Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

A study by scientists at Aberystwyth University’s IBERS working with Wales YFC reveals that rumen fluke (Calicophoron daubneyi) is now prevalent on Welsh farms. Funded by Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and an Owen Price Scholarship in conjunction with Wales YFC, the study is published today in the journal Parasitology. See link - Rumen fluke (Calicophoron daubneyi) on Welsh farms: prevalence, risk factors and observations on co-infection with Fasciola hepatica The research was undertaken by scientists at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) working in partnership with young farmers in Wales to identify rumen fluke prevalence levels and associated risk factors across Wales. Rumen fluke was previously regarded as a rare parasite, but is now an emerging problem in the UK and information on its prevalence in Wales has been very scarce to date. The similar parasite liver fluke is one of the biggest problems facing the UK livestock industry, estimated to co...

A Carmarthen farmer has been prosecuted for moving cattle while his farm was under TB restrictions. David Grant Hartman pleaded guilty at Llanelli Magistrates Court on Friday to four offences under the TB (Wales) Order 2010 in a prosecution brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court was told that Mr Hartman’s farm, Trebersed Farm at Travellers Rest, was put under TB restrictions which are supposed to prevent the movement of cattle onto or off a farm. These restrictions are put in place to reduce the potential of the spread of TB and to reduce existing breakdowns. Despite these restrictions the defendant moved dairy cows onto his farm on three separate occasions. The investigation also discovered that cows declared as inconclusive reactors, animals that tests had neither confirmed to have TB nor shown to be free of TB, which must be isolated from the rest of the herd, had not been isolated as required. Mr Hartman said that he had been under financial pressures and had brough...

A team of international scientists gathered at Aberystwyth University this week for a meeting on an EU-wide project, IMPRESA, hosted by the School of Management and Business. The €2.1m IMPRESA project is led by Professor Peter Midmore of the School of Management and Business at Aberystwyth University. The project is funded through the European Union’s Framework 7 programme over the period 2013 to 2016, and is studying the economic impact of scientific research on agriculture across Europe. The project team includes academics and scientists from Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland, as well as from Aberystwyth University. UK research, undertaken by academic researchers in the School of Management and Business at Aberystwyth University as part of the project, focuses on the impact of the creation of the Dairy Fertility Index over the last 15 years. Other projects are looking at products to combat varroa mites in bees, renewable energy for biogas, conversion to organi...

Scientists at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) have proved that growing lupins provides a viable alternative source of soya-grade protein for animal and fish feeds in the UK. This is the conclusion of the three year LUKAA research project (Lupins in UK Agriculture and Aquaculture) funded by 10 industry partners and co-funded by Innovate UK and the BBSRC. Following newly published results from the project, farmers will be advised that home-grown lupins have the potential to provide soya-grade protein. The potential for home-grown lupins to replace imported soya in livestock, poultry and aquaculture concentrate feeds has been made clear through the three year project which has revealed that livestock, poultry and fish given rations containing lupins perform equally well and in some cases better than those fed rations of comparable quality containing soya. Professor Nigel Scollan, Waitrose Chair of Sustainable Agriculture a...

John Davies has started work as Business Manager of the Pwllpeiran Upland Research Platform at IBERS, Aberystwyth University. John’s role is to establish and manage the new facility in the uplands above Aberystwyth in Ceredigion. The Research Platform is supported by £3.2 million investment from the BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council). John is local to the area. He was educated at Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig, Gelli Aur Agricultural College and the Welsh Agricultural College in Aberystwyth. He lives with his wife and family in Rhydyfelin. John is well connected in the agricultural sector with previous roles at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) Trawscoed, then as a livestock procurement officer for a livestock co-operative, followed by a period as an agricultural estate agent and Auctioneer. He worked for NFU Cymru as a Policy Adviser for nine years and for the past twelve years he was the Director of Food Centre Wales, providing state of the a...

The first new season lambs have been born at Cwmcerrig in Gorslas, Carmarthenshire. The popular farmshop breeds more than 400 lambs each spring, some commercial and some members of the award-winning Texel breed. "It's a very busy time for us here at Cwmcerrig," said partner Roland Watkins. "We take a great pride in our sheep and lambs and there are many sleepless nights in store over the next few weeks as the lambing season continues. "Weather permitting, some of our new-born lambs will be out frolicking in the fields around Cwmcerrig in the next fortnight. "The little lambs are always a popular attraction for visitors to the farmshop." Website - www.cwmcerrigfarmshop.co.uk Photos: The lambs are numbered in the sequence they were born.

Cut grass smell is key to healthier dairy products! Dairy products could contain a higher proportion of healthy omega-3 fats all year round, thanks to a discovery reported in the Society for Applied Microbiology’s Journal of Applied Microbiology. Scientists at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth University have discovered that the chemicals that give cut grass its distinctive ‘green odour’ kill off bacteria that convert healthy omega-3 fats into saturated fats in a cow’s gut. IBERS receives strategic funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Dr Sharon Huws, Coleg Cymraeg lecturer in Animal Science at IBERS led the research, she said “We’ve known for a while that milk contains a greater proportion of the healthy omega-3 fats in the summer, than in the winter, and now we know it’s probably down to the antimicrobial effects of the green odour products from grass. “Obviously cows can’t be outside all ...

