Rh ys W illiam s Coe d Coc h Farm s Ltd€¦ · Ob jectives o f th e Presentation d}]v ] YYX...
Transcript of Rh ys W illiam s Coe d Coc h Farm s Ltd€¦ · Ob jectives o f th e Presentation d}]v ] YYX...
Rhys Williams _____________
Coed Coch Farms Ltd _____________
A Different Approach to
Sheep Production in Wales
Objectives of the Presentation
To inspire…….
Collaboration
Innovation
Grass Utilisation
Positivity
Coed Coch Joint Venture Model
Coed Coch
Home
Farm
Harry
Coed Coch
Land
Coed Coch
Farms Ltd
Harry
Emyr
Rhys
Sheep
Utility Vehicle
Mobile Yard
Electric Fences
Silage Troughs
Meistri
Williams
Rhys
Management
Fee
Profit Share
Emyr
Jones
Emyr
Shepherd Fee
Profit Share
Basic Return
Profit Share
Collaboration and the Benefits
•Skin in the game
•Flying in a ‘V’
•Greed is the greatest sin
•Don’t run away with the prize
The Challenge........
“To develop a lamb production business that
is resilient and sustainable without
dependency on subsidies”
The Need to be Innovative
• If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll
always get what you’ve always had
•Don’t cling to the tree trunk
•You only loose if you don’t learn
•Solutions move people towards change
The Three Main Principles of the System
1. KISS ‘Keep It Simple Stupid’ - One enterprise and one system and work to a plan
- Breed for easy care genetics
- An emphasis on fertility
2. We are ‘Price takers’ but costs are within our circle of influence
- Minimise labour, machinery, buildings and purchased feed costs
- Outdoor lambing
- Utilisation of grass
3. ‘You can’t manage what you don’t measure’ - Measure for KPI’s
- Monitor budgets
- Measure grass supply and demand
Key Performance Indicators
• Lambs reared % per ewe mated
• Kg lamb reared per ewe mated
• Kg lamb reared per Ha
• Average lamb Kg daily live weight gain to weaning
• Ewe body condition score at mating, scanning and weaning
• Kg lambs reared as % of Kg ewes mated
Factors Affecting Production
Genetics Management
Within
management -
Nutrition
contributes
80% 90%
10%
“We are grassland farmers who produce
lamb, not sheep farmers who grow grass”
A Change in Mind-set is Needed…..
4 Key Steps Towards Grass Utilisation
Grazing Infrastructure
Soil Fertility (Lime, P and K)
Grass Measuring and Budgeting
Reseeding
The Three Golden Rules of Effective Grazing
1. Grass grows grass and grass feeds soil
2. Grazing ‘on time’ – 1 to 7 days
3. Appropriate rest period– 16 to 120 days
• Surplus - harvest grass
• Deficit - buffer feed
• Need to be nimble – have multiple risk management options
The General Rule: Grow in 3 weeks – Graze in 3 days
The Choice of Grazing System……
System Annual Production
(Kg DM Ha)
Utilisation
(%)
Total Utilised DM
(Kg DM Ha)
Set Stocking
Rotational Grazing
Techno Grazing
6000
9000
12000
4500
80
82
75
9800
7200