Welcome from t'other side of the country - north Cumbria
We're commercial (but traditional, low input) beef and sheep farmers, and I have a flock of 'fleece sheep' and a small herd of Jersey house cows 'on the side'.
Agree that donkeys are not very hardy. If you want hardy equines that will eat thistles, get a couple of Fell ponies. :hugpony:
Tiny paddocks sometimes mean no shelter though - are there hedgerows, trees etc to provide shelter in each paddock? And a water supply?
You shouldn't have any trouble sourcing sheep locally that can mow your grass, live out (provided shelter and water are accessible
) and grow you some meat, if that's what you want. Buying local types from a local farmer would be the best bet - they'll be used to the local ticks, etc, and it'll forge a connection with the local farming community too. There will be 'store lamb' sales ongoing at the moment; ask the nearest farmer that has healthy-looking sheep if s/he'd give you some advice on choosing?
If you're getting a couple of donkeys or ponies, and want some land for veg and chooks, then 15-20 sheep would probably be plenty. (I'm working on 2 acres per equine, 5 sheep per acre, as a rule of thumb.) Or if the equines are a 'next year' thing, get more sheep now that will finish before you want the donkeys/ponies to come, and that'll give you a bit of early income and some meat in your freezer.
It's Masham Sheep Fair at the end of the month - all the local and many rare/primitive breeds will be on show. Go and have a look-see and see what you like the look of, and talk to the sheep-keepers with them
I'll be there on the Sunday if you want to catch up for a chat.