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Traditional Welsh sheep farmer says there are no hurdles, just bright horizons when it comes to the Border Leicester

A LIFETIME of farming has given Edward Chapman a gut instinct and keen eye for qualities he likes in his stock.

He has high praise for the Border Leicester and says his 800-ewe flock is reaping the benefits both in fat lamb production and the breeding of replacement ewes.

The foundation of his flock is Welsh ewes, some crossed with Texel and Aberfield, and he is full of praise for the resulting progeny from using Border Leicester rams over them.

“I like the characteristics the Border Leicester adds,” says Edward, who farms with his son Alex at 450-acre Morfodion, near Llanidloes in mid-Wales, not too far from the Royal Welsh Showground. 

“The breed is giving me a good lambing percentage and a bigger overall replacement ewe compared to my traditional Welsh-breds, which are on the smaller side. I like that the lambs are born good and strong. They have a sharpness about them and are up and sucking straight away. They get growing quickly and are fast finishing without the need for pushing concentrates at them.”

The Chapman family, who also run a commercial suckler cattle herd on their mixture of owned and rented land, are seeing good mothering attributes coming through in these home-bred replacement ewes.

“They retain the hardiness and milkiness of the Welsh breeding, with the added qualities of good conformation, mouth and udder from the Border Leicester,” says Edward, whose stock is sold through Welshpool Mart along with going direct just a few miles down the road to Pilgrim’s abattoir in nearby Powys.

“We’re giving them the chance to have a lamb when they are one year-old, and a good number do. They are also easy enough at lambing time and, at the end of their lives, the Border Leicester breeding is leaving us with a good-size cull ewe.”

The Chapman family had used the Border Leicester in years gone by but had been tempted to try other breeds.

“I can now say with certainty that no other breed puts the size and prolificacy on the lambs and allows me to breed replacements like the Border Leicester. They have real hybrid vigour from the very beginning. 

“Obviously, breeding a bigger lamb gives us a better return when we use the Border Leicester as a terminal sire. It’s healthy and strong, takes less finishing and is away nice and quickly.”

The Border Leicester, with its distinctive Roman nose and upright ears, is the largest indigenous breed in the British Isles and lends itself to all farming systems, either as a pedigree animal or for use as a cross. As well as their good mothering abilities, the sheep are prized for the quality of their wool and the size and grade of their carcase.

“The Border Leicester’s exceptional growth potential is something I’ve witnessed firsthand through finishing my own lambs with excellent returns,” says Society President Richard Evans. 

“What makes this breed so remarkable is its versatility as a pedigree animal that adapts seamlessly to any farming operation. Whether you’re running a commercial enterprise focused on producing large numbers of half-bred females or managing a smaller flock to generate your own replacements, the Border Leicester delivers consistently.

“This adaptability enables farming systems of every scale to bring quality products to market – from breeding stock for commercial operations to premium meat for specialised markets and the butchers’ trade. 

“The breed’s key strengths speak for themselves: the hybrid vigour that produces high-performance breeding ewes, outstanding maternal traits that result in early maturing lambs, rapid growth rates for quick-finishing butchers’ lambs, and an easy-keeping nature that makes management straightforward regardless of farm size. 

“Ultimately, we’re talking about a breed that consistently produces quality meat – and that’s what drives real value for producers.”

Notes to Editor

For more information about the Border Leicester Sheep Society or any upcoming shows and sales visit www.borderleicesters.co.uk. 

Press release issued by Jane Craigie Marketing on behalf of the Border Leicester Sheep Society. For more information contact Katie Insch on katie@janecraigie.com