Mon, 17 Apr 2017 Ffermio

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-In tonight's programme,

-diversification...

-..an award for one dairy farmer

-despite problems for the industry...

-..and science giving

-sheep farming a helping hand.

-Meinir meets the NFU Cymru's

-Dairy Stockman of the Year.

-I'm happy with how the business has

-turned out in the past five years.

-We started with nothing and

-invested all our money in cattle.

-We now have a herd

-of around 200 cattle.

-On Anglesey, one farmer is trying

-to turn water into money.

-The lambing season

-is about to end for many farmers.

-It's a time to welcome new life

-but it can be quite a challenge.

-This week, Alun is in Talybont

-near Aberystwyth...

-..meeting a shepherd

-who works for a company...

-..that tries to make life easier

-for farmers.

-Gorddu Farm is the home of Innovis.

-Elan Davies

-is a breeding technician here.

-She's in the middle

-of the lambing season.

-It's an important time for us here,

-lambing time.

-We lamb outside,

-the lamb shed is empty...

-..and everything happens outside.

-We do check them from time to time

-in case there are any problems.

-If they're coping on their own,

-we leave them alone.

-That's what you're trying to do

-on behalf of the whole industry.

-We're trying to make life easier.

-We're trying to produce sheep

-that can look after themselves...

-..to save the farmer

-looking after them.

-We're making life easier

-for the farmer.

-The grass is in good shape.

-Did you keep them away from

-these fields until lambing began?

-We plant about 35 acres of swedes

-every year.

-The twin and triplet sheep were

-in those fields until early March.

-We then brought them

-to these fields for lambing.

-When they get here,

-they're ready for lambing.

-You don't interfere

-with the sheep and the lambs now.

-Years ago, when you made a record...

-..you had to make a mark

-the sheep and the lamb...

-..and tag the lamb when it was born.

-Does that not happen now?

-I've worked with Innovis

-for 18 months.

-Up until five years ago, you had

-to link the lamb to the sheep.

-At every birth, you'd tag the sheep

-and link it to the mother.

-You could trace

-the family tree like that.

-We leave them alone

-at the lambing stage now...

-..and bring them in

-when they're four weeks old.

-We use DNA shepherding....

-..we tag them then and take

-a tissue sample from the ear.

-We link both up, send the data to

-New Zealand and trace the lineage.

-Elan spends

-half her time in the fields...

-..and the other half at the main

-office in Peithyll, Aberystwyth...

-..where she analyses information

-about the sheep.

-It's a difficult question to ask...

-..but do you feel restricted

-when you work in the office?

-There's a lot of work

-beyond lambing.

-There's a nice balance in this job.

-We're out for long periods

-doing the hands-on work...

-..before coming back in here.

-To be honest, we're the middle men

-between the farm and the geneticist.

-She does all the detailed work

-of putting everything together.

-We just collect the data, make sure

-it's presented correctly...

-..and pass it on to her to allow

-her to complete the next stage.

-When you see a sheep

-with its lamb...

-..do you start recording then?

-You start thinking how they'll work.

-Yes, when we see

-the sheep and the lamb...

-..and there's no need for us to get

-involved, we leave them alone...

-..and we'll make a note

-that she lambed herself.

-The only time we make any record

-is when we've had to help.

-We scan the sheep using this, make

-a note that we had to help her...

-..and that will feed in

-to this database.

-If there are any problems...

-..do you then ignore those sheep

-or are they still useful to you?

-Yes, yes - instead of ignoring them

-because they're not helpful to us...

-..we tend to downgrade them

-and class them as recipients.

-We keep them in the herd

-but ignore their genetics.

-We'll place the embryos we collect

-into those recipients.

-There are 1,300 sheep here...

-..and the company has

-23 breeding partners across Britain.

-Last year, 2,000 rams were sold.

-Well, Elan,

-there's a mixture of breeds here.

-This is important

-for your organisation.

-Tell me more

-about the different breeds.

-There is a mixture.

-We don't stick to the traditional

-breeds you see on most farms.

-We produce different crossbreeds

-to produce our rams.

-Aber is the prefix

-for most of them...

-..Aberfield, Aberdale,

-Abertex, Abermax, Aberblack.

-It's a mixture of maternal

-and terminal rams.

-We have the Primera and Highlander

-genetics from New Zealand.

-We imported them to Innovis

-and bred them over the years...

-..and bred the rams to sell on.

-You're producing rams

-for all types of markets.

-That's important for us - we're

-appealing to all kinds of customers.

-They might be lowland farms

-or upland farms.

-We produce rams that will suit

-different systems.

-It's cold here today.

-If I was at home now, I'd go out

-with some sugar beet or sheep cake.

-Do you give these sheep

-any supplements?

-No, nothing in terms

-of concentrates.

-They have just under a tonne

-of blocks out in the fields.

-There's two blocks in every field.

-We send those out a fortnight

-before lambing and that's all.

