Conwy: Breeding for efficiency

Join AHDB and Farming Connect for an on-farm event at Bodysgaw Isa to hear how strategic dairy farm host, Arthur Owen, is working towards improving his herd efficiency per cow by using farm data to make better breeding decisions.

You’ll learn from our AHDB experts, Marco Winters and Fern Pearston, about how live weight and production data can be used to aid decision making.  Arthur will also explain how he has been using his kilogram of milk solids produced per kilogram of liveweight (KgMS/KgLwt) results to inform his breeding programme and increase cow efficiency within his herd.

The session will involve a farm walk and discussion around long-term herd efficiency with economic and breeding gains as key considerations.

The meeting will help you learn more about:

• KgMS produced per KgLwt for Arthur’s herd
• Breeding decisions impacting cow efficiency
• Economic benefits of increasing cow efficiency

Booking is essential – You must book your place in advance and all bookings will receive email confirming your place. No individuals will be able to join without receiving an email confirmation.

Refreshments – AHDB will be able to provide Covid secure refreshments and lunches in the form of individual packed lunches. Please feel free to bring your own if you prefer.

Biosecurity – To assist with biosecurity and conform to government guidelines please ensure outer clothing and vehicles are clean and that clean boots that can be disinfected are worn.

Health and Safety guidelines for AHDB Events

About Marco Winters

Marco Winters is a specialist in the international dairy breeding industry; he leads the genetic and genomic evaluations for UK dairy cattle and directs national breeding goals and campaigns. Marco has led the roll out genetic evaluations for bovine TB, mastitis, lameness and calf survival, and coordinates the run and development of the monthly genomic evaluations. Recent work has focused on developing HealthyCow, Gestation Length, Feed Advantage and EnviroCow for the UK dairy industry. 

About Fern Pearston

Fern Pearston is an expert in dairy genetic and genomic evaluations with a Master in Animal Breeding from the University of Edinburgh. In her nearly seven years at AHDB, Fern has helped roll out genetic evaluations for bovine TB, mastitis, lameness and calf survival, and assists the UK herdbooks to maximise the use of genetic and genomic information. Recent work has focused on launching HealthyCow, Gestation Length, Feed Advantage and EnviroCow in the UK dairy industry and assisting farmers in the use of AHDB Dairy’s online tool, the Herd Genetic Report, and working with them to ensure that their data is flowing smoothly into the evaluations so that they can make best use of their Herd Genetic Report.

About Bodysgaw Isa

Bodysgaw Isa has been tenanted by the Owen family on the Cefn Estate since 1939.  First managed by his grandfather, Arthur Owen now runs the farm alongside his 2 sons Guto and Gwion, Wife Marian, plus father in law Clwyd.

This Autumn calving herd consists of 375 Friesian Crossbred ‘Easy Care Cows’ average 6,788litres (568kg MS) per cow per year at 4.53% butterfat and 3.60% protein.  The herd, which calves onto grass, has an impression 5 year average of 93% cows calving within the first 8 weeks of the block.  All cows graze from early Feb until late Nov, average stocking density 3.65LU/ha across the year.  All replacements are home reared.

During Arthur’s time as an SDF, he hopes to further streamline and fine-tune his farming of Bodysgaw Isa. He has already developed a resilient business, stripped out costs, and achieves a good return on tenants' capital. Over the next 3 years, Arthur aspires to raise milk solids above 586kg/cow through improvements in silage quality. Upgrading slurry storage as well as and gaining better control of Johnes and Neospora are also key targets. 

Find out more about Bodysgaw Isa

About Strategic Dairy Farms

Strategic dairy farms help farmers learn from each other through regular on-farm meetings where we share key performance data and showcase what the best farmers are doing.

They form part of the Optimal Dairy Systems programme which aims to help dairy farmer’s lower costs and increase efficiency by focusing on either a block or all-year-round calving system.

The growing network of strategic dairy farms have calculated key performance indicators (KPIs) for their enterprises which are shared at meetings and published online. These are physical and financial performance measures that are critical to success. Farmers can benchmark their businesses against these KPIs and identify areas for improvement.

Explore our other strategic dairy farms

Ymunwch ag AHDB a Cyswllt Ffermio ar gyfer digwyddiad ar fferm Bodysgaw Isa, i glywed sut mae’r ffermwr llaeth strategol, Arthur Owen, yn gweithio i wella effeithlonrwydd ei fuches fesul buwch, drwy ddefnyddio data’r fferm i wneud penderfyniadau bridio gwell.

Byddwch yn dysgu gan ein harbenigwyr AHDB, Marco Winters a Fern Pearston, sut y gellir defnyddio data pwysau byw a  lefelau cynhyrchu i helpu i wneud penderfyniadau.   Bydd Arthur hefyd yn esbonio sut y bu’n defnyddio ei ganlyniadau ‘cilogram o gynnyrch llaeth solet a gynhyrchir fesul cilogram pwysau byw (KgCLlS/KgPB)’ i’w helpu i lunio’i raglen fridio a chynyddu effeithlonrwydd y buchod o fewn ei fuches.

Bydd y sesiwn yn cynnwys taith gerdded o amgylch y fferm a thrafodaeth am effeithlonrwydd y fuches dros yr hirdymor, gydag enillion economaidd a bridio yn ystyriaethau allweddol.

Bydd y cyfarfod yn eich helpu i ddysgu mwy am:

• KgCLlS a gynhyrchir fesul KgPB ar gyfer buches Arthur
• Sut mae penderfyniadau bridio’n effeithio ar effeithlonrwydd y fuwch
• Buddiannau economaidd cynyddu effeithlonrwydd y fuwch

 Mae’n hanfodol archebu lle – Rhaid ichi archebu’ch lle ymlaen llaw a bydd pob un sy’n archebu’n cael ebost yn cadarnhau eu lle.  Ni caiff unrhyw unigolion ymuno heb dderbyn ebost yn cadarnhau.

