Welsh sheep breeder travelled 2000 miles to improve sheep conception rates

A Welsh sheep breeder has made changes to his artificial insemination programme to further improve conception rates in his performance-recorded flock following a Farming Connect Management Exchange funded visit to Denmark and Sweden.

 Alwyn Phillips, of Penygelli Farm, near Caernarfon, had used cervical insemination in combination with fresh semen on his flock of performance-recorded Texels and Poll Dorsets since 1983.

But, following lessons learned during his visit to Denmark and Sweden, two countries which achieve higher conception rates using frozen semen, he is now adopting this approach.

 Mr Phillips was awarded a bursary to study how techniques used in these Scandinavian countries could be implemented in Wales to enhance its own cervical AI programme.

 He is now encouraging others to apply to the Farming Connect Management Exchange programme – the application window for the 2018-2019 programme is open until June 30th.

He says it is more important than ever that farmers and foresters learn new skills to make their businesses more efficient as Wales prepares for changes to the subsidy system in the next five years.

 “Applying to the Farming Connect Management Exchange gives Welsh farmers across all sectors a massive opportunity to achieve this,’’ he says.

 With changes to any business taking five years or more to fully implement, Mr Phillips urges potential applicants to act now and benefit from the Farming Connect funding.

 He chose Denmark and Sweden for his study because Scandinavian countries have become world leaders in the cervical insemination of sheep using frozen semen as laparoscopic AI is prohibited.

 Mr Phillips travelled nearly 2000 miles in six days, visiting six farms.

 These farms achieve 50-70% conception rates using frozen semen – in UK trials conception rates have varied from 5-30%.

 “Scandinavian countries have developed a method of cervical insemination of sheep using frozen semen out of necessity”.

 “If their success could be mirrored in Wales, it presents a “huge opportunity’ to improve the national flock,” he insists.

“This could benefit producer and processor alike by reducing the number of carcasses that fail to achieve the desired grade in the EUROP grid, thus improving farm profitability and lowering the cost of processing as well as reducing waste in the plant.

 “Cervical insemination using frozen semen gives us an opportunity to rapidly improve the Welsh sheep industry, make our farming business more viable and more competitive in order to face the challenges coming our way in the next few years.’’

 In Wales, most ewes in AI breeding programmes are inseminated laparoscopically but this is a high cost and invasive procedure with associated risks.

 Mr Phillips says his visit to Denmark and Sweden had demonstrated just how successful cervical insemination using frozen semen can be.

 “AI offers access to superior genetics, reduces risks of importing diseases and a wider choice of proven rams. It allows the purchase of semen from rams to improve the individual ewe’s weaker EBVs, while avoiding risk of in-breeding.’’

It could be cheaper, he suggests, to buy semen from proven rams than to invest in a stock ram which may not improve the flock and, in some cases, might have a brief working life.

 Mr Phillips believes Welsh sheep farmers could benefit from insemination training programmes similar to those offered to dairy farmers.

 “Once trained, the breeder can have a flask on farm holding semen from different proven rams to be used on selected ewes,’’ he says.

 Mr Phillips describes his farm visits in Sweden and Denmark as “enjoyable, informative and intense’’.

 “The people I met were very open in sharing their expertise, their successes, but just as important what they learned from failures.

 “I think the fact that I brought with me information about my flock was key to their willingness to share their knowledge. They answered every question I asked of them and in return I honestly answered questions about my flock and performance recording.’’

Bridiwr defaid o Gymru wedi teithio 2000 milltir i wella cyfraddau beichiogi ei ddefaid.

 Mae bridiwr defaid o Gymru wedi gwneud newidiadau i’w raglen ffrwythloni artiffisial i wella gyfraddau beichiogi ei ddiadell ymhellach ar ôl ymweliad i Ddenmarc a Sweden a ariennir gan Cyfnewidfa Rheolaeth Cyswllt Ffermio.

Roedd Alwyn Phillips, o Fferm Penygelli, ger Caernarfon, wedi defnyddio ffrwythloni serfigol ar y cyd â semen ffres ar ei ddiadell o ddefaid Texel a Poll Dorsets ers 1983.

Ond, yn sgil gwersi a ddysgwyd yn ystod ymweliad Cyfnewidfa Rheolaeth Cyswllt Ffermio i Ddenmarc a Sweden, dwy wlad sy’n sicrhau cyfraddau ffrwythloni uwch trwy defnyddio semen wedi’i rewi, mae bellach yn mabwysiadu’r dull hwn.

Derbyniodd Mr Phillips fwrsariaeth i astudio sut y gellid gweithredu technegau a ddefnyddid yn y gwledydd hyn yn Sgandinafia adref yng Nghymru er mwyn gwella’r rhaglen ffrwythloni artiffisial serfigol yma.

Bellach mae Mr Phillips yn annog eraill i wneud cais ar gyfer rhaglen Cyfnewidfa Rheolaeth Cyswllt Ffermio – mae’n bosibl gwneud cais ar gyfer rhaglen 2018-2019 hyd at 30 Mehefin.

