Would somebody please give me more info on 'cull ewes' : inc age etc etc
A cull is anything that is not wanted for breeding for example a very old ewe, one who has had mastitis, one who is a bad mother or any other reason for getting rid of one. They are bought by the meat boys in the market and usually go straight for slaughter as meat pies, kebabs etc etc......
Whereas a 'draft' is no longer required on her current farm but suitable for breeding elsewhere. Up here, typically she's a 3- or 4-crop ewe from a hill farm and will probably be good for another crop or three somewhere less hard. Some hill farms sell them as 2-crop, some may keep them on till 5. Normally a vendor will stand by his draft ewes - if she is found to be unsound in teeth or udder you'll get your money back. (Check them before leaving the mart if you can - the terms and conditions of the sale may stipulate that you must notify any problems before leaving.)
Sometimes they are sold 'correct below', meaning the udder is sound but the teeth have gone. If they are 'unwarranted' then they could well be ok above and below but the vendor will not stand behind them, so you would buy them at your own risk.
The other breed which would perform like the Shetland and may suit you would be Herdwicks. They're native to the Lakes, so maybe you would be able to get some draft ewes a bit nearer home than Shetlands.
I don't know much about the Welsh native breeds, but wouldn't there be any Welsh hill sheep breeds that would suit morri2? Some smallholding neighbours here have Llanwenogs and swear by them. (Rather than at them, which would normally be true for Swaledales!
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