Training helps give siblings’ dairy herd an artificial boost
The next generation at a Pembrokeshire dairy farm are improving their dairy herd’s fertility thanks to artificial insemination training part-funded by Farming Connect.
Brothers Alistair and William Lawrence and their sister Hannah have all returned to Great Hares Head, a dairy, beef and sheep farm near Crundale, where they farm with their grandparents John and Joyce Lloyd.
The family is setting the business up for the future by investing in a new milking parlour to replace a six-abreast facility installed in 1972. The new infrastructure includes cubicle housing and calving and dry cow sheds.
Getting cows in calf every year is vital to the profitability of their 110cow dairy enterprise, so to ensure breeding takes place promptly after a cow is spotted bulling, Alistair embarked on an artificial insemination (AI) course.
Alistair now shares AI duties with Hannah, who previously underwent training through Farming Connect.
Fertility has now improved and they are making savings on technician fees.
“It has made a massive difference because we can serve cows at the optimum time,” said Alistair.
“Previously we might have noticed a cow was on heat in the evening but she might not have been served until late the following morning or the afternoon, and that was too long a gap.”
The Holstein Friesian herd. which calves all year round, yields an average of 7,500 litres of milk at 4.2% butterfat and 3.4% protein.
The Lawrences, who are the fourth generation to farm at Great Hares Head, are confident about the future of dairying and say that the ability to do their own AI is making the business more efficient.
“We think farming in Wales has a great future, which is why we have all chosen to farm,” said Hannah.
Alistair and William, together with Hannah, plan to sign up for a foot-trimming course next year.
“The more skills we can learn, the more efficient the business can be,” added William.
There were 2,792 dairy cow holdings in Wales in 2015. This is a significant decline from a decade before, when there were 4,055 dairy holdings.
Over the same period, average herd sizes have risen from 58 to 88.
The total number of dairy cows aged two years or more that have calved in the Welsh herd was 246,331.
Among cattle aged two years or more, females of dairy breeds outnumber females of non-dairy breeds by three to two.
The three-day accredited course was 80% funded by Farming Connect through its lifelong learning and development programme.
Farming Connect is hosting a range of free Personal Development Plan events throughout Wales in January. Events are being held at:
Llanelli, January 25
Llanrwst, January 29
Cardigan, February 1
Llandovery, February 6
The next application window for applying for Farming Connect training is from Monday, February 5 to Friday, March 2.
For dates and locations of all forthcoming training courses, including artificial insemination, information about e-learning modules and other Farming Connect services which could support you and your business, visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/farmingconnect/