Category:Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep

The British Isles have many breeds of sheep, some recently introduced and some having existed for centuries. The Welsh Mountain sheep can be termed as an umbrella description to describe many breeds indigenous to Wales. Through breeding and selection over the centuries the Welsh Mountain sheep has developed into many distinct breeds, The Balwen Welsh Mountain being one of those. Therefore, whilst not similar in appearance to the speckle or South Wales Welsh Mountain, they are similar in many other ways such as hardiness, ease of management, and good mothering ability.

The Balwen Welsh Mountain sheep is distinct in having the head, socks, and tails factor. The Balwen has a base color of black/brown or dark gray, with a white blaze on the face, four white feet and a half white tail. The name Balwen is derived from the Welsh phrase Bal meaning white blaze.

The Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep is a small, very hardy breed. They are easy to manage having very few health problems associated with many of the larger breeds. They have excellent feet requiring little attention and can get by with only the minimum of feeding at peak times of the year. The Balwen is an excellent mother, having very few lambing problems with plenty of milk capable of rearing twin lambs under the right circumstances. Rams weigh 38-43 kg, and the prolificacy rate is 95-130%. They produce 1.25-2.0 kg fleece that is 5-7 cm in length and 40-50 microns in diameter.

It is thought farmers over the years used the Balwen as landmarks on the hills as a means of recognizing ones flock. By whatever means, the Balwen has been preserved by the continued belief of committed enthusiasts that the Welsh Mountain is a 'sheep for all seasons'.

For many years the Balwen was confined to an area of central Wales on the borders of the old counties of Cardigan, Brecon and Carmarthen. The catchment area of the river Tywi, north of Rhandirmwyn (now the Llyn Brianne Dam) was the breeding grounds for the Balwen sheep, and the ancestry of all Balwens can be traced back to the Tywi valley.

The need to form a breed society to preserve and promote Balwens was acknowledged for many years, and on February 21, 1985, at the Glanbran Arms, Cynghordy the Balwen Welsh Mountain Sheep Society was formed.