A batch of performance recorded fully registered pedigree Charollais ewes will be the first females at the NSA Wales and Border Ram early sale for some years as it returns to the Royal Welsh Showground next Monday, August 1.
Glyn and Jeanette Williams have chosen the sale at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells, for a reduction sale from their Padest Flock as they begin to retire from farming.
The couple, who farm at Crai, Brecon, have been regulars attendees at the NSA Wales and Border Ram Sales from the very early years.
They began selling Texel rams back in the late 1970s and continued with Charollais when they changed breeds in 2003. They enjoy the day’s trading and have established a strong customer base, with buyers regularly returning to pick from their pens.
Glyn said: “It’s convenient for us. The ram lambs are big enough to sell at the Early Sale.
“They’re born in early December and are touching 90kg by August and some of them are over that weight.
“These rams have high growth rates and are carrying the gene, so whoever buys them and puts them to cross-bred ewes will have high growth rates in their lambs. It means they’ll be able to get them out a fortnight earlier. It gives them an edge on price.
“These lambs would be 42kg in May and ready to go if they were lambing in February.”
Jeanette is proud that one local buyer sees the lambs from their ram regularly top the market in Brecon.
The couple said they almost get more excited than the vendor when his lambs sell so well.
She added: “We know everybody there and so it’s a day out as well. There are good prices there and people come to buy from such a wide area.
