Sheep numbers in Wales are falling due to consumption and cost

If stereotypes are to be believed, Wales has long been widely known for its rugby, choirs and sheep.

But rugby is in decline, the number of choirs is decreasing – and the sheep seem to have run away.

Where there were almost 12 million in the 1990s, the number in Wales has fallen to 8.75 million in 2024, new figures show.

According to the Welsh Government, this is almost the lowest figure in the last ten years. latest agricultural researchand there are now more chickens than sheep.

But the question is: why have sheep numbers suffered such a sharp decline in a country where, remember, Welsh lamb is one of its most valuable exports?

“The decline in sheep numbers in Wales is certainly quite dramatic,” said RAF senior lecturer in animal welfare Dr Lisa Morgans.

“Why it’s multifactorial.”

She said that over the past couple of decades in the UK, “lamb and beef consumption has fallen, which has corresponded with a reduction in the time people spend preparing food, with the average time per household falling to 15 minutes a day.”

Leaving the European Union, according to Dr. Morgans, also bore fruit.

“Over the last few years we’ve had Brexit, which has led to a slow decline in farm subsidies, which has changed the business landscape,” she said.

“This could cause individual farmers to consider moving into other industries.

“Then there was the Covid pandemic and its consequences.”

Cymru National Farmers’ Union national food and agriculture adviser Dafydd Jarrett said the disease meant fewer lambs were born and farmers were also keeping fewer animals due to rising costs.

Mr Jarrett said: “Fertilizer prices have gone up, feed costs have gone up.

“So the fewer mouths to feed, the lower your costs, but that then impacts your output.”

The decline in sheep numbers also meant fewer sheep were slaughtered.

“Processors are very concerned that they are not getting the quantities they are used to through their abattoirs,” Mr Jarrett said.

“They are having a hard time finding enough lambs for customers.”

So what about chickens?

There are 11.8 million in Wales, of which 4.4 million are used to lay eggs.

Meanwhile in England The poultry population reached 129 million. and in Scotland last year it was 11.7m.

The difference in chicken and sheep numbers was due to demand, Mr Jarrett said.

“The main reason is price, there is a price difference,” he said.

“Welsh lamb is aimed at a higher end of the market, but chicken is more of a commodity market.”

Hybu Cig Cymru (Meat Promotion Wales) chair Catherine Smith said the number of breeding ewes had fallen by 1% since 2023, meaning fewer lambs would be born.

“Herd numbers in Wales continue to decline from historical levels, with current numbers still 8% below 2021 levels,” she said.

She said a farmer survey conducted by Hybu Cig Cymru in September 2024 showed optimism among farmers.

“The red meat sector in Wales is a key part of the underlying Welsh economy and ensuring critical mass in the sector is critical,” she said.