The Centre of Excellence for UK Farming (CEUKF), an agri-food supply-chains alliance to help UK Farming address production and sustainability challenges, has announced that its partnership now includes five leading UK research institutions and helps run a number of collaborative agri-food R&D projects. Since its launch in 2011 with seed-funding from food retailer Waitrose, the centre now includes: Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS); NIAB TAG; Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute of Northern Ireland (AFBI); Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and Harper Adams University. CEUKF delivers briefings and news item for the partners and their projects through its Farming Futures (FF) website, twitter followers and the partners’ wider network. The CEUKF Steering Board of industry and academic leaders is chaired by Lord Curry of Kirkharle who said, “CEUKF is helping to cement relationships through building trust and smoothing lines of commun...

A prestigious network of producers, researchers, retailers and policy makers come together this week to discuss and share professional knowledge on how best to measure progress towards the need to deliver affordable, nutritious food while reducing adverse environmental impacts. The conference: ‘Producing more from less – new metrics for sustainable agriculture’ takes place in Birmingham on 16-17 January and is hosted by The Centre of Excellence for UK Farming (CEUKF) and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). With the universal challenge of climate change and the need to improve resource-use efficiency there is an increasing interest in how to compare and reduce the environmental impacts of agricultural production systems whilst continuing to meet the demand for affordable, safe and nutritious food. It is widely recognised that this can only be achieved by working collaboratively throughout the food chain. More than 100 delegates will take stock of current nati...

Cwmcerrig Farmshop is on the shortlist for two prestigious Taste of Wales awards. The awards are regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the food and drink industry in Wales. Cwmcerrig features in two categories – the shop is in the ‘local sourcing’ section and the firm’s sirloin steak is in the beef section. The popular Farmshop and Grill in Gorslas, Carmarthenshire, has its own herd of Hereford beef, which are reared at Cwmcerrig to high standards of animal welfare One of the partners in the Watkins family business, Roland Watkins, said: “We are delighted to be nominated for the Taste of Wales awards. “We have built up a great reputation for our meat here at Cwmcerrig and we take pride in producing quality, value-for-money products which are appreciated by our customers. “We also take great pride in making sure that the accent in our farmshop is on sourcing products locally.” The news of the Taste of Wales awards follows hot on the heels of Cwmcerrig being nominated for two prestigious U...

Cwmcerrig Farmshop has scooped two National Trust Fine Farm Produce awards. The business has been rewarded for its Dinefwr Venison and Dinefwr Venison Red Wine and Onion Sausages. The popular Farmshop and Grill in Gorslas, Carmarthenshire, has developed the products in partnership with the National Trust’s Dinefwr Estate near Llandeilo. One of the partners in the Watkins family business, Roland Watkins, said: “It’s the first time for us to be entered into the awards and we are delighted to receive the prizes. “The judging process for the awards is very strict and that makes it all the more rewarding to be recognised by the National Trust. “We have built up a great reputation for our meat here at Cwmcerrig and we take pride in producing quality, value-for-money products which are appreciated by our customers.” The news of the National Trust Fine Farm Produce awards follows hot on the heels of Cwmcerrig being nominated for two prestigious UK Farm Retail Awards run by the National Fa...

Cwmcerrig Farmshop is in the running for two UK awards.  The popular Farmshop and Grill in Gorslas, Carmarthenshire, is on the shortlist for the prestigious UK Farm Retail Awards run by the National Farmers’ Retail and Markets Association (FARMA). The business is in two finals – Farm Retailer of the Year and Best ‘on-farm’ Butchery. One of the partners in the Watkins family business, Roland Watkins (pictured above), said: “We are delighted to be nominated for these two awards. “We won the Best Newcomer title last year, putting Carmarthenshire firmly on the UK food map. “Reaching the finals this year proves both to our customers and to the industry that we are not resting on our laurels. “We are working very hard to make Cwmcerrig the very best farmshop we can. “Being shortlisted for these UK-wide awards is a great honour and a reflection of the hard work everyone puts into the business here at Cwmcerrig. “Our selection in the highest award category for Farm Retailer of ...

