmer’s along with a number of Tamnamoney Playboy gimmer’s and a number of proven ewe’s, including the dam of Ballyhivistock Popstar. Below is a photograph of Schnapps.

 

 

 

 

The two Rouge ram’s used this year are as follows:

 

Glengalliagh Hamish, he needs no introduction to rouge breeder’s in N.I. as a shearling he won the goblet at Limavady show for the top Shearling ram in N.I., this was the only time we showed him. He also bred the Supreme Champion at the rouge sale in Ballymena 2010 and the Champion ram lamb and top price 2011. We sold him this year due to the number of daughter’s now retained, but prior to him leaving the premises we used him to tup a couple of ewes.

 

Glengalliagh Lancelot, this is a private purchase from Moore Hamilton. This lamb is big and powerful and stood second at Balmoral show.

 

With the above ram’s as the service sire’s for the 2012 crop at Ballyhivistock and every year the quality of ewes improving we are looking forward to seeing lambs on the ground.