Baled silage award goes to Swmbarch

This year’s FWGS All-Wales Big Bale competition winner is Gerwyn Williams, Swmbarch, Letterston, Haverford West – a member of North Pembrokeshire Grassland Society. The very close runner up award goes to Elgan Evans of E Evans a’i Gwmni, Tynant, Talybont, Ceredigion – a member of Aberystwyth Grassland Society.

The competition is sponsored by Bpi Silotite and analysis provided by Agri-lloyd and run, in conjunction with RWAS.

Lead judge, Dave Davies said: “The competition was keen this year with some excellent quality silages on show.  With the scoring changes that have occurred it is vitally important that the competitors focus not only on producing top quality silage but also ensuring the silage nutritive value is optimized for the animals they are feeding.  In addition, a large proportion of the marks are awarded for other aspects of the silage making and feeding process and maximizing reliance on forages within the whole farm feeding systems and quality of stock consuming it.”

Gerwyn runs a closed suckler cow herd taking all beef through to finishing, supplementing with home grown cereals and minimal bought in concentrate.  48 cows all AI genus Closed herd and all beef animals sold before 24months. Gerwyn not only optimises Silage Quality to the animals nutritional needs but supplements his growing and finishing beef with home grown cereals and thus requiring minimal use of bought in concentrates. Cows are on silage and arable silage, youngstock are on 1.5kg/hd home mix and finishing stock on 5.5kg/hd home mix and adlib silage. Protein supplement is only purchased feed. Most of feed is from silage. He has been a finalist on a number of occasions but has never been the winner … this year he has become the cream of the cream.

Swmbarch has three harvesting cuts (May, July, August) with last year totalling 380bales plus baled Barley/Peas arable silage undersown grass.First cut wilted for 48hrs second and third 24hrs each.

Gerwyn’s big bale analysis showed DM 52.1%, CP 11.6, D-value 59.8, ME 9.6, and pH 4.8.

Technical Judge Dave Davies said “Feeding different quality silages to different classes of stock within beef and sheep farms is also crucial to economic and environmental sustainability. The judges found that Gerwyn Williams was optimising his forage feeding strategy best amongst the finalists.  His targeted forage feeding resulted in lower bought in feed costs and enabled him to see the many other knock-on advantages that this approach provides.”

Runners up- Elgan Evans and family from Talybont, Aberystwyth. The farm carries 2800 ewes and 57 Suckler cows at an altitude of 980ft. As past winners their focus is on forages that can meet the needs of their livestock such as whole crop cereal silage alongside top quality red clover and grass silage for the growing cattle and in lamb ewes. Their big bale analysis showed DM 35.6%, CP 15.6, D-value 67.1, ME 10.7, and pH 4.7.  

Dave Davies said: “Both farms have a focus on forages with both utilising the benefits of leguminous forages within the whole forage mix on farms. Their approaches to the use of legumes, must become a choice all Welsh livestock farmers embrace in the very near future to both reduce feed costs and the environmental foot print of Welsh milk and meat production.  

The other two successful farmers to reach the final rounds were:

• AJ & JC Daniel, Abergwydol, Penegoes, Machynlleth (members of Bro Ddyfi Grassland Society); 
• James Pugh, Doliago, Llanwrthwl, Llandrindod (member of Wye Valley Grassland Society)

The All Wales Big Bale Silage Competition is run by the Federation of Welsh Grassland Societies in conjunction with the RWAS and sponsored by BPI Agriculture – manufacturers of Silotite balewrap. It is becoming a very sought after award, and this year’s competition was no exception. Our thanks go to our Judging Team:- David Davies, Technical Judge (from Silage Solutions Ltd); Stuart Anthony (BPi/Berry Agriculture Sponsor); and Gary & Jess Yeomans (2021 Big Bale Competition Winners).

All competition entries are analysed courtesy of Agri-Lloyd, and the competition is open to all members of the 22 Welsh Grassland Societies.