Farming

Red clover plays important role in reducing livestock farm’s input costs

Published

2 years ago

September 27, 2023

PROTEIN-RICH red clover is helping a Welsh livestock farm achieve a total cost of production of less than £3/kg deadweight in its lambs.

Dafydd and Glenys Parry Jones have been farming organically at Maesllwyni since 2001, running a flock of 700 Texel and Aberfield cross ewes and 60 Hereford cross cattle on the upland holding near Machynlleth.

Red clover has been a key component in their system since then, and increasingly so – in the last three years cattle have been fattened solely on it and lambs spend their last two weeks before slaughter grazing these leys.

By continually fixing nitrogen and releasing it when grazed and cut, red clover is not only an important source of feed for the livestock at Maesllwyni but for soil health and nutrition too. At a recent Farming Connect open day at the farm, Mr Jones shared the knowledge he has gained from two decades of growing and feeding the crop.

Twenty hectares (ha) are grown within a rotation on 60ha of silage ground where fields are reseeded every 11 years. By favouring varieties including AberChianti and AberClaret, leys have a five year longevity if looked after, including by not grazing in the winter.

The crop is established in May after ploughing. The farm’s top soil layer is shallow therefore only the top 10cm are cultivated.

Oats, barley, peas and vetches are incorporated in the mix. “The arable mix cleans the field up and creates a canopy to keep the weeds down,’’ said Mr Jones.

The silage is mainly fed to pregnant ewes in the last two weeks before lambing.

Red clover seed is established at a depth of just 5mm and the arable silage at 7.5-10cm.

“We just let the arable seed sit on top of the furrows and find that it works fine,’’ said Mr Jones.

Establishment had previously been in July but by getting the seed into the ground in May it gives red clover an advantage in that first year. “The clover really starts to take off in the middle of the summer,’’ said Mr Jones.

The soil is chain harrowed and rolled after seeding. A bulky first cut is taken in June, the forage wilted for 24 hours, and a second, higher quality cut at the beginning of August, with 48-hour wilting.

“We cut the red clover at a young stage for silaging, to prevent the stem becoming unpalatable for sheep,’’ Mr Jones explains.

The first cut is clamped and the second preserved as big bales. A plastic conditioner is used on the mower to decrease leaf damage.

At over 18% protein, it is a protein-rich crop therefore it is established with companion grasses to provide fibre and energy to help retain that protein in the rumen for longer.

“Producing protein is one thing but you need to have something to absorb it,’’ said Mr Jones.

There are other benefits too from plants and herbs included in the mix, he said.

“Trefoil has tannins which help keep livestock healthy and, as our soils are low in copper, chicory helps to bring that mineral up the soil structure.’’

The target analysis for red clover silage is at least 18% protein, metabolic energy (ME) greater than 11, a digestibility (D) value of over 70 and dry matter at more than 30%.

“Clover doesn’t have a lot of sugar in it so I use an additive to help with the ensiling and to quickly get the pH level down,’’ said Mr Jones.

He doesn’t allow red clover to grow too high before turning sheep onto it. “The stem mustn’t get too thick because the sheep don’t like it when it gets to that stage.’’

For grazing, ewes and lambs get priority in the spring, to get lambs fattened and sold, and after 1 July it is cattle that get the first bite.

“We fatten lambs on red clover but not for too long otherwise they get too big and fat,’’ Mr Jones explained. They are grazed for two weeks and then weighed.

No concentrates are fed, largely thanks to the high-quality red and white clover silages and excellent grazing management.

This has helped decrease total cost of production to under £3/kg deadweight in lambs.

“In many systems it is the Single Farm Payment that is the profit but by keeping our costs down the lamb is the profit and the payment is a bonus,’’ said Mr Jones.

Carbon footprint in his lamb system is 11.4kg C02/kg liveweight. Cattle are finished at 20 months – they can achieve daily liveweight gains of up to 1.6kg when grazing red clover.

Soil is regularly sampled – the red clover and herbal ley fields consistently at 6-6.5pH. Healthy soils are important for beneficial insects too, such as the dung beetle, which is adept at recycling nutrients.

Lynfa Davies, Farming Connect Biodiversity Specialist, advised farmers attending the open day that the dung beetle plays a vital role in livestock systems through dung pat management and parasite control.

“Having good populations of dung beetles is a ‘win win’ as it reduces parasite loads as well as getting nutrients underground to feed that next flush of grass, and they also provide feed for other wildlife and birds,’’ she said.

