A long standing interest in performance recording has paid dividends for the 450-strong pedigree Lleyn flock at Bearwood Farm, Pembridge, Herefordshire. By improving the carcase quality of his flock, whilst maintaining the excellent maternal qualities of the breed, Ed Collins is now producing top quality stock, satisfying both pedigree and commercial markets.

Recording was first introduced to the family farm when Ed’s father employed a shepherd to run their North Country Mule flock. The system was so successful, it made a lasting impression. After leaving school, Ed travelled Australia for a year, where he worked on sheep and cattle properties, seeing the benefits of large-scale recording first hand.

Upon returning home he studied at college for three years, before moving to Newmarket to take up employment with the British Bloodstock Agency. After six years of being immersed in another industry where performance is paramount, the share farming agreement on his family farm came to an end, giving Ed the opportunity to return home and re-introduce sheep to the farm, with the arable land being farmed under a contract agreement.

The Mule flock had been dispersed, but the desire to reintroduce sheep sparked a search for the right replacement.

After careful consideration it was decided that, to earn it’s keep, the ewe flock must be low maintenance, able to rear two good lambs each, and be efficient feeders. As Ed was going to run the sheep enterprise on his own, a medium-sized ewe for easier handling was also necessary. When combining all these traits with a wish to run a purebred flock, it became apparent that the Lleyn would fit the bill.

A new flock of 200 pedigree registered females was established in 1998, with yearling ewes from Dai Morris, Yr Ostrey, Carmarthen and older ewes from Marcus Bullock, Bank Farm, Abberley. Ewe lambs came from JA & R Geldard & Sons, Low Foulshaw Farm, Kendal and Lionel Organ, Tymaen Farm, Llandysul, Carmarthen.

Initially the flock was split into two; the better half running with two pedigree rams from Wynne Davies, Bronallt Pwllheli and H & M Lloyd, Y Wenallt, Corwen, and Charollais and Vendeen rams with the commercial ewes. Crossbred females were kept and put back to a Charollais ram. This produced fantastic fat lambs, but the system became very complicated at tupping time. To ease management, Ed decided to concentrate on producing good quality prime lambs from a pedigree Lleyn flock.

The farm consists of 135 acres of grassland, 600 acres of arable and 65 acres of woodland, all of which are in the ELS scheme; the grassland being managed under the low input system. Although Bearwood Farm is situated in a prime arable area, the fields surrounding the farm were too small to be suitable for arable conversion. Long-term pastures were established, with clover-rich swards. The small fields are ideally suited for sheep, allowing smaller groups to be run together, aiding tupping and recording. The fields are all within easy access of the yard, and sheep can be gathered from anywhere on the farm into the handling facilities, by one man and his dogs.

Housing over winter is necessary, as the pasture, which is on medium loam land, can easily be ruined during a wet spell. The ewes are bought inside mid December and fed adlib hay or silage. Triplet bearing ewes are fed concentrates from six weeks prior to lambing, those carrying twins start four weeks prior, and singles are fed for two weeks.

There are now 350 pure aged ewes in the flock, which is split into two; a nucleus group and a commercial group, the only difference being that the ewes in the nucleus flock are of a showier type. Only females that are of breed type, and with high indexes, are retained for breeding. Rams are all high index, and are bought from farms with a similar selection and culling policy. The same rams are used on both groups and all the progeny are recorded. The lambs from the nucleus flock are also back-fat scanned, and the ram lambs are left entire. The commercial rams lambs are castrated.
The first batch of ewes starts lambing in mid February, followed by the next, two weeks later. Of the 100 retained ewe lambs, 75 are put to the ram, to start lambing at the end of March. Lambing percentage for the ewe lambs is typically 150%, and their ability to ‘get on with the job’ still amazes Ed. Lambing is much less stressful with the Lleyn flock. “As the need to assist is so few and far between, my main job during lambing is moving ewes and new lambs to their pens and maintaining records.” The culling policy is strict, and any ewes experiencing difficulties are not kept for the following year. Ewes are turned out with lambs within 48 hours and are fed on hay and concentrates until the grass starts to come through.

Since the introduction of recording 10 years ago, the average birth weight has increased by over 1kg, and eight-week weights have improved by over 3kg, across the whole flock. Lambing percentage has also been addressed. The original flock contained a number of highly prolific ewes, and a 230% scanning rate was not uncommon. Through a process of rigorous selection, culling, and using only twin born rams, the flock now averages 195 - 200%, and is at a level that Ed is happy with.

To help further improve the performance of his flock, Ed is a member of the Lleyn Sire Reference Group, a set of Signet Recorded Lleyn breeders that promote the use of high index rams on their flocks. The group gives members access to some of the breed’s highest indexed rams, and maintains a level of genetic connectedness between flocks, which allows for a more accurate comparison of performance recorded figures.

By combining the use of performance data with rigorous selection for ewes with outstanding maternal traits, good structure, tight wool and, above all, the ability to easily produce and rear two good lambs, Ed has developed a high achieving flock that is not only capable of turning a profit, but is also in demand.

Pedigree breeding sheep from Bearwood Farm are popular at the Lleyn Sheep Society sales, and are sold at Ross, Ruthin, Exeter and Carmarthen. Rams are also sold at Builth NSA Ram Sale and privately. Quite a trade has been built up by selling on figures, with many repeat buyers. One farmer is so sure of the quality, that he never looks at the rams, and buys using figures alone. Last year 25 shearling rams were sold, with a plan to increase this to 40 in the future.

And has Ed achieved his aim of producing good quality prime lambs from his pedigree flock? The results speak for themselves. “We have always lambed in mid-February, and when we first started with the Lleyn in 1998, our first draw of lambs would be mid-August, with most finished by November or December. The use of performance recording has had a dramatic effect. In 2009 our first draw took place over two months earlier, at the end of June, and 89% of the lambs were sold, off grass, by the end of October.” All lambs are sent deadweight to St. Merryn Meats in Merthyr Tydfil, so carcase performance is also monitored. “Of the lambs sent in 2009 1% achieved E grades, 16% U, 68% R and 15% O. 95% of the lambs were in 2, 3L or 3H fat classification, averaging 20kg, and were exactly what the supermarket wanted. It shows that you don’t need a continental ram to finish lambs.”