Page 43 - Demo

S H O R T H O R N
Dairy
wife Elizabeth ‘holding it all together’.
Huw says his early enthusiasm for
chasing milk yields and the Holstein cow
has tempered, because it did not suit the
farm. The policy now is to make the best
possible use of grass, so the herd
switched to British Friesians and a
smaller number of Shorthorns.
The autumn calving period is as
compact as possible, between
September and mid-December. And the
system is designed around a relatively
small grazing platform, with outlying
land used to produce forage.
Hence, the family does not chase
yields, but the cows average between
6,000 and 7,000 litres and can last 10
lactations, with a first calving at two
years old.
Emphasis
The cows are housed as they calve, with
80 or 90 replacements kept.
More sexed semen is used these days,
with an emphasis on breeding for fat,
protein, legs and fertility. A beef breed is
used after AI and beef calves go off the
farm and, from next year, will be sold
under contract at four weeks for Wagu
beef.
Huw says: “The heifer calves are reared
on an automatic machine after receiving
colostrum for two or three days.
“We start weaning them at six to seven
weeks, so they are weaned by eight or
nine weeks. Then they are fed on straw
and concentrates until are turned out in
April.”
Once heifers are at the bulling stage,
they are kept in cubicles, and pre-calving
cows are also cubicle housed.
Peter says: “We have a new calving pen
with rubber mats to make it hygienic and
clean and to try to minimize risks such as
Johne’s. The only straw we use is for
bedding the calves.”
The brothers enjoy a close relationship
and the variety that the 100-pitch
caravan park, as well as the other
diversification businesses, bring to the farm.
They were brought up to work together
and to play a role in the farming
community, as well as in the small town
of Llandovery.
Huw has been chair of the NFU locally
and of the YFC and is very much involved
in the local community, an attitude which
has also been passed on to the next
generation.
Alun has been very active in YFC and
also successful showing calves and now
youngstock.
He is a member of Holstein Young
Breeders and enjoys mentoring other
youngsters and passing on his
knowledge.
Services
And at the end of last year, Peter was
presented with the Farmers Union of
Wales Award for outstanding services to
the dairy industry.
His contribution to education and
technology transfer in the Welsh dairy
sector has earned him a Fellowship of the
Royal Agricultural Societies. He is
involved in a range of activities, is chair of
Lantra Wales and Future Farmers of
Wales president.
Articles by the Dairy
Farmer Photographs by Jon Eveson
•
243 hectares (600 acres) across
three holdings, mostly owned,
some rented and some woodland
•
One full-time member of staff plus a
number of part-time workers are
employed on the farm
•
The wedding venue is due to open
in May, run mainly by Huw’s
children and partners, including
daughter, Carys Jones, whose own
wedding to Llyr Jones last year was
the catalyst for the venture
•
Huw’s son Carwyn and wife Emily
also own and run four glamping
pods
•
PV panels, installed on difficult
ground, produce 50 KWH electricity
•
The milk is processed at nearby
Haverfordwest and goes for cheese
•
The herd averages 4.4% and protein
3.5%
•
Peter was senior lecturer at the
Welsh Agricultural College in
Aberystwyth from 1978-1995 before
joining Gelli Aur as head of
department for agriculture. He
went on to take on a number of
roles at Coleg Sir Gar culminating in
the role of assistant principal. He
retired from the further education
college in 2015
•
The Rees family is hosting the Dairy
Shorthorn AGM weekend on June
10-11, 2023. The weekend includes
a young members workshop,
judging seminar, herd walk, as well
as the AGM.
•
For more information, visit
shorthorn.uk
FARM FACTS
Shorthorn 43