Swifter sheep
The Swifter sheep (also spelled Swifterschaf or Swifter sheep ) is a breed of meat sheep that was recreated in the 1970s at the Wageningen Agricultural University . By crossing Texelbock and the Flemish dairy sheep , productivity should be increased. The meat production should come from the Texelbock, the milk production and the multiple births from the Flemish dairy sheep, so that the Swift sheep should have no problem raising 3 lambs per litter.
The name Swifter comes from the fact that the first Swift sheep was born in Swifterbant in Flevopolder.
The first Swifterherdebuch was opened on December 2nd, 1982.
Breed description
- White sheep with mostly dark or light-colored nose tips.
- Unwanted hornless narrow head with ears protruding forwards, occasionally small black pigment spots on the head and ears can appear.
- The wool is a white crossbred wool with 33–35 micrometers.
- The tail is usually not woolly or lightly woolly, especially it is relatively short.
- The legs and extremities are white and woolly.
- The claws are black.
- The bone structure is delicate.
- Seasonal oestrus cycle with a long oestrus season.
- Well muscled body.
- Early maturing, medium-sized beef sheep.
Breeding goal
- Fertile sheep with a long heat season.
- High milk yield
- Correct foundation
- Slender bone structure
- White fleece with belly puffing without black hair in the wool or on the extremities
- Medium frame with good muscles
Performance data
Old rams
- Body weight: 95–130 kg
- Height at withers: 70–75 kg
- Fleece weight: 3.5-4.5 kg
Yearling bucks
- Body weight: 80-100 kg
- Fleece weight: 3.5-4.5 kg
Lamb rams (6 months)
- Body weight: 45–60 kg
Breeding lambs (6 months)
- Body weight: 40–50 kg
Ewes
- Body weight: 60–70 kg
- Height at withers: 65–70 kg
- Fleece weight: 3–4 kg
- Lambing result: 230-280%