Records show Welsh ewes have been crossed with Border Leicester rams since the early 1900s, but it was not until the 1950s that the cross was given the name ‘Welsh Halfbred’. This resulted in the Welsh Halfbred Sheep Breeders Association being formed to market the ewes and ewe lambs.
The standards the founder members set for their Welsh Halfbred sales were an innovation in the 1950s, but they began to be copied and have been taken for granted at all commercial ewe sales.
The Welsh Halfbred is not the biggest ewe, nor does she boast the highest lambing percentages. She has however proved herself over many years to be an economical producer of quality lambs on both upland and lowland farms.