MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Poll Dorset and Texel Plus breeder visits Falklands.

A delegation from Tattykeel Stud, an outstanding Australian breeder of meat sheep which has also extended to South America will be visiting the Falkland Islands this Saturday.

Tattykeel founded in 1960 by the Gilmore family from Oberon, New South Wales is considered the most successful farm with Poll Dorset and the only one so far to develop Texel Plus.

The delegation is made up of Graham Gilmore, Mario Aishemberg from Uruguay and Günther Schmidt-Lermann regional agent and organizer of the tour.

The full week agenda includes meeting farmers on both East and West Falklands, visiting the Sand Bat abattoir and holding meeting with officials from the Department of Agriculture.

Mr. Aishemberg said the visit intends to promote cross breeds of Poll Dorset and Texel with local sheep, aiming at producing a Prime Heavy Lamb similar to those developed in Australia, which in 4/5 months manage 40 kilos of lean, tender meat.

Exporting Prime Heavy Lamb to the United Kingdom is a complementary activity of Tattykeel.

Operating from Uruguay Tattykeel Stud has Prime Heavy Lamb production projects in Tierra del Fuego, Uruguay and is starting up in Chile.

Until the early eighties the Falkland Islands economy was based on wool farming and currently has a flock of over half a million which are dual purpose breeds with relatively fine fleeces and lambs with large frames.

The Falklands recently built an European Union accredited abattoir with the purpose of selling lamb and mutton locally and overseas.