Dywed ei bod yn bwysicach nag erioed i ffermwyr a choedwigwyr ddysgu sgiliau newydd i wneud eu busnesau’n fwy effeithlon wrth i Gymru baratoi ar gyfer newidiadau i’r system cymorthdaliadau yn y pum mlynedd nesaf.

“Mae ymgeisio ar gyfer rhaglen Cyfnewidfa Rheolaeth Cyswllt Ffermio yn rhoi cyfle enfawr i ffermwyr Cymru ar draws bob sector gyflawni hyn,’’ meddai.

Gan fod newidiadau i unrhyw fusnes yn cymryd pum mlynedd neu fwy i’w gweithredu’n llawn, mae Mr Phillips yn annog darpar ymgeiswyr i weithredu nawr ac elwa ar gyllid Cyswllt Ffermio.

Dewisodd Ddenmarc a Sweden ar gyfer ei astudiaeth gan fod gwledydd Sgandinafia wedi dod yn arweinwyr byd mewn ffrwythloni artiffisialgan ddefnyddio semen wedi’i rewi ar gyfer defaid gan fod ffrwythloni artiffisial laparosgopig wedi’i wahardd.

Teithiodd Mr Phillips bron i 2000 milltir mewn chwe diwrnod, gan ymweld â chwe fferm.

Mae’r ffermydd hyn yn llwyddo i sicrhau cyfraddau beichiogi 50-70% trwy ddefnyddio semen wedi’i rewi – mewn treialon yn y DU mae cyfraddau beichiogi wedi amrywio rhwng 5-30%.

“Mae gwledydd Sgandinafia wedi datblygu dull o ffrwythloni serfigol ar gyfer defaid trwy ddefnyddio semen wedi’i rewi, fel mater o raid,” meddai Mr Phillips.

“Pe byddai modd efelychu eu llwyddiant yng Nghymru, bydd hi’n cyflwyno ‘cyfle enfawr’ i wella’r ddiadell genedlaethol.”

“Gallai’r cynhyrchydd a’r prosesydd fel ei gilydd elwa trwy leihau nifer y carcasau sy’n methu â chyrraedd y safon ddymunol yng ngrid EUROP, a thrwy hynny wella proffidioldeb y fferm a lleihau costau prosesu yn ogystal â lleihau gwastraff yn y ffatri.

“Mae ffrwythloni serfigol trwy ddefnyddio semen wedi’i rewi’n rhoi cyfle i ni wella diwydiant defaid Cymru’n gyflym, gan wneud ein busnesau ffermio’n fwy hyfyw a chystadleuol wrth wynebu’r heriau a ddaw yn y blynyddoedd nesaf.’’

Yng Nghymru, mae’r rhan fwyaf o ddefaid mewn rhaglenni bridio ffrwythloni artiffisial yn cael eu ffrwythloni’n laparosgopig ond mae’n weithdrefn fewnwthiol chostus gyda risgiau’n gysylltiedig â hi.

Dywed Mr Phillips fod ei ymweliad â Denmarc a Sweden wedi dangos mor llwyddiannus y gall ffrwythloni serfigol gyda semen wedi’i rewi fod.

“Mae ffrwythloni artiffisial yn cynnig mynediad i eneteg well, yn lleihau’r risg o gyflwyno clefydau i’r ddiadell ac yn rhoi dewis ehangach o hyrddod wedi’u profi. Mae’n fodd i’r ffermwr brynu semen hyrddod i wella EBVs gwannach defaid unigol, gan osgoi’r risg o fewnfridio.’’

Awgryma y gallai fod yn rhatach prynu semen o hyrddod wedi’u profi yn hytrach na buddsoddi mewn hwrdd na fydd efallai’n gwella’r ddiadell, ac mewn rhai achosion, ag oes weithio fer.

Creda Mr Phillips y gallai ffermwyr defaid elwa ar raglenni ffrwythloni artiffisial tebyg i’r rhai a gynigir i ffermwyr llaeth.

“Unwaith y caiff ei hyfforddi, gall y bridiwr gael fflasg ar y fferm i gadw’r semen o wahanol hyrddod i’w ddefnyddio ar ddefaid penodol,’’ meddai.

Disgrifia Mr Phillips ei ymweliadau fferm yn Sweden a Denmarc fel rhai “pleserus, dwys ac addysgiadol’’.

“Roedd y bobl y gwnes eu cyfarfod yn agored iawn wrth rannu eu harbenigedd a’u llwyddiannau, ond roedd yr hyn a ddysgwyd o’u methiannau yr un mor bwysig.

“Credaf fod y ffaith fy mod wedi dod â gwybodaeth am fy niadell gyda mi yn allweddol i’w parodrwydd i rannu eu gwybodaeth. Cefais ateb i bob cwestiwn a ofynnais ac atebais innau gwestiynau am fy niadell ac am gofnodi eu perfformiad.’’