Good populations of dung beetles also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production as they draw faecal matter down into the soil. They are very vulnerable to anthelmintics, in particular ivermectins.

Ms Davies said, treating animals that have a proven parasite burden, by using faecal egg counting to establish worm levels, will promote and preserve dung beetle populations.

Grazing livestock all the year round is beneficial too as different species of dung beetle are prevalent at different times of the year.

“It doesn’t have to be prime cattle, perhaps some youngstock or sheep,’’ said Ms Davies. “If there are farms in the locality that have stock in fields all the year round that will help too.’’

The open day was facilitated by Farming Connect Red Meat Sector Officer Owain Pugh.

He said the Jones family were demonstrating how important crops like red clover were in reducing inputs.

“The image of Welsh farming is very important now and will be even more so in the future and cutting out proteins with high carbon footprints such as soya is paramount,’’ he said.

A number of projects trialling systems for reducing inputs are being carried out on the Farming Connect Our Farms network.

Farming

Welsh Conservatives warn climate plans could mean fewer livestock on Welsh farms

Published

43 minutes ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have challenged the Welsh Government over climate change policies they say could lead to reductions in livestock numbers across Wales, raising concerns about the future of Welsh farming.

The row follows the Welsh Government’s decision, alongside Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats, to support the UK Climate Change Committee’s Fourth Carbon Budget, which sets out the pathway towards Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The Carbon Budget, produced by the independent Climate Change Committee (CCC), states that meeting Net Zero targets will require a reduction in agricultural emissions, including changes to land use and, in some scenarios, a reduction in livestock numbers.

During questioning in the Senedd, the Welsh Conservatives pressed the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs on whether the Welsh Government supports reducing livestock numbers as part of its climate strategy.

Speaking after the exchange, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Samuel Kurtz MS, said the Welsh Government could not distance itself from the implications of the policy it had backed.

Mr Kurtz said: “By voting in favour of these climate change regulations, Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats have signed up to the UK Climate Change Committee’s call to cut livestock numbers in Wales, and they cannot dodge that reality.

“The Deputy First Minister’s smoke-and-mirrors answers only confirm what farmers already fear: that Labour, along with their budget bedfellows in Plaid and the Lib Dems, are prepared to sacrifice Welsh agriculture in pursuit of climate targets.”

He added that the issue came at a time of growing pressure on the farming sector, pointing to uncertainty over the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme, the ongoing failure to eradicate bovine TB, nitrogen pollution regulations under the Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs), and proposed changes to inheritance tax rules affecting family farms.

The Welsh Government has repeatedly said it does not have a target to forcibly reduce livestock numbers and has argued that future emissions reductions will come through a combination of improved farming practices, environmental land management, and changes in land use agreed with farmers.

Ministers have also said the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which is due to replace the Basic Payment Scheme, is intended to reward farmers for food production alongside environmental outcomes, rather than remove land from agriculture.

The UK Climate Change Committee, which advises governments across the UK, has stressed that its pathways are based on modelling rather than fixed quotas, and that devolved governments have flexibility in how targets are met.

However, farming unions and rural groups in Wales have warned that policies focused on emissions reduction risk undermining the viability of livestock farming, particularly in upland and marginal areas where alternatives to grazing are limited.

The debate highlights the growing tension between climate targets and food production in Wales, with livestock farming remaining a central part of the rural economy and Welsh cultural identity.

As discussions continue over the final shape of the Sustainable Farming Scheme and Wales’ long-term climate plans, pressure is mounting on the Welsh Government to reassure farmers that climate policy will not come at the expense of the sector’s survival.

Farming

FUW Insurance Services appoints Paul Jameson as non-executive director

Published

2 days ago

December 16, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Experienced insurance and risk specialist joins board as long-serving director retires

FUW INSURANCE SERVICS LTD, Wales’ leading specialist agricultural insurance broker, has announced the appointment of Dr Paul Jameson as a non-executive director.

Dr Jameson brings extensive experience in insurance and risk management, having worked as an actuary and senior executive within subsidiaries of major global insurers including Allianz, Munich Re, Legal & General and Wakam. He has held chief risk officer roles since 2020.

During his career, Dr Jameson has led multidisciplinary teams spanning actuarial services, risk management, compliance, audit, legal and marketing approvals, giving him broad experience in both strategic oversight and operational governance.

