BREED STANDARD
These are the set guidelines which are used to ensure that the Badger Face Texel Sheep produced by a breeder conform to the specifics of the Breed. The Badger Face Texel is predominantly a carcass breed but just as any other member of the Texel family, it is ideal for both Terminal and Maternal Sire production.
A mature ram should weigh about 95kg and a mature ewe about 75 kg.
The height of the breed will be approx 75cm.
Colour Patterns & Markings
Please see 'Gallery for colour variation and examples of correct markingHs
Head & Neck
The head needs to be as dark as possible (Black) although hues of blue and brown are permissible. There should be two vertical eyebrow style markings on the inside of both eyes; these should be cream in colour. The underside of the lower jaw should be cream; this can be a solid mark or split into two sections this can run to the throat but should not be blotchy or mottled in appearance. The bottom lip should be solid black or have a cream mark in the centre. The ears should have cream edging to the outside of the ears.
Body
The main body colour of a Badger Face Texel Sheep varies from being almost dark black to brown but can also be various shades of blue to silver (similar to that of a Blue Texel in colour). It is known to become lighter in colour with age. The second predominant colour within the breed is cream; this cream colour gives the breed its distinguishable markings.
Legs
Front Legs should be cream from the hoof wall up to the knee or anywhere in between, and dark coloured from the knee upwards. However, on the back of the front legs, the cream marking can continue from the hoof wall to elbow.
Hind Legs should be cream from the hoof wall to the hock joint, this cream mark can continue up on the inside of the leg.
Head and Neck
Teeth and Mouth
The Badger Face Texel should have a strong distinctive skull. The head should not be quite as strong as a Texel in order to maintain the breeds Easy lambing traits.
Bright clear eyes.
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Nostrils well spread.
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Broad mouth.
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Poll should be flat with no wool.
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Ears should be alert, well set ideally "Ten to Two”
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Well-muscled medium length neck not to be excessively short.
The jaw should neither be undershot nor overshot and the teeth should ideally be short, straight and directly onto the pad creating a level even bite.
Body
The Badger Face Texel is a medium sized sheep with a strong, powerful, muscled, well-proportioned long wedge-shaped body. It should have an excellent topline with light to medium bone structure, pronounced muscling and long loin coupled with the unique leanness inherited from the original Texel sheep.
The Forequarters
These should be broad and deep. Shoulders should be well muscled, flat on top and no wider than the Rib cage, which must be deep and well sprung.
The Back
This should be strong and level with width and length being the objective. Loins should be as deep and wide as possible.
Quarters and Gigots
These should be well rounded and full of meat, double-muscled hindquarters with a prominent gigot. The shoulder will look narrow against the extreme muscling in the hindquarter giving the appearance of a wedge-shaped body. The tail bone at the top of the haunches to be as long and as wide as possible.
The Hindquarters
These need to be as wide as possible to aid the birth process and the reputation the breed has for its easy lambing capabilities. The Tail should be deep flushed, short, narrow and low set.
Udder
Ewes should have no hardness, lumps or malformation in the udder.
Testicles
Rams must have two well-developed testicles of approximately the same size; the testes must be easily palpable in the scrotum and of a normal firm consistency. The first image showing being correct.
Legs and Feet
The sheep should have a square and straight stance, legs should neither deviate inwards or outwards. Legs should be clean and well-proportioned to the body; joints should be straight to enable soundness of movement and good balanced mobility. Pasterns need to be relatively short, fairly upright and angulated correctly. These traits are predominantly required to enable natural service with ease.
Front Legs
Straight, balanced legs are most desirable; neither too close nor too wide apart. Bone should neither be too fine or too heavy.
The first image in each diagram is the correct position.
Back Legs
Back Legs should be well sprung from the hock set well apart but not extreme. There should be good definition of hock; not over bent or too straight. Again bone should neither be too fine or heavy.
Pasterns
Pasterns need to be relatively short, fairly upright and angulated correctly.
Feet
Feet should be compact, deep with hard hoof horn and preferably black. Long flat feet should be avoided
FLEECE
The breed should have a good quality lustrous fleece it should dense and tightly stapled but not too long nor open. It should be complete over the body without breaks but not extending down the legs or over the head.
Any sheep which do not adhere to the physical Breed Standard should not be entered into the flock book. Breeding from these sheep should be refrained from and inferior stock culled.
The only exception which will be made is for Colour and Markings. Sheep which are not correctly marked or are a Registered member of the Texel Family (Beltex, Blue Texel, Dutch Texel & Texel) can be entered into the sub-register. These sheep, however, have to be structurally correct in all the above sections. If resulting offspring from sheep registered in the Sub-Register are correctly marked these can then be entered into the main flock register.
The Badger Face Texel Society was derived from a selection of liked minded individuals to accommodate the growing demand for accommodating registrations and promotion of the breed increasing number of Badger Face Sheep also known as Dassenkops within the UK.
The Dassenkop is rapidly gaining popularity within Europe in particular Belgium & Holland.