Wales Farmer 6 NSA Welsh Sheep 2013 NEWS May 2013 Beili Ficer Farm, Llansawel, May 21st


Top event to showcase cuttingedgegenetics


AYOUNG west Wales farming family will host the National Sheep Association (NSA) Welsh Sheep 2013, to be held on Tuesday, May 21st at Beili Ficer Farm, Llansawel, near Llandeilo. Hosts Sion and Claire Williams, along with their son Harri, took on the ten-year tenancy of the 255-acre farm in 2010. They rent another 150 acres, and own afurther 20 acres. The couple have taken advantage of grant aid, IT and relevant industry schemes and initiatives. Their goal is to produce what the market wants from their mixed flock of 1,200 Mule, Texel Mule and Aberdale ewes, by maximising lamb production off grass and kilograms of lamb sold per ewe. They are delighted with the farm business tenancy granted by brothers Alfor and Elwyn Thomas, who own the farm and are committed to helping other aspiring young farmers realise their dreams to farm in their own right.


WHEN livestock producers head to the National Sheep Association’s Welsh Sheep 2013, they will catch a glimpse of how carefully selected genetics and best management


practices


have contributed to the suc- cess of the host farm’s own


flock. Sion and ClaireWilliams arefirst


WELCOME HOSTS: Sion, Claire and Harri Williams will host NSA Welsh Sheep 2013 at Beili Ficer Farm, Llansawel.


generation farmers and when they first took on the tenancy of Beili Ficer Farm,they initiallyfocused on maximising kilos of lamb pro- duced from amix of crossbred ewes. In 2011, their first full farming


year,their 750 ewesachieved170% lambs reared to an average19.0kg target finishing weight and within the EtoR3Lspecification, adding up to 30% moremeatthan they had budgeted for. In addition, the majority of lambs finished within 20 weeks. By year two, with the opportuni-


ty to rent moreland, the Williamses expanded their flock to 1,100 ewes, using moreAberdale genetics to achieve an evenhigher output of finished lamb from arelatively smallewe. Last year,manyyearling


Aberdale cross ewesthatweighed between 60kg and 65kg weaned around 80kg of lamb.Sion and Clairenow have 450 Aberdale cross ewesrearing over 200% lambs and a further 100 surplus lambs have been sold forrearing purposes. They were invited by Innovis to


develop anucleus flock of Aberfield genetics,aventurewhich introduced the security of selling ramlambs back to Innovis annual- ly foranagreed price while retain- ing the best ewe lambs as replace- ments.Last autumn, 500 Mule and Texelcross eweswereimplanted with Aberfield embryos. “Weare passionate about sheep


and we areprepared to try out the latest newtechnology which is proven and will help us achieve our goals –wewant to farminthe black, maintain ahigh health flock, and develop aprofitablefarming business should our three-year-old son, Harri, eventuallychoose to farm,”said Sion. They areinvolved in the TAG


Scheme,apilot studythatrequires EID forevery ewe and lamb.This delivers the benefits of flock per- formance and supplychain data. “Webelieve in measuring and monitoring and using data at every turn. However,wearen’tslavesto it,”said Claire. Through


the Welsh


Government’sYoung Entrant Support Scheme,the Williamses secured agrant towardssoil sam- pling and reseeding 75 acres with a high sugar perennial ryegrass, cloverand chicory mix, used for


ANUMBER of competitions will be run at NSA Welsh Sheep 2013, including the Young Shepherdofthe Year Competition. It is open to all young


people aged up to 26 on July 30th, 2014.


rotational grazing ewesand lambs. The Williamses aremembers of


the Prince’sTrust foryoung entrants which givesthem access to consultancy and benchmarking. They arealso members of Dunbia’s pilot lamb development group, working with Sainsbury’s. Sion and Claire’squest fortheir


ownfarmbegan shortlyafter they graduated from Harper Adams University in 2002. Initially, Sion secured adairy farmmanager posi- tion in west Wales,and Claire worked as aWelsh Assembly agri- food manager.They eventually secured finance after saving enough money to buy20acres. “Wehad to go through the pain


barrier.Weexplored every option availableoverafive-year period beforewewereabletosecureaten- year tenancy of Beili Ficer,” Claire said.


“This wasonlymade possible by


our landlords,Alfor and Elwyn Thomas,having the foresight and confidence to provide the opportu- nity forayoung familytofarmfor the first time.Being first generation farmers,wedonot have the wisdom or experience of an established familyfarmtodrawon. “However,wedohavethe free- dom to makeour owndecisions.”


The winner will represent NSA Cymru/Wales Region at the UK finals at NSA Sheep 2014 to be held at Malvern on July 30th, 2014.


Sheepdogtrials will also be


held, with twosessions of 30 dogs.


Prices for lambspring


thanks to early Easter ■ 40p per kilo boost, but still 20p/kg down on last year


Marketreturns forlamb have


steadilyrisen since the beginning of the year after difficult conditions in the second half of 2012 sawprices drop significantlydue to the weather, the crisis in the Eurozone and increased imports of cheaper foreign meat. John Richards,industry informa-


THE early Easter provided awel- come spring in lamb prices forWelsh farmers. Figures from the week ending


March 23rdshowedthatprices for old season lambs at Welsh auction markets increased by 40 pence per kilogramme to 193p/kg. However,this is still 20p/kg down on the same week last year.


tion officer with Welsh redmeatpro- motion agency HybuCig Cymru (HCC), said: “Lamb prices normally receive aboost around Easter as demand forlamb from the UK mar- ketgrows. “While prices this year haven’t


quite reached the same levels of 2012, this is still awelcome boost for Welsh farmers whohavebeen hit by rising production costs.” Meanwhile the prices forthis year’slamb crop have also been


For the latest Wales farming news: walesfarmer.co.uk


strong, with farmers receiving an average303p/kg. “These prices arearesult of


strong demand and tight supplyof newseason lamb to the marketdue to the early Easter,reduced lamb crops due to last year’spoor weather and the impact of diseases such as LiverFlukeand the Schmallenberg virus,” added Mr Richards. An increased demand forWelsh


lamb abroad, as well as amore favourable exchange rate,has also provided aboost forproducers. “This strengthening of the Euro


has encouraged exports and is acon- tributory factor forthe improved marketprices and the exchange rate will continue to have an impact on prices in the coming weeks as the final lambs from the 2012 crop come onto the market,”said Mr Richards.


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