Blue Texel



The Blue Texel, Blauwe Texelaar, is a Dutch breed or strain of meat sheep. It is a colour variety of the Texel, which originates on the island of Texel in the Wadden Sea. A flock-book for blue sheep within the Texel breed was started in 1983, and a breed society was formed in that year.

History
The Texel originates on the island of Texel in the Wadden Sea. Blue-woolled lambs were sometimes born in Texel flocks, but little attention was paid to them until the 1970s, when deliberate breeding for blue colour began, and some blue flocks were established. A flock-book for blue sheep within the Texel breed was started in 1983, and a breed society was formed in that year.

By 2008–2009 numbers had risen to about $6,500$ head; in 2021 the total population was estimated at about $4,000$, with $2,545$ registered breeding ewes. Its conservation status was listed by the FAO as 'not at risk' in 2007; in 2023 it was listed in DAD-IS as 'endangered/at risk'.

Outside Holland, the Blue Texel is reported by Belgium and Germany.