Lluniaeth – Bydd AHDB yn gallu darparu lluniaeth a chiniawau diogel o ran Covid-19 ar ffurf pecynnau bwyd unigol.  Mae croeso ichi ddod â’ch rhai eich hun os oes well gennych.

Bioddiogelwch – I gynorthwyo gyda bioddiogelwch ac i gydymffurfio â chanllawiau’r llywodraeth gwnewch yn siŵr fod eich dillad allanol a’ch cerbydau yn lân, a’ch bod yn gwisgo esgidiau glân y gellir eu diheintio.

Canllawiau Iechyd a Diogelwch Digwyddiadau AHDB

Am Marco Winters

Mae Marco Winters yn arbenigwr o fewn y diwydiant bridio anifeiliaid llaeth rhyngwladol; mae’n arwain y gwerthusiadau genetig a genomig ar gyfer gwartheg llaeth y DU ac yn llywio nodau ac ymgyrchoedd bridio cenedlaethol.  Mae Marco wedi arwain y gwaith o roi gwerthusiadau genetig ar waith ar gyfer TB gwartheg, mastitis, cloffni a goroesiad lloi, ac mae’n cydlynu’r gwaith o ddatblygu a chyflenwi gwerthusiadau genomig misol.  Mae ei waith diweddar wedi canolbwyntio ar ddatblygu rhaglenni HealthyCow, Gestation Length, Feed Advantage ac EnviroCow ar gyfer diwydiant llaeth y DU. 

Am Fern Pearston

Mae Fern Pearston yn arbenigwr ym maes gwerthusiadau llaeth genetig a genomig sydd â gradd Meistr mewn Bridio Anifeiliaid o Brifysgol Caeredin.  Yn ystod ei saith mlynedd bron gydag AHDB, mae Fern wedi helpu i roi gwerthusiadau genetig ar waith ar gyfer TB gwartheg, mastitis, cloffni a goroesiad lloi, ac mae’n cynorthwyo Llyfrau Buches y DU i wneud y defnydd gorau o wybodaeth genetig a genomig.  Mae ei gwaith diweddar wedi canolbwyntio ar lansio rhaglenni HealthyCow, Gestation Length, Feed Advantage, ac EnviroCow o fewn diwydiant llaeth y DU, a chynorthwyo ffermwyr i ddefnyddio arf ar-lein AHDB Llaeth, Adroddiad Geneteg y Fuches, gan weithio gyda nhw i sicrhau bod eu data’n llifo’n ddidrafferth i’r gwerthusiadau er mwyn iddyn nhw allu gwneud y defnydd gorau o’u Hadroddiad Geneteg y Fuches. 

Am Bodysgaw Isa
Mae Bodysgaw Isa’n fferm denant gyda 185 hectar (457 acer) o dir pori sy’n rhan o Ystâd Cefn.  Mae wedi’i ffermio gan deulu’r Oweniaid ers 1939.  Mae’r fuches, sy’n lloia’n yr hydref, yn cynnwys 375 o fuchod Friesian croes math Seland Newydd sy’n cynhyrchu 6,788 litr o laeth y fuwch a 568kg o gynnyrch llaeth solet y fuwch.  Mae’r holl fuchod yn lloia yn yr awyr agored, ac mae nifer yr achosion o dwymyn llaeth yn isel.  Mae’r lloia’n dechrau ar 1af Medi, gyda 93% o’r buchod wedi lloia o fewn 8 wythnos.  Gwerthir y llaeth drwy Arla. 

Mae’r tir pori’n ymestyn dros 103 hectar (255 acer), a’r nod yw pori o Chwefror hyd ddiwedd Tachwedd.  Mae’r holl anifeiliaid  amnewid yn cael eu magu ar y fferm, a gwerthir unrhyw stoc sydd dros ben.  Mae’r fferm yn defnyddio cyn lleied â phosib o beiriannau a gwneir defnydd helaeth o gontractwyr. 

Dros y tair blynedd nesaf yr heriau fydd mireinio’r busnes a chynyddu’r elw drwy gynhyrchu mwy o laeth o borthiant (porfa a silwair), rheoli a lleihau achosion o glefyd Johne a Neospora, a gwella’r dulliau o storio a defnyddio slyri. 

Am Ffermydd Llaeth Strategol

Mae ffermydd llaeth strategol yn helpu ffermwyr i ddysgu oddi wrth ei gilydd drwy gyfarfodydd rheolaidd ar ffermydd, lle rhennir data perfformiad allweddol ac arddangosir beth mae’r ffermwyr gorau yn ei wneud.  

Maent yn ffurfio rhan o’r rhaglen Optimal Dairy Systems, sy’n anelu at helpu ffermwyr llaeth i leihau costau a chynyddu effeithlonrwydd, drwy ganolbwyntio ar un ai system lloia mewn bloc neu system lloia trwy’r flwyddyn.

Mae gan ein rhwydwaith cynyddol o ffermydd llaeth strategol ddangosyddion perfformiad allweddol cyfrifedig, a rennir mewn cyfarfodydd, ac a gyhoeddir ar-lein.  Mae’r rhain yn mesur perfformiadau corfforol ac ariannol sy’n hanfodol er mwyn llwyddo.  Gall ffermwyr feincnodi eu busnesau yn erbyn y dangosyddion perfformiad allweddol hyn a nodi meysydd i’w gwella.