N.B.M. van Heerwaarden

Welcome of the homepage of:

N.B.M. van Heerwaarden
Kogerweg 149
1791 MJ DEN BURG-TEXEL
tel: 0222-315803/313945
fax: 0222-310380
e-mail: fa.vh@planet.nl

Flock number: 2241719
Breeder's number: 5674
11 acres of grassland

We have been breeding sheep since 1982 and since 1994 we have been registered in the Texel herdbook. First we were entered into the auxiliary herdbook with 14 sheep altogether. The lowest score back then was B+ 83 and the highest AB 87. We had been using our own breeding material, so this was not a bad start.

We are trying to raise the standard by using ram lambs of pedigree Texel breeders. We take a great deal of satisfaction in raising our own sheep to a higher level from the auxiliary herdbook.

In 1997, we bought 2 ewes from Dick Kikkert, and in 1998 we bought 5 more. Through an ever-scrupulous selection, we now have 26 breeding ewes, 13 one-year-old ewes and 4 stud rams.

You will find our farm by driving towards De Koog off the ferry and taking a right at exit number 12, past Den Burg. After about 300 metres, you will see a white 'stolp' farm on your right hand side. This is our farm.

On our farm, we aim to breed a well-developed sheep, which will lamb easily and which can suckle two lambs. Furthermore, the breed characteristics must be preserved and the sheep must radiate vitality. We think the growth rate of the lambs is very important. We keep a close eye on it by weighing the lambs three times a season: at birth, in mid August and at the end of December.

From the start, we have been involved in combating Maedi-Visna. So far not one sheep has tested positive. The last tests took place in December 2000.

In addition, we have joined the scrapie monitoring scheme. Here, too, tests turned up no sign whatever. From 1999 on, we have tested the ram lambs for scrapie.

In choosing our stud rams, we prefer ARR-ARR.

From 1997 on, we have used better rams. In that year we used 4030-2134. This produced a good ram lamb, 5674-0080. This ram lamb was registered with 90 points for muscle and 88 for general appearance. During the 1988 breeder's fair in Den Burg, he won 1A in a group of three lambs. At the winter show at Manege Akenburg and in Midden Beemster as well he became Reserve Champion. This was our first real success as sheep breeders!

In 1998, we have used ram lamb 4030-2544 especially often. This ram tested ARR-ARR and was registered with 90 points for muscle and 88 for general appearance. We have joint ownership of this ram. At the breeder's fair in Den Hoorn he was among the best five ram lambs and at the breeder's fair in Den Burg he was among the best ten. At the winter show at Manege Akenburg and some weeks later in Midden Beemster as well, this ram became champion.

This ram not only produced some good ram lambs, but good ewe lambs as well.

In 1999, we bought ram lamb 4380-2727 at the sale in Purmerend, together with two fellow breeders. He tested ARQ-ARR and is registered with 89 points for muscle and 88 for general appearance. He developed well and together with 4030-2544, we used him as stud ram. Both rams did well. They both produced ewe lambs of good quality.


In the summer of 2000, we bought half a ram lamb, number 5673-0103. Some fresh blood had become necessary. He was registered with 89 points for muscle, 88 for general appearance, and he tested ARQ-ARR. At the breeders fair in Den Burg that year, he was among the ten best ram lambs. He tupped 14 of our ewes in the autumn. The remaining ewes were tupped by 3280-2727 and 4726-1059. The latter was 1A in his category at the show in Herveld and was among the ten best ram lambs. 4726-1059 was registered with 88 for muscle, 86 for general appearance, and he tested ARQ-ARR.

Spring 2001: the foot-and-mouth disease crisis.

An awful and tense time, when we needed to improvise before and during the lambing season. Fortunately, there was some grass land adjacent to the farm, so the animals could still graze.
The lambing went smoothly, and produced some ram and ewe lambs which, on the face of it, seem nice. Ram lamb 5674-0188 has been an attractive lamb since his birth, with a very distinctive head. Neighbour van Vliet noticed this too. He is now joint owner of the ram lamb.

The summer season is usually the time to get excited about the breeders fairs, but because of foot-and-mouth disease, these could not be held.
By putting our heads together, we tried to find an alternative. Thus, two open days were organized. They were meant to give breeders not living on Texel and anyone else interested the opportunity to spend the weekend of the breeders fair on Texel. This way, they could still get an impression of what kinds of sheep had been born on Texel in 2002.
The individual farms received a lot of visitors. We, too, welcomed a great number of people. The reactions were positive. In short, it was a great success.
Hopefully we will be able to organize shows in 2002, because in our opinion they are a must. Especially when it comes to making new and maintaining old contacts.

In recent years, and again during the open days, it has become clear to us that we should only use rams with the genotype ARR-ARR for breeding purposes. This is the reason we have sold two well-breeding rams, namely 4380-2727 and 5673-103. In their stead, we have bought two ram lambs: 4255-3105 and 4255-3123. The father of ram lamb 4255-3105 is one of our own rams.

During the tupping season, we have used ARR-ARR rams exclusively.

• 4726-1059
• 4255-3105
• 4255-3123
• 5674-0188
• 4030-2985

The winter champion of 2001, 5674-0165, has been registered as an A-sheep at the autumn inspection. A milestone for our farm!

(In the picture: ewe lamb 5674-0200, daughter of ram 5673-0103)

Our ewe lambs are well developed and show good breed characteristics. All together, we have kept 21 ewe lambs. Several of those are for sale. We want to have 30 lamb sheep at most.

The ewe lambs are from the following rams:

• 4726-1059
• 4380-2727
• 5673-0130

For us, the lambing season starts on March 10. It is always an exciting, fun and busy period. We are looking forward to whatever 2002 has to bring.

You are very welcome to come see our sheep and lambs.

Nico and Tine van Heerwaarden.