Speaking following his appointment, Dr Jameson, who lives in Colwyn Bay, North Wales, said he was looking forward to supporting the farming sector in Wales.

He said: “I am delighted to join FUW Insurance Services and would like to thank Ann, Guto and the rest of the team for their warm welcome.

“I have been impressed by the passion and commitment of the board to the farming community, and by its ambition to grow and diversify the insurance business. I am keen to support the farming profession and help ensure the continued success of the sector in Wales, particularly during periods of economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

“I hope my experience in the insurance sector will help the business build on its successes and continue to grow, especially as it explores new commercial opportunities and innovative avenues for expansion.”

Ann Beynon OBE, chair of the FUW Insurance Services board, said Dr Jameson’s expertise would be a significant asset to the organisation.

She said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr Paul Jameson to the board. His depth of experience in insurance and his understanding of risk management will be invaluable as we continue to develop and diversify our services.

“Paul’s insight and strategic perspective will help us navigate a changing insurance market, identify new opportunities for innovation and growth, and strengthen the services we provide to our customers.”

Dr Jameson’s appointment follows the retirement of Ken Isherwood, who has stepped down from the board after more than a decade of service.

Paying tribute, Ann Beynon said: “Ken’s integrity, wisdom and deep knowledge of the insurance industry have underpinned much of our success.

“It has been a privilege to work alongside him, and we wish him every happiness in his well-earned retirement.”

Community

Badger Trust launches manifesto ahead of 2026 Senedd elections

Published

2 days ago

December 16, 2025

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

THE BADGER TRUST has published a new Cymru Badger Manifesto calling on candidates standing in the 2026 Senedd elections to commit to a science-led approach to bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and to maintain Wales’ current policy of not culling badgers.

The manifesto, released on Wednesday (Dec 10) as part of the charity’s Badgers Belong Here / Mae Moch Daear yn Perthyn Yma campaign, sets out the organisation’s position on badger protection, wildlife crime and bTB control, and urges politicians to reject calls for the reintroduction of culling in Wales.

Badger Trust argues that political decisions taken during the next Senedd term will be critical to the future of badgers, which it describes as culturally and ecologically significant to Wales. The charity says badgers have been present in Wales for more than 250,000 years and remain part of Welsh folklore, place names and rural identity.

Five key commitments

The manifesto outlines five commitments the charity is asking Senedd candidates to support, including defending what it describes as science-led policy on bTB, challenging misinformation in public debate, strengthening enforcement against wildlife crime, recognising badgers as part of Welsh heritage, and supporting local volunteer badger groups.

According to Badger Trust, 140 incidents of badger-related wildlife crime have been recorded in Wales since 2020, which it says highlights the need for improved reporting and enforcement.

The charity also points to the work of six active badger groups across Wales, which it says assist with rescuing injured animals, monitoring setts, recording road casualties and supporting local authorities.

bTB policy in Wales and England

Wales has not carried out widespread badger culling as part of its bTB control strategy, instead focusing on cattle testing, biosecurity measures and herd management.

Badger Trust claims that new herd incidents of bTB in Wales fell by more than 40% between 2010 and 2024, which it attributes to cattle-based controls rather than wildlife intervention.

The charity contrasts this with England, where it says almost 250,000 badgers have been culled over the past decade as part of bTB control programmes. It argues that bTB rates in England remain higher than in Wales and that the evidence does not show culling alone to be responsible for reductions in disease.

Disputed claims over culling

The manifesto challenges the frequently cited claim that badger culling in England led to a 56% reduction in bTB in cattle. Badger Trust says this figure has been misinterpreted and that studies cited in support of culling also involved additional measures such as enhanced cattle testing and biosecurity.

The charity points to statements from researchers and official correspondence which, it says, indicate that reductions in bTB cannot be attributed solely to culling.

Supporters of culling, including some farming groups, continue to argue that wildlife control should remain an option as part of a wider disease management strategy, particularly in areas with persistent infection. The Welsh Government has previously said it keeps its bTB policy under review in line with emerging evidence.

Call to candidates

Nigel Palmer, CEO of Badger Trust, said Wales demonstrated that bTB could be tackled without killing wildlife.

He said: “Wales is a world-leading example of how to address bovine TB through evidence-based policy. The progress made here shows that culling is not necessary, and we urge Senedd candidates to stand by the science.”

The manifesto is available in both Welsh and English and will be circulated to political parties and candidates ahead of the 2026 election.