Meeting the people keeping British sheep breeds alive and well

David Cummins-Egan speaks to three smallholders who believe their breed will survive and thrive into the future

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The UK, with its unique and diverse range of climatic and agricultural conditions has enabled shepherds to produce the greatest number of native breeds of sheep in the world. There are estimated to be eighty breeds of sheep in the UK, sixty of which are native. This has been achieved over many centuries by selective breeding and meticulous husbandry by shepherds in different areas of the country. Topography dictates where specific breeds are suited, whether it is from the rugged Highlands of Scotland down to the chalk grasslands of the South Downs.

Rare breed sheep within the UK have their own enthusiasts and I spoke with three owners of rare breed sheep in Wales who see a value in their chosen rare breed and work hard to keep their herds. Additionally, each of the owners are hugely enthusiastic to see them not only survive but thrive into the future.

SELF-SUFFICIENCY WAS THE PLAN

Located just north of Llandrindod Wells in Mid Wales is Gorsewain Rare Breed Smallholding owned by Paddy O'Kennedy and his wife Helen. In 2016 they purchased the 1700's farmhouse with just under seven acres of land, comprising of several paddocks that they rotate their animals through whenever possible.

"We had never done anything like it before and had to start from scratch. That was in 2016 and we have been here ever since" Paddy told me. "Self-sufficiency was the plan but we haven't managed it yet. If it's on the RBST list then we will try our best to support it. We currently have Castlemilk Moorit rare breed sheep as well as rare breed pigs and chickens.

The quality and nature of the land were big factors in Paddy and Helen's choice of rare breed. Given these factors, and as their land is very wet, they required a breed of sheep that were good in wet conditions as Helen explains.