Technical training aids fertility improvements in Welsh dairy herd/Hyfforddiant technegol yn gymorth i wella ffrwythlondeb buches odro yng Nghymru

The next generation at a Pembrokeshire dairy farm are improving their dairy herd’s fertility thanks to artificial insemination (AI) 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 110-cow dairy enterprise so to ensure breeding takes place promptly after a cow is spotted bulling, Alistair embarked on an AI course.

This three-day accredited course was 80% funded by Farming Connect through its lifelong learning and development programme.

Alistair now shares AI duties with Hannah, who previously underwent training through Farming Connect.

Fertility has improved and they are making savings on technician fees.

“It has made a massive difference because we can serve cows at the optimum time. 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,’’ says Alistair.

The all-year-round calving Holstein Friesian herd yields an average of 7,500 litres 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. We are very fortunate to the have the Farming Connect programme to provide the training that can help us put the business on a sound footing going forward,’’ says 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,’’ says William.

“It is a tremendous advantage that a substantial part of the training fee is met by Farming Connect, it really does make the difference between doing a course and not doing it.’’

The next application window for applying for Farming Connect training is from Monday, 5 February to Friday, 2 March 2018. 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/

Farming Connect are hosting a range of free PDP – Personal Development Plan – events throughout Wales in January. Events are held in:

Llanelli – 25/01/2018

Llanrwst – 29/01/2018

Cardigan – 01/02/2018

Llandovery – 06/02/2018

To attend any of our events, or for more information, please contact our service centre on 08456 000 813.

Hyfforddiant technegol yn gymorth i wella ffrwythlondeb buches odro yng Nghymru

Mae’r genhedlaeth nesaf ar fferm odro yn Sir Benfro yn gwella ffrwythlondeb eu buches odro drwy hyfforddiant ffrwythloni artiffisial (AI) sydd wedi cael ei ariannu’n rhannol gan Cyswllt Ffermio.

Mae Alistair a William Lawrence a’u chwaer Hannah wedi dychwelyd i Great Hares Head, fferm odro, bîff a defaid ger Crundale, sy’n cael ei ffermio ar y cyd gyda’u mam-gu a’u tad-cu, John a Joyce Lloyd.

Mae’r teulu yn paratoi’r fferm am y dyfodol trwy fuddsoddi mewn parlwr godro newydd yn lle’r cyfleuster gyda lle i chwe buwch ochr yn ochr, a gafodd ei roi yn ei le yn 1972. Mae’r isadeiledd newydd yn cynnwys sied giwbicl, sied lloia a sied gwartheg sych.

Mae sicrhau bod y gwartheg yn gyflo bob blwyddyn yn hanfodol ar gyfer proffidioldeb y fenter o 110 o wartheg godro. Felly, aeth Alisatir ar gwrs AI i sicrhau bod buwch yn bridio’n brydlon ar ôl gofyn tarw.

Mae 80% o’r cwrs achrededig tri diwrnod hwn wedi cael ei ariannu gan Cyswllt Ffermio trwy’r rhaglen dysgu a datblygu gydol oes.

Mae Alistair erbyn hyn yn rhannu’r ddyletswyddau AI gyda Hannah, sydd eisoes wedi cael ei hyfforddi drwy Cyswllt Ffermio.

Yn ogystal â gwella’r ffrwythlondeb, maen nhw hefyd yn arbed ar gostau’r technegydd.

“Mae wedi gwneud gwahaniaeth mawr i ni gan ein bod yn gallu rhoi tarw i’r fuwch ar yr amser gorau posib. Yn y gorffennol byddwn i wedi gweld buwch yn gofyn tarw yn y nos ond fyddai hi ddim wedi cael tarw nes y bore wedyn neu’r prynhawn hyd yn oed ac roedd y bwlch hwnnw’n rhy hir,’’ dywedodd Alistair.

Mae’r buchesi Holstein Friesian, sy’n lloia trwy gydol y flwyddyn, yn cynhyrchu 7,500 litr gyda 4.2% o fraster menyn a 3.4% o brotein ar gyfartaledd.

Mae gan y teulu Lawrence, y bedwaredd genhedlaeth i ffermio Great Hares Head, hyder yn nyfodol godro ac yn dweud bod eu gallu i wneud AI eu hunain yn creu busnes mwy effeithlon.

“Rydym ni’n credu bod gan ffermio yng Nghymru ddyfodol llewyrchus a dyna pam mae’r tri ohonom ni wedi dewis ffermio. Rydym ni’n ffodus iawn bod rhaglen Cyswllt Ffermio yn cynnig hyfforddiant sy’n ein helpu ni i roi seiliau cadarn i’r busnes wrth fynd ymlaen,” dywedodd Hannah.

Mae’r tri hefyd yn awyddus i fynd ar gwrs tocio traed blwyddyn nesaf.

“Y mwyaf o sgiliau gallwn ni eu dysgu, y mwyaf effeithlon y gallai’r busnes fod,” dywedodd William.

“Mae’n fantais mawr fod y rhan fwyaf o’r gost hyfforddi yn cael ei dalu gan Cyswllt Ffermio, oherwydd dyna’r gwahaniaeth rhwng mynd ar gwrs a pheidio.’’

Y cyfnod ymgeisio ar gyfer hyfforddiant Cyswllt Ffermio yw o ddydd Llun, 5 Chwefror I ddydd Gwener, 2 Mawrth 2018. Am ddyddiadau a lleoliadau’r cyrsiau hyfforddiant gan gynnwys ffrwythloni artiffisial, gwybodaeth am fodiwlau e-ddysgu a gwasanaethau Cyswllt Ffermio a allai fod o gymorth i chi a’ch busnes, ewch i www.llyw.cymru/cyswlltffermio

Mae Cyswllt Ffermio yn cynnal nifer o ddigwyddiadau PDP – Cynllun Datblygu Personol – drwygydol Gymru ym mis Ionawr. Cynhelir y digwyddiadau yn:

Llanelli – 25/01/2018

Llanrwst – 29/01/2018

Aberteifi – 01/02/2018

Llanymddyfri – 06/02/2018

I fynychuunrhyw un o’n digwyddiadau, neu am ragor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch a’r ganolfanwasanaeth ar 08456 000 813.