Low Ground
As a breed, the Welsh Mountain Sheep is perfectly adapted to thrive in the
difficult conditions of upland Wales; however they are also well suited to live on
lowland areas. Those farming lowland areas can also benefit from the excellent
qualities of the breed by purchasing Welsh Mountain ewes to cross with other
breeds such as the Texel, Suffolk or Charollais to produce finished lambs of
high quality, meeting the high standards and requirements of a demanding
market, maintaining the reputation of Welsh Mountain Lamb for producing
delicious meat.
A study carried out on an upland farm in Mid Wales showed that the Welsh
Mountain Sheep is able to produce strong lambs when crossed with the Texel
ram. On average, the survey lambs weighed 39.5 kg at 170 days old; recorded a
weight of 17.3 kg per carcass after slaughter and 84% rated ‘R’ or better. The
lambs were produced from grass only, reducing the need for further feed-
intensive feeding.
Welsh Mountain Sheep are long-lived and still produce lambs at a mature age.
There is ample evidence, for example, of mountain sheep of five years old and
more producing two Charollais cross lambs in March with a live weight of 40 kg
in late June when the lambs are ready for sale.
