The number of breeding ewes in the UK has fallen to 14.7 million, marking the lowest figure in living memory, according to Phil Stocker, chief executive of the National Sheep Association. The overall national flock also saw a decline, reaching 30.4 million sheep in 2025, a figure comparable to the mid-20th Century.
This reduction in sheep numbers coincides with a significant decrease in lamb and mutton consumption over the past 50 years. Becky Smith, a senior analyst at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), stated that the average UK household purchased 23g of sheep meat per person, per week in 2024, a notable drop from 128g in 1980.
Farmers are facing challenges including rising costs for fuel and fodder, reduced income from subsidies, and increased competition from overseas due to recent trade deals. Neil Heseltine, a farmer in the Yorkshire Dales, reduced his farm's lambing sheep from over 800 to 45 this spring, shifting away from sheep farming to remain financially viable.
Despite a drop in the national flock leading to robust growth in lamb prices, upland farmers with tight margins are particularly affected by increased diesel and oil costs. The average cost of a bale of hay rose from £75 a tonne last year to £155 a tonne this spring. Concerns have also been raised by farmers and groups like Compassion in World Farming that new trade deals could undermine UK agriculture due to differing welfare standards.