Wales Farmer 2 THISmonth NEWS Sennybridge Weaned Calf Show and Sale


The Price is rightatshow


DESPITE the late spring, there wasaquality showofcalves at the annual spring weaned calf showand sale in Sennybridge. Rougher,fitter cattle readyto


News ...........3-7 Opinions ..........8 Planning matters ...8 Dairy investment ...9 Soil success ......11 Food and drink ....13 News feature .....14 Horticulture .......15 Glastir ...........16 Sheepdog trials 18-19 YFC ..........20-22 Classified ........23 Countryside ......25 Equestrian .......26


For Wales Farmer contact details see page 8.


Genomic testing on offer for heifer and bull calves


HOLSTEIN UK is nowoffering members the opportunity to run aUKgenomic evaluation on both male and female calves. “Running genomic


evaluations on male calves has been restricted to AI companies until now, butthe service is now availabletoall breeders,” explained Holstein UK’s Suzanne Harding. “Thereare anumber of


options availableand it’sbest for breeders to look at the Holstein UK website to find out which evaluation best suits their requirements.” Genomic evaluation has


proved popular with UK breeders,asthe extra information accrued can be useful in deciding which females to breed from. The technology continues to


develop rapidlyand is also being used by breeding organisations all over the worldasameans of deciding which young bulls to progenytest. The evaluations areavailable online at www.holstein-uk.org.


face the greatoutdoors,as expected, were hotlycontested by the large number of buyers from throughout the UK. The champion group of four


or morecalves wasshown by D. R. Price and Co.,


of


Garreglwyd, Llanddeusant,with the reservegoing to I. W.,J.H. R. and W. D. W. Pugh, Caerllwyn. The showwas judged by


Richardand Carly Millichap, of HendreOwen, Port Talbot and a £200 prizefund wasgenerously donated by MarkSimpson, group secretary of NFU Mutual Brecon. Steers (334): Overall average £2.33/kg, £787 per head, with 111 fetching morethan £2.50/kg. Leading prices per kilo: J. M.


and A. M. Lewis,Pentwyn, 350kg, 320p/kg (x2); T. G.


Morgan, Neuadd, 275kg,


320p/kg; J. K. Morgan and Co, Gorslwyd, 280kg, 318p/kg; I. W.,J.H.R.and W. D. W. Pugh, Caerllwyn, 370kg, 314p/kg (x5); D. R. Price and Co., Garreglwyd, 370kg, 303p/kg (x2); A. L. and H. M. Harding, Cefncoed, 270kg, 296p/kg (x2). Leading prices per head: J. M.


and A. M. Lewis,Pentwyn, 420kg, £1,260; I. W.,J.H.R.and W. D. W. Pugh, Caerllwyn, 530kg, £1,230, 425kg, £1,210; F. G. and B. G. Goodall, Glyntywarch, 485kg, £1,200; I. W.,J.H.R.and W. D. W. Pugh, Caerllwyn, 370kg, £1,160 (x5); T. C. and V. M. Phillips,Rhulan, 420kg, £1,130; D. R. Price and Co., Garreglwyd, 370kg, £1,120 (x2).


Heifers (300): Overall average £2.12/kg, £674 per head, with 97 achieving morethan £2.30/kg. Leading prices per kilo: J. M.


and A. M. Lewis,Pentwyn, 350kg, 303p/kg; D. R. Price and Co.,


Garreglwyd, 286p/kg (x5); I. W.,J.H.R.and 294kg, June 2013 Sennybridge, April 16th


BEST IN SHOW: The champion pen of steers with three generations of the Price Family, from Garreglwyd, Llanddeusant and judges Richard and Carly Millichap.


W. D. W. Pugh, Caerllwyn, 320kg, 269p/kg, 290kg, 269p/kg (x4); D. R. Price and Co., Garreglwyd, 340kg, 268p/kg; D. and H. Williams,Gelly, 270kg, 263p/kg.


Leading prices per head: J. M.


and A. M. Lewis,Pentwyn, 350kg, £1,060; T. G. Morgan, Neuadd, 405kg, £1,050, 445kg, £1,030; J. G. Williams and Co., Blaencamlais,440kg, £1,000,


500kg, £970; T. M. P. Price, Llwyncelyn, 400kg, £925 (x2); D. R. Price &Co.,Garreglwyd, 340kg, £910. Auctioneers:


Tompkinson and Francis.


