The Easy Care Breed of Sheep

About the Easy Care Breed

Easy Care is the result of a successful breeding programme started in 1965 by North Wales farmer R. I. "Iolo" Owen. The aim was to produce a breed of sheep which would require minimal shepherding and veterinary care and yet offer excellent meat yields and lambing ratios.These key aims have been achieved and this is reflected in the level of domestic sales and exports of the breed. In 1986 Iolo Owen was awarded the M.B.E in recognition of his services to agriculture.

The main features of the Easy Care breed:

Ewe body weight around 60 kg
1.8 Lambs reared per Ewe
Ease of lambing - specifically developed for this purpose
Vitality at birth - born with hair for protection
High growth rate - Lambs reach 17 kgs carcass weight at 12 weeks
High meat yield
Strong sires - rams are particularly pre-potent and immensely virile
No shearing & minimal shepherding
Low veterinary care
Well protected - unaffected by extreme weather conditions
Thrives on lowland grass
Meets modern market requirements
Healthy constitution - quick to recover and less prone to many illnesses
Very profitable - cuts over 80% of shepherding costs

The guiding principle behind Easy Care is straightforward. Centuries ago sheep didn't naturally have huge fleeces, merely a winter coat which was shed in springtime - as with most wild animals. However, man began to breed sheep for wool because of it's value. In recent times the value of wool has fallen so dramatically that it's production is uneconomic. Meat production without the overheads and extra shepherding required in wool production would be much more profitable.

By using highly selective breeding to combine the rapid growth rate, lambing quality and other strengths of his naturally wool-less pedigree Wiltshire Horn flock with the smaller, hardy Welsh Mountain and combining some of the strengths of other breeds, Iolo Owen has achieved his aim - a breed of sheep with all the qualities sought after by the modern farmer with fewer of the drawbacks.

As well as being woolless, Easy Care are extremely hardy, thrive on grass and inexpensive feeds, have a superb lambing ratio (180% is the average) and produce excellent meat.

For more information about the breed please contact the society.