-You must have good control

-of the grass and the land.

-A lot of work

-goes into grassland management.

-We do a lot of work

-testing the soil...

-..to make sure the pH and potash

-reach the required levels.

-By doing the hard work...

-..we find there's no need

-for additional feeding...

-..and the grass is sufficient.

-This is some view.

-The weather conditions vary up here.

-How high up are we?

-Where we are now, we're at 1,100ft.

-To the furthest part over there,

-it's 1,200ft.

-It's important for people

-to know we're not at sea level.

-We're not far from Aberystwyth,

-to the south of us...

-..and as you go further up,

-it's a different world up here.

-It's an impossible question

-to answer...

-..but do you think

-this is the future...

-..the records you keep and knowing

-all the facts about your sheep?

-It's a difficult question...

-..but in terms of

-the industry itself, as it is now...

-..we have an uncertain future ahead

-of us, especially after Brexit.

-Goodness knows what will happen.

-Since being out in New Zealand...

-..we've seen a country

-without subsidies.

-They've changed their mind-set...

-..and they use modern technology to

-create a herd that can do the job.

-The sheep looks after the farmer,

-not the other way around.

-I hope our customers

-can appreciate...

-..that the rams we sell

-fulfil a role for them.

-In a few weeks' time...

-..the first window of the

-Farm Business Grant will open.

-To qualify to apply for the grant...

-..you must attend Farming Connect's

-Farming For the Future roadshow.

-The grant is worth 3,000-12,000

-for qualifying businesses...

-..to improve economic

-and environmental performance.

-You must book your place beforehand

-to attend the roadshow.

-The first one is on April 25.

-For more information,

-contact Farming Connect.

-That's it for now.

-Join us after the break

-to hear about a new venture...

-..on Tyn Pwll Farm, Pentraeth.

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-Despite all the problems

-facing the dairy industry...

-..some farms are still succeeding.

-Meinir learnt more.

-Iwan Francis is NFU Cymru's

-Dairy Stockman of the Year.

-Despite not being raised

-on a dairy farm...

-..he knows what's needed

-to succeed in the industry.

-Five and a half years ago,

-Iwan started his tenancy...

-..on Nant Glas Talog in Carmarthen

-as part of a partnership.

-By now,

-he runs the business himself.

-When I left school, I went

-to study agriculture in Gelli Aur.

-I spoke to other students there.

-I started learning

-about dairy cattle...

-..and found some work experience

-on a local dairy farm.

-I worked on that farm

-during the holidays...

-..and learnt the basic skills

-of milking on that farm.

-I went to Aberystwyth

-to learn more...

-..and the interest

-developed from there.

-Not many tenant farms

-become available...

-..especially farms

-as good as this one.

-I was in the right place

-at the right time.

-I was very fortunate.

-The system you have here...

-..is different to the system

-we associate with Wales.

-Yes, we calve half the cattle in

-the spring and half in the autumn.

-We calve them in blocks

-of eight weeks.

-We try and get as much milk

-as we can from the grassland...

-..through grazing

-or silage in the winter.

-We feed them a tonne of concentrate.

-The cattle are also different.

-They are Friesian cross Jersey

-cattle.

-The genetics were introduced

-from New Zealand.

-When I visited New Zealand...

-..I saw the cattle there

-and the way they performed.

-They performed well from grazing...

-..and the milk quality

-was high in protein and fat.

-In terms of these cattle, what are

-the most important characteristics?

-Fertility is important.

-Since I calve in blocks...

-..they need to return

-relatively quickly...

-..and they can calve as soon

-as possible in the block...

-..and spend as much time in milk

-before they calve the next time.

-You use a system

-that's similar to New Zealand...

-..but is it suitable for

-the landscape and climate of Wales?

-I try to get as much milk

-as possible from the grassland.

-It's difficult to get it

-exactly the same as New Zealand...

-..because there's more rain -

-about 1.7m of rain in Wales.

-It's important to get the same

-mind-set, to limit our costs...

-..and be efficient in what we do.

-Iwan milks 200 cattle

-on 300 acres of land.

-He's won awards

-for his managing skills...

-..but there are some things

-he can't control.

-40 young calves, Iwan.

-There's a lot to do here.

-Yes, there's plenty to do.

-40 have been born since March

-and they're all females.

-Without the TB restrictions, I would

-have already sold half of them.

-How much of an impact has TB

-had on your business?

-Since January,

-it's had a big impact.

-I haven't managed to sell cattle

-that calved late in the block...

-..or sell male calves at the mart.

-Selling a stock of heifers,

-or cattle that calve later...

-..is very important to the business.

-It's so important for the cashflow.

-I don't have many empty cattle,

-I don't have any waste.

-I have heifers to sell every year.

-It's important for me to sell them.

-At the end of the block...

-..I have some Hereford calves.

-I don't know

-what to do with them yet.

-There's more value

-associated to them.

