Sheep numbers in Wales declining due to consumption and cost

But the question is this: why have sheep undergone such a steep fall in a country where, remember, Welsh lamb is one of its most prized exports?

“The decline in sheep in Wales is definitely quite stark,” said Royal Agricultural University senior animal welfare lecturer Dr Lisa Morgans.

“Why that is is multi-factorial.”

She said there was “declining consumption of lamb and beef in the UK over the last couple of decades that has matched the decrease in people’s cooking times: the average time per household is down to 15 minutes a day”.

Leaving the European Union, Dr Morgans said, had also taken a toll.

“In the last few years we have had Brexit, leading to a slow decrease in subsidies for farms which has changed the business landscape,” she said.

“That might have caused individual farmers to think about moving to different sectors.

“Then there was the Covid pandemic and the impact of that.”