Weather-hitfarmers banking on support


■ ‘Sympathy’ to plightafter severe snow


THE banking sector


insists it is doing all it can to help farmers whose


By Debbie James


finances are under pres- sure from losses incurred during the recent severe


weather. During ameeting last month


with Wales’ farming minister, representativesofHSBC, NatWest, RBS and Barclays gave reassurances thatthey were react-


ing “sympathetically” to farmers. Alun Davies has urged farmers


whoare experiencing financial difficulties to contact their banks. “One thing thatwas abundant-


ly clear from the meeting is that the banking sector in Wales is onlytoo awareofthe importance of the farming industry to our country,” he said. “They realise thatfarming is a


keybusiness sector forWales and arekeen to do all they can to sup- port it through the difficulties experienced over recent weeks, some of which will have longer termimplications forthe busi- nesses and families involved.” The minister said he wasreas-


sured thatthe banks were react- ing sympatheticallytothe current plight of farmers.


“With thatinmind Iwould


urge farmers facing financial dif- ficulties as aresult of the bad weather to contact their banks at the earliest opportunity,” he said. “The banks have assured me


thatthey arekeen to work with the industry and with individuals within it, and wherepossible help them to avoid serious financial difficulties.’’


Neighboursworktogether to combat TB


FARMERS in south Wales are being urged to shareinformation about TB breakdowns with their neighbours in abid to improve disease control. Apilot scheme has been launched, which encourages farmers whose herds suffer anew TB breakdown to sharetheir details


with neighbouring


landowners,who can then take steps to prevent disease transmis- sion to their ownlivestock. The South East and South


West Wales Regional TB Eradication Delivery Boards


have joined forces forthe scheme, which will ask cattle keepers whose herdstatus changes to offi- ciallyTBfreewithdrawn, to sign avoluntary consent form after the disease is identified. This will allowthe Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) to disclose their name and address to herdowners of neighbouring premises with an epidemiological link. These farmers will then be able


to takesteps to prevent disease transmission between herds,such as moving cattle from anyfields


thatare on the boundary,orput- ting in place biosecurity measures to prevent cattle contact between premises. The pilot scheme will run for


six months and if successful, it could be expanded across Wales. Forfurther information, con-


tact the AHVLA regional office in Carmarthen on 01267 245400 or email AHRO.SouthWales@ ahvla.gsi.gov.uk. Meanwhile,the second year of


the bovine TB badger vaccination programme is underway in west Wales.


The five-year project wasintro-


duced last year after the Welsh Government ditched plans fora pilot cull of badgers in an ‘inten- sive action area’ (IAA) in north Pembrokeshire. In announcing thatthe next


phase of the project had begun, Minster forNatural Resources and Food, Alun Davies said: “We arecontinuing to monitor the results of vaccination, and of our whole eradication programme, carefullytoensureweare making good progress towardsour ulti- mate goal of aTBfreeWales.”


During the first year of the


programme,1,424 badgers were caught and vaccinated, butata cost of £15 per dose and an esti- mated overall cost of £5,760,000, the scheme attracted criticism for being too costly. The vaccination scheme is


expected to continue until the end of October. Abadger cull could still go


ahead in England this summer after being postponed last year when it emerged the badger pop- ulation in the culling zones had been severely underestimated.


Members dig factory visit


AN EAGERLYanticipated visit wasagreat success formembers of the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) Glamorgan branch. The group enjoyedavisit to


JCB’sworld headquarters in Rocester,Staffordshire, to experi- ence the company’sexcavator production line first-hand. FUW Glamorgan county exec-


MACHINERY FANS: The Glamorgan FUW members outside JCB’s headquarters.


utive officer Rachel Saunders said: “Manyofour members were extremelyinterested in attending this visit as JCB are


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


such awell-known and respected producer of agricultural machin- ery.


“Beforethe tour commenced,


membersand their familyand friendsenjoyedafilm detailing the full extent of the worldwide production thatJCB carries out as well as the huge range of machinery produced. “After this,wewereshown


around amuseum detailing the JCB history which started out as asmall agricultural company, set


up by Joseph Cyril Bamford, building tipping trailers,leading through the decades to the global companythatJCB is today. “The trip wascompleted with a


tour around the factory produc- tion floor and members found it fascinatingtowitness the JCB excavator being made from start to finish. Iwould liketothank Glamorgan members fortheir support and companyonthis excursion, which will hopefullybe the first of manysimilar events.”


Clee,


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