-It's a bit of a headache for me.

-How much of a difference

-has it made financially?

-Over 100 a calf between

-a Hereford and a Friesian calf.

-Over the five years

-you've been farming...

-..what's been

-the greatest challenge?

-Up until now, we haven't

-been affected by TB at all.

-We haven't had

-to face that challenge.

-We've worked hard over the past five

-years to increase the herd size.

-It's been a commitment

-in terms of money and effort.

-To lose any stock isn't nice.

-Of course, in this part

-of Carmarthenshire...

-..TB is a constant threat

-for local farms.

-How does Iwan hope

-the business will develop?

-I'm happy with the way the business

-has developed over five years.

-I started off in partnership,

-we started with nothing...

-..and we spent all our money

-on the herd.

-We've built from nothing

-up to 200 cattle...

-..and we also have calves.

-I'm happy with things as they are.

-I'd encourage others to do the same.

-If you can get a tenant farm,

-it's a good way to do it.

-I'd be happy to go into partnership

-with another farm.

-If I could find a tenancy,

-I'd be happy to do it again.

-This has worked out well.

-Drinking water is a crucial part

-of a balanced diet.

-In the UK, 2.8bn litres of

-bottled water is drunk every year.

-This week, I've crossed the bridge

-to meet a man...

-..hoping to benefit

-from this market.

-Tyn Pwll farm on Anglesey

-is the source of Ffynnon Mon water.

-They've just started to bottle it.

-The process of producing the water

-has taken seven years.

-The spring has always been there.

-The family have been here

-for 120 years...

-..and we've always used

-the spring for the farm.

-We made some enquiries, tested the

-water and did a geological survey.

-We found that the farm was on the

-largest deposit of glacial gravel...

-..on Anglesey.

-This was the end of the glacier

-where the gravel was churned up.

-When the glaciers melted,

-this all became a large lake.

-Sand built up

-over thousands of years...

-..and the lake drained

-thousands of years ago.

-From that, the water's

-filtered through the sand...

-..then through the gravel...

-..that lies on top of the limestone.

-This is where it pops up naturally

-at a gallon a second.

-A lot of businesses use bore holes

-and they drill down 400 yards.

-Here, we let the water

-come up naturally...

-..and we take it from the spring.

-We found out that no spring water

-came from Anglesey...

-..so we thought it would be good

-to start a business and create jobs.

-What's in the water?

-What's the calcium content?

-It has half the calcium of milk...

-..and it's also high in iron.

-It comes up

-as bottled water quality.

-No filtering happens to the water...

-.and it emerges to that quality.

-The water we see in the field...

-..is the water in the bottle.

-You don't clean the water.

-Not at all - all we do is pump it

-from the spring to the shed...

-..and straight into the bottle.

-No filtering happens at all.

-The entire bottling process

-happens on Tyn Pwll farm.

-Dafydd has a substantial shed where

-he controls the production process.

-What happens in the next stage

-of the process?

-The water is pumped

-into this building...

-..which was built

-for bottling purposes.

-It comes straight

-into the milk tank.

-We label the bottles here.

-The water is pumped

-into the fillers.

-We rinse the bottles before filling

-them and then they're capped.

-If they're filled

-with sparkling water...

-..there's a separate process

-which makes the water sparkling.

-It sounds like a simple process.

-It takes getting used to -

-you get into a rhythm of doing it.

-We have two members of staff here

-two days a week.

-They bottle the water and

-we fill 1,500-2,000 bottles a week.

-They're leaving the farm as soon

-as we fill them at the moment.

-Everything takes time -

-the machines don't do all the work.

-You're here to place the bottle

-in the machine...

-..you're here to cap the bottle.

-It takes a long time

-to complete one bottle of water.

-Yes, but initially,

-this was the best way to do it...

-..with these machines.

-Maybe, in the future,

-we'll have more automated machines.

-If we continue to do it like this,

-it helps create jobs.

-We feel it's an efficient process.

-Everything is hand bottled

-which makes it more special.

-Tyn Pwll is a 120-acre farm.

-It offers B&B accommodation

-and numerous summer houses.

-In addition to all this,

-Dafydd has two other businesses.

-You have a good business head,

-Dafydd.

-I like running my own business.

-The opportunities on Anglesey

-are limited...

-..so we have to create our own.

-I have a contracting business for

-tractors, trailers, hedge-cutters...

-..and another business where

-I convert cooking oil into diesel...

-..to fuel the tractors

-and the business vans.

-I'm doing well with those.

-This is the next thing I want to do.

-It's a higher level but I've had

-experience of running businesses...

-..and this has been set up nicely.

-Most of your time

-is taken up by the water.

-Every business

-needs time initially...

-..but I hope in the long term

-I can employ people full-time...

-..and I can manage the business.

-I'll always be around

-with input into the business.

-That's it for this week.

-We're back the same time next week.

-Cheerio.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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