'Bright times ahead' for dairy herds, says board chair

But with a strong milk price and solid global demand, Powys dairy farmer Jonathan Wilkinson sees nothing but opportunity for milk producers.

“There is very good reason to be optimistic, I genuinely believe there are exciting times ahead for our industry,’’ insists Jonathan, who chairs NFU Cymru’s dairy board.

He is the third generation of the Wilkinsons to produce milk at Dyffryn Farm, Meifod – his grandfather bought the 385-acre holding in 1956 and would undoubtedly be awestruck by the modern system now in place.

A 44-point rotary parlour and use of cutting edge technology, from sexed semen for producing all herd replacements to cow pedometers that enable accurate heat detection, reflects an industry that has continually pushed forward since the first cows were milked at the farm.

Jonathan farms in partnership with his wife, Susie, who is as busy off the farm as she is on it – she is a physiotherapist at the Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry and also sits as a medical professional on a social entitlement tribunal.

At the heart of their business is the pedigree Pendyffryn herd – 350 high genetic merit Holstein cows producing an average individual milk yield of 10,000 litres a year.

Four years ago cow numbers were boosted when they imported 75 in-calf red and white Holstein heifers from Holland.

All dairy calves are bred from sexed semen and the success rate has been impressive – 95% of dairy calves now born on the farm are females.

“Sexed semen has really speeded up the improvement of the herd, we have got a consistency in the herd that I have not seen before,’’ says Jonathan.

Some genomic sires are used with the aim of breeding a balanced cow, one with strength, body depth, udder, legs and feet. Longevity is very important too – there are cows in the herd that are in their 11th lactation.

While the herd is a major asset to the business so too is the workforce.

At a time when the dairy industry is struggling with staff recruitment and retention, the strong team at Dyffryn Farm reflects the value the Wilkinsons place on their employees - herdsman Carl Poole, assistant herdsman, Wayne Williams, and part-time general worker, Adrian Williams.

Carl has worked at Dyffryn since 2005 and has been influential in the development of the herd, says Jonathan.

“Carl has built on years of breeding through careful choice of bulls.’’

Jonathan credits him for the herd winning the North Wales Holstein Club’s herd championship for four years in succession.

The business also works closely with consultant Adrian Caine, of P & L Agriconsulting, on cow nutrition and business planning, and vet Rob Edwards, of Cain Vets, who visits fortnightly and monitors cow health and fertility.

Herd nutrition is based on four cuts of high quality grass silage and 105 acres of maize. Up to 2.5 tonnes of concentrates are fed per cow annually.

In common with many farms, the exceptionally hot and dry summer could present feed challenges this winter, Jonathan anticipates.

“It is going to be really tight. We will be doing what a lot of livestock farmers will be doing and culling out any passengers harder than we normally would.’’

That situation will put pressure on milk supply nationally.

“There will be a lot more cows taken out of the system than we would usually see,’’ Jonathan predicts.

With the tightening of supply has come a stronger milk price. “We are receiving 20 pence a litre more than we were this time last year which means there is more money coming in, but there is also a lot more going out with much higher feed and fertiliser prices,’’ he says.

“Susie looks after the accounts and stops me getting too excited when the milk cheque comes in by reminding me of our bills!’’

He thinks pressure on milk supply will persist for some time. “With all the rules around expansion I can’t see that situation changing.

“Our main buyers, the supermarkets, will have to pay to secure their supply.’’