‘Eye-catching’ sheep on offer at Beltex sale

LAMB producers seeking extra value from every carcass sold can get that Beltex bonus by buying at the breed sale in Beatties Pedigree Centre, outside Omagh, on Saturday.

This Beltex Export Sale has 54 eye-catching sheep from 10 respected breeders on offer with showing at 11am and sale from 12.30pm. Entries include one aged ram, 20 shearing rams, 22 shearling ewes, nine ram lambs and two ewe lambs. Judge, Ross Campbell, from the Cree Beltex Flock at Creetown in Scotland, says he looks for correctness, a good shoulder and top with deep hard gigot. Plus tight skin with a little bareness and nice shaped blue Beltex head. The Cree Flock of 30 ewes was founded by his mother in 2006.

The Beltex breed was developed from the Texel in Belgium by many of the scientists and farmers behind that ultimate double muscled beef breed, the Belgian Blue. Today, the Beltex worldwide is famed as the ultimate sheep breed for double muscling, outstanding confirmation and gigots.

Ulster breeders have been to the fore since Beltex arrived in the UK from 1989 onwards and, more recently, Donegal breeders Wade and Alison McCrabbe, of the Ardstewart Flock, paid a record 27,000 guineas for a Beltex ram lamb.

For further details of the Beltex export event, contact Beatties Pedigree Centre on 07984 694616 or Beltex Club secretary Elizabeth Wilson on 07709 376361. Catalogues can be viewed on the local club’s Facebook or at the British Beltex Sheep Society website, www.beltexsheepsociety.co.uk.