BOOROOLA TEXEL SHEEP

Research

The Booroola gene is a major gene for litter size. The Animal Science Group in the Netherlands

has via systematic back breeding established this fertility gene in the Texel breed.

The gene is single inherit by this consequence are sheep homozygote or hetrozygote in producing offspring.

The homozygote animals (double alel) are producing about 1.5 lam more and heterozygote (single alel)

are producing about 0.6 till 0.9 lam more. By farm circumstances are mostly heterozygote animals for the

gene being used. The presence of the Booroola gene in the individual animal can by prove by DNA.

For economic reasons the chose  the Texel breed. This outstanding meat sheep has only one problem,

a desirable lack of fertility. After the introduction of the gene there is united an outstanding meat sheep

with a lot of lams.

* SPECTACULAIR INCREASSE OF INCOME *

The Booroola Texel Sheep proofs a considerable rent ability by farmer circumstances.

by introduction of a heterozygote gene ram in a flock with a litter size of 1.6 there is released an increase

to litter size of 2.4 lam.

Summary an increase of income of Euro 51,40 per  ewe (meat prizes 2003). By import of a (expensive?)

Booroola Texel ram in a flock, the investment is  quickly returned (also for a small flock)