Swifter
The Texel is a Dutch breed of domestic sheep originally from the island of Texel off the north coast of the Netherlands. It is a heavy and muscular sheep, often exhibiting extreme muscular hypertrophy, and tends to produce leaner lambs than some other breeds. It is polled, clean-faced and clean-legged, with white face and wool. The Texel is distributed in approximately thirty-five countries in Europe, the Americas and Oceania, with estimated populations of over 5000 head in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. It is reared primarily for meat. A number of other breeds or sub-types derive from it. These include the Blue Texel, a colour variant with breed status; the British Texel, developed in Scotland in the latter twentieth century; the French Texel, developed in France from about 1930; and the Beltex and Swifter breeds.
| Life Span | 10-12 years |
| Weight | 45-160 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Swifter
Finding a responsible Swifter breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells sheeps commercially — especially those selling online or through third-party dealers — to hold a federal license and submit to regular inspections. A legitimate breeder should be willing to provide their USDA license number, invite you to visit their facility, and show you where the animals are housed and socialized.
Before committing to a purchase, ask the breeder for veterinary health records, vaccination documentation, and any genetic testing results relevant to the Swifter. Reputable breeders will also ask you questions in return — about your living situation, experience with animals, and ability to provide long-term care. A breeder who asks no questions and is eager to ship an animal immediately is a significant red flag.
Use the search tool below to check whether any USDA-licensed facilities breeding Swifters appear in our database. If they do, review their inspection history carefully. Look for patterns of violations, pay attention to severity levels, and compare their compliance grade with other breeders in the same state. This due diligence takes minutes and can save you from supporting a facility with documented animal welfare problems.
Looking for a Swifter breeder?
Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.
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