LLEYN - THE MATERNAL BREED - BRED WITH MEAT IN MIND
The maternal breed, bred with meat in mind - that is what over a 1000 Lleyn breeders believe will ensure their breed has a growing future as it continues its sweep through the UK.
Lleyn sheep are a native breed, originating in North Wales. Although officially classed as the fourth largest lowland pure breed in the United Kingdom, the Lleyn is proving its worth in all areas and under all conditions. The breed's history in the harsh, exposed environment of the Lleyn peninsula, which runs up into Snowdonia, has ensured that it will thrive anywhere from Orkney to Dartmoor.
The Lleyn is in the enviable position of meeting both market demands for quality lamb and the increasing farmer-demands for easy-care, low input, high output ewes.
The Lleyn ewe is renowned for her tremendous mothering ability, ease of lambing, longevity and prolificacy (with flocks regularly rearing 200% without the rearing problems generally associated with triplets). When this is combined in a flock which needs little shepherding, little feeding and the lower costs associated with keeping a closed flock, it is little wonder that there are premiums available for surplus ewe lambs sold as breeding stock.
Purebred male lambs are no by-product of this predominantly female breed, with grade sheets returning predominantly Us and Rs at 3L in the 18 to 20 kg deadweight range. The Lleyn adapts well to crossing systems as either a pure flock run to a terminal sire, or by keeping a first-cross such as a Bleu du Maine or Texel cross Lleyn ewe, put to a terminal sire. Using a Lleyn ram on traditional hill ewes such as the Swaledale, Scottish Blackface and Cheviot to keep prolific breeding females and produce a marketable wether lamb is also becoming a popular option.
Lleyns have been found to be well suited to organic production with low demand on limited forage, little feed inputs required and what appears to be a natural tolerance to worms.
Mature ewes weigh between 50 and 70 kgs, with a natural fleshing ability, which makes them easy-doing, thrifty sheep that can be stocked more heavily than larger ewes with a higher feed demand. A 60 kg ewe rearing 200% with lambs killing out at 18 kg, will rear 60% of her bodyweight, whereas an 80 kg ewe rearing twins to 20 kg only rears 50% of her bodyweight.
Lleyns are offered at Society Sales across the UK, where Society inspection panel checks for trueness to type and structural correctness on all females. All rams used in pedigree flocks have passed a rigorous inspection of type and correctness.
Society sales offer a large number of females at realistic prices for the commercial flockmaster. So if you are looking to bring your commercial flock in line with the demands our industry now puts on sheep production, or if you want to become part of one of the fasted expanding sheep breeds in the UK, come along to a Society Sale and let a Lleyn ewe speak for herself on your farm.
Check out The Lleyn Characteristics
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