Llandovery townsfolk bleat about Royal jokers! (From South Wales Guardian) A storm has erupted in Llandovery over cut-outs depicting the Royal Family as a flock of sheep. Some shops are displaying the cut-outs of sheep - with faces of the Royals stuck on - to advertise Llandovery’s Sheep Festival this weekend. But former Llandovery town clerk Terry Leyman said some people felt it was in “baaaa-d taste” and revealed he had raised the matter with Trading Standards and Dyfed-Powys Police. And see this blog for more - http://carmarthenplanning.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/royal-sheep.html

A grant scheme, Supporting Farmers to Diversify, has been introduced in rural Carmarthenshire to support farming households seeking to diversify into non agricultural activity. RDP Sir Gâr, a Carmarthenshire County Council organisation based at the West Wales European Centre, has grants of up to £50,000 for the conversion of redundant buildings for business purposes and a further grant of up to £10,000 for capital equipment. The scheme aims to broaden the economic base of rural Carmarthenshire whilst safeguarding the future of farming families in the area. The main objectives are to maintain and increase the income of farm households and to retain young people in the farming industry by helping them to develop alternative sources of income and alternative employment opportunities. Case study Farmers’ wife and young entrepreneur Nerys Llewelyn Jones of Llanwrda has benefitted from an RDP Sir Gâr grant, using it to convert an unused farm building into an office for her new busines...

Researchers at Aberystwyth University in collaboration with Celtic Pride Ltd, are investigating fat variation in grass with the aim of creating new grass varieties to produce healthier beef. Scientists at the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) have begun research into identifying and understanding the variation in fat content and fatty acid composition of grass, along with assessing the current impact of a forage-based production system on fat composition of beef. Fat is a vital macronutrient within the human diet and is essential to sustain life. Yet humans are not consuming adequate amounts of beneficial fats such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, hence we need to examine ways in which we can remedy this. One route to increasing beneficial fats in the diet is forage-fed beef, since grass contains a high amount of beneficial omega-3 fatty acid. Celtic Pride has become one of Wales' most recognised beef brands and Celtic Pride Beef carries t...

Aberystwyth University has developed its first commercial app for the farm sector which will be officially launched at the Royal Welsh Show on Tuesday 24 July.  The guest speaker at the event will be Dr Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer to the Welsh Government. The farmGRAZE app, based on the expertise of a team from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), will help farmers to manage livestock grazing more efficiently and save money on feed and fertiliser. This android app will allow farmers to calculate the grazing available to their livestock in a particular field and across their holding. Dr Rhian Hayward from Commercialisation and Consultancy Services at the University, explains, “This app is the result of an apps challenge we held for staff and students last year to transform research based ideas into mobile app concepts. “As a university, we are in a strong position to realise the commercial value in our technologies an...

Former agricultural students of Gelli Aur College, the Class of 1981-82, gathered together for a 30-year reunion. They were very pleased to be joined by Mr Gerald Curtis, one of the former lecturers. The day kicked off with coffee at the Coleg Sir Gar campus at Gelli Aur. There was an update on changes and improvements which have taken place at the college farm. Aerial photographs were shown, comparing how the original farm layout had been replaced by modern structures. A buffet lunch was enjoyed beneath glorious sunshine to the sound of much chattering before departing to Cwrtmalle farm, Llangynog, Carmarthen. At Cwrtmalle, the former students saw the 2,000 cow super-dairy owned and managed by Mr Howell Richards, who was also a student at Gelli Aur during 1981-82. Howell gave an interesting tour explaining how he was following an American model where the focus for the owner is on management principles rather than just getting hands dirty. The dairy has a team of 22 s...

For the first time Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) will be exhibiting at Cereals, the leading technical event for the UK arable industry, which takes place from 13-14 June in Lincolnshire. IBERS will be showcasing research work with a focus on oats and miscanthus, also known as Asian elephant grass; along with the courses and study facilities available at Aberystwyth, which include state-of-the-art buildings, research facilities and laboratories. Dr Iwan Owen, the course manager of the Agriculture degree schemes in IBERS, explains “There has never been a more exciting time to get involved in agriculture. There is a whole raft of changes taking place and exciting new opportunities which are appearing not only nationally, but on a global scale. ”The industry as a whole is enjoying great success at present and the future bodes well for those individuals thinking of a career in the agricultural industry. Careers include farm ...

Hard questions on badger cull at FUW meet | News | Farmers Guardian The Welsh Government’s decision to vaccinate rather than cull badgers led to a lively debate at the annual meeting of the Farmers Union of Wales Carmarthenshire county branch. A panel of speakers which included Llanelli’s Labour AM, Keith Davies, was asked if the Badger Protection Act was being used more as a “Politician Protection Act”. “The question certainly created a heated debate with Mr Davies given a rough time,” said county executive officer, Meinir Bartlett.

Welsh Government | Welsh Government supports major investment set to create 90 jobs A £6.4m investment by Morrisons at its Farmers Boy Deeside fresh meat facility is being supported by the Welsh Government and set to create 90 jobs. The facility currently provides the supermarket with Morrisons branded sliced meats and deli products and the investment will enable it to introduce an extensive range of ready-to-eat chicken meals. Mario Jacobs, General Manager at Farmers Boy Deeside, said the Deeside plant would have the capacity to produce 40 tons of ready-to-eat chicken meals a week supplying all 477 Morrisons supermarkets.