Wales Farmer 2 THISmonth NEWS March 2013


PICTURE: k9tales.co.uk


News ..........3-14 Opinions ..........8 Planning matters ...8 Conference call ....11 Sheepdog trials ...16 News feature ......17 Rural Oscars ...18-19 Feature ..........20 YFC .............21 Memory Lane .....22 Classified .....23-24 Countryside ......26 Equestrian .......27


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Farmer dies after TB test bull attack


ADAIRYfarmer from Carmarthenshirewas killed by a bull during aTBtest on his farm. David Stephens,aged 55, of


Coed yBrain, Llandyfaelog, near Kidwelly, wastesting cattle for TB on January 22nd when the incident happened at about 9.45am. Mr Stephens wasairlifted to Morriston Hospital after the vet whowas with him raised the alarm, buthedied later of chest injuries. Dairy Crest supplier Mr Stephens livedwith his wife Ann and their three adult children, one of whom, ason, workson the farm. AHealth and Safety Executive


investigation has begun and the Swansea coroner has been informed.


New online store open


FARMERS can nowbuy arange of essential supplies at anytime of the dayornight. Eartagsupplier Shearwell


Data has launched anew online storeoffering products such as jet spray markers and castration rings,alongside tags from its website www.shearwell.co.uk. RichardWebber,director of


Shearwell, said: “Weare extreme- ly proud of our newe-commerce website and the exceptional user experience it offers our cus- tomers.Wehaveambitious plans to grow our sales in the futureso thatwecan continue to support the livestock farmer.” Features on the site include


fast navigation and asecurepay- ment system and, to celebratethe launch, the first 250 customers to spend morethan £20 online will receive afreetorch cap, which are very useful forlambing or calv- ing.


CRIMINAL TARGET: Sheep flocks in the Welsh Valleys


have been targeted by thieves. PICTURE: Debbie James.


Sheep worth £30,000 stolen in south Wales


■ Farmers urged to be vigilant


SHEEP valued at around £30,000 have been stolen from common land in the Welsh Valleys during a


spate of thefts. Rustlers have targeted flocks in


By Debbie James


the Swansea, Amman and Lliw Valleys,stealing 350 sheep. The thefts,the first of which


were reported last year,have prompted the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) to issue awarning urging farmers to be vigilant. One of its members,thirdgen-


eration farmer Howell Davies, has had 62 ewesstolen in the last year.Heblames the rising price of sheep meatand the impact of the recession forthefts,which he said have increased substantially


in recent years. “Of course,itisnot just farm


income thatsuffers from these thefts,astherecan also be aloss of valuablebreeding lines which arevery difficult, if not impossi- ble, to replace,” said Mr Davies, of


Perthygwynion Farm,


Pontardawe. In 2011, the FUW helped


launch Farm Watch, ascheme aimed at improving communica- tion between farmers and the police to reduce farm-related crime. The FUW’slivestock, wool


and marts committee chairman, Dafydd Roberts,who farms on Anglesey,urged farmers to get involved with their local Farm Watch scheme and to report any suspicious activity. “This is especiallyimportant if


such activities arebeing conduct- ed at night,”hesaid. Farmers should also make


thorough checks to establish the ownership of anysheep pur- chased, he added. “The union would stress that


buyers of sheep or sheep meat should check the corresponding


ownership records and livestock identification to ensurethatthe animals being purchased arenot stolen.” South Wales Police met with


the Commoners’ Association last November and, as aresult, an ini- tiative designed to combatthe rise in sheep thefts is set to be launched this spring. In the meantime,police will


carry out spot checks on vehicles carrying livestock and will con- tinue to stop vehicles towing live- stock boxesinremote areas late at night.


Poultrysector sufferspaltry profits


THE Welsh poultry sector is suf- fering with wheatyield and qual- ity badlyaffected by last year’s wetweather and feed prices quicklyeroding profits. Thatwas the common theme


at the NFU Cymru annual poul- try conference in Builth Wells in February. The latest NFU survey on


poultry cost of production shows aconsiderable rise in feed costs across all the categories with broiler producers reporting an increase of £50/t and cage and free range egg costs rising by £60/t compared with January 2012.


ClareMorgan, NFU Cymru


Poultry Boardchairman said: “Weshould not lose sight of the fact thatthe feed price is not just high in the UK, it is aglobal sit- uation. “While it is achallenging time,


producers can be proud thatthe standardtowhich we produce eggs and poultry meatinWales is very high.


“Wealso have some of the


most modern and efficient poul- try units in Europe. “In the long term, the research


taking place will help the sector but, in the short term, it is vital thatproducers monitor their costs closelyand ensurethereare effective marketing campaigns and clear labelling forour prod- ucts.” The progress of research into


alternative protein sources was highlighted by speaker Dr Michael Lee,ofIBERS. He said: “Research into alter-


native protein sources –not just forthe poultry sector,but forall ruminants and aquaculture–is well underway at IBERS. “Last year IBERS started a


couple of projects looking at the nutritional value and improving yields of lupin, pea and bean crops in collaboration with industry and other research part- ners.


“The main aim of the projects is to give farmers morecontrol on


SECTOR SPEAKERS: Dr Michael Lee, John Reed, Clare Morgan, Christopher Dickinson and Elwyn Griffiths at the NFU Cymru annual poultry conference.


the sourcing of protein by pro- viding alternative home-grown solutions.” John Reed, chairman of the


British Poultry Council, Elwyn Griffiths,technical and financial director,Oakland Farm Eggs and Chris Dickinson, NFU poul-


Succession shown to be key factor affectingfuture of dairy businesses


HAVING someone in line to take over adairy farmisone of the biggest single factors affecting the futureofthe business,anew report has found. According to the latest DairyCo report on the reasons whydairy businesses makes changes,those with asuccessor in place were considerably more likelytobelooking to increase production than those without.


Despite common perceptions,


milk prices were found to have onlyaweak impact on business intentions.


DairyCo/AHDB senior ana-


lyst Patty Clayton said: “It was found thatfarms achieving a higher milk price were no more likelytoexpand than other pro- ducers,but therewereother fac- tors such as succession thathad greater significance.”


Cost of production levels were


found to be amajor driverinflu- encing decision making, as they account forthe majority of varia- tion in profit levels. But, while farms with high lev-


els of profit were moreinclined to consider expansion, farms with lowprofitlevels were just as like- ly to expand as to exit the indus- try.


Herdsizewas not found to be For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk


asignificant factor in decisions to expand or exit the industry and therewas no difference in the averagesizeofherds looking to makethose decisions. The report ‘The structureof


the GB dairy farming industry – what driveschange?’ commis- sioned by DairyCo and under- taken by Andersons,isavailable to download from the DairyCo website www.dairyco.org.uk.


try adviser completed the line up of speakers at the conference, which wassponsored by Wynnstay.


GET IN TOUCH


Here at Wales Farmer, we want to know all the latest goings on from the rural communities across Wales. Email your farming news and pictures to rhiannon.llewellin@ walesfarmer.co.uk, ring 01437 761759, or log on to


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