Ear to the Ground / Clust i'r Ddaear

Welcome to the third episode in our special series on profitable and productive farming in Wales! Host Ifan Jones Evans is joined by leading independent plant and soil health educator, Joel Williams, to dive into the most vital resource on your farm: your soil. This episode is essential listening for livestock farmers looking to build better pastures and boost overall productivity by focusing on the fundamentals of soil health. Joel Williams brings his wealth of practical experience from Australia, the UK, and Canada, integrating soil and plant analyses to help farmers optimize production and manage soil biology. Tune in to unlock the potential beneath your feet! Key points:

1. Improving soil health: A fundamental overview of how soil works and strategies for building resilient systems.
2. Soil testing: The basics of taking a proper soil test and how to correctly interpret the results.
3. The compaction challenge: Practical advice for overcoming compaction issues specifically on livestock farms.
4. Cutting the costs: How transitioning to healthy soils can significantly reduce your nitrogen fertiliser bill.
5. Sward management: Strategies for successfully including clover into the sward and leveraging multi-species swards alongside rotational grazing techniques. This series has been formulated in partnership with Precision Grazing Ltd. They are experts in livestock enterprises and work with numerous Farming Connect registered businesses to create resilience and sustained profit.

Welcome to "Sustainable Dairy Farming," where we explore the evolving world of energy and technology in dairy farming. This two-part episode was recorded at the recent Farming Connect Roadshow in Pant Farm, Llanddewi, Ceredigion.

Host Cennydd Jones takes the time following the event to chat with Conor Hogan of Teagasc Moorepark, whose research focuses on labour productivity, efficiency, and innovative labour-saving technologies for dairy farms. Discover practical strategies and insights into real returns on investment that can help you cultivate a more sustainable and profitable future for your dairy operation.

Welcome to a focused discussion on sustainable agriculture and technological integration. We revisit key insights from our recent webinar featuring Jonathan Sandercock of NFU Energy. We'll examine the strategies for navigating the current energy landscape, emphasising practical solutions and analysing the return on investment required to ensure a profitable future for your business. Additionally, Dairy Technical Officer Simon Pitt speaks with Dylan Roberts from Cornwal Uchaf for a detailed look at their farm's long-term experience with renewable energy investments.

Ymunwch ag Ifan Jones Evans ar gyfer yr ail bennod yn ein cyfres arbennig ar ffermio proffidiol a chynhyrchiol yng Nghymru. Y tro hwn, rydym yn edrych yn fanwl ar systemau ffermio sy'n seiliedig ar laswellt.

Mae Ifan yn teithio i Moelogan, Llanrwst, i gwrdd â Llion a Sian Jones. Mae'r pâr arloesol ar genhadaeth i greu fferm ucheldir broffidiol gan ddefnyddio system sy'n seiliedig ar borfa, gan wthio ffiniau rheoli glaswellt dros 1,000 troedfedd. Darganfyddwch beth sydd wir yn bosibl gyda'r rheolaeth gywir yn y bennod graff hon!

Pwyntiau Allweddol:

• Cydbwyso Cyflenwad a Galw: Paru twf glaswellt ag anghenion da byw i wneud y mwyaf o elw.
• Dod o Hyd i'ch Cyfradd Stocio Orau posibl: Gwybod sut i'w chyfrifo ar gyfer eich fferm a'ch amodau eich hun.
• Rheoli Glaswellt yn Well: Hybu cynnyrch ac ansawdd porfa trwy dechnegau pori.
• Ymestyn y Tymor Pori: Anelu at fwy o ddyddiau ar laswellt, llai o ddibyniaeth ar ddwysfwyd a brynir i mewn.
• Osgoi'r Peryglon: Deall y risgiau ariannol o dan-stocio a gor-stocio.
• Defnyddio Pori i Leihau Costau: Mae rheoli pori'n ddoethach yn golygu biliau porthiant is a gwell elw.

Mae'r gyfres hon wedi'i llunio mewn partneriaeth â Precision Grazing Ltd. Maent yn Arbenigwyr mewn mentrau da byw ac yn gweithio gyda nifer o fusnesau cofrestredig Cyswllt Ffermio i greu gwydnwch ac elw cynaliadwy.

• A farmer's mindset and decision-making have a bigger impact on business success than weather, land quality, or external conditions.

• Confidence and control over farm finances can transform business performance.

• Every farm — beef, sheep, dairy, or mixed — can benefit from a basic business plan.

• Core elements: clear goals, budgets, and forecasts that suit the farm size and system.

• Business plans help farms prepare for uncertainties like weather and market swings common in Wales.

Ymunwch â ni ar gyfer lansiad cyfres newydd arbennig sy'n ymroddedig i ffermio proffidiol a chynhyrchiol yng Nghymru, a gyflwynir gan Ifan Jones Evans. Yn y bennod agoriadol hon, rydym yn edrych yn fanwl ar gymryd rheolaeth o gyllid eich fferm er mwyn gwneud penderfyniadau mwy craff. Ymunwn ag Aled Evans o Rest Farm, derbynnydd Gwobr Ffermwr Cig Eidion y Flwyddyn y Farmers Weekly. Cymerodd Aled, sy'n ffermio mewn partneriaeth â'i frawd Iwan, Rest Farm yn Henllan Amgoed drosodd â dalen wag. Fe wnaethant weithredu system mewnbwn isel, yn seiliedig ar laswellt yn strategol, gan flaenoriaethu delfrydau amgylcheddol. Mae eu hamcanion busnes craidd yn ymwneud ag adeiladu fferm gadarn yn ariannol sy'n darparu ansawdd bywyd uchel ac yn sefydlu etifeddiaeth barhaol i genedlaethau'r dyfodol. Dysgwch sut mae Aled ac Iwan yn mynd ati i greu cynllun busnes syml ac yn rheoli eu cyfrifon i gyflawni eu gweledigaeth.

Pwyntiau Allweddol:

• Mae meddylfryd a phenderfyniadau ffermwr yn cael mwy o effaith ar lwyddiant busnes na'r tywydd, ansawdd y tir, neu amodau allanol.

Gall hyder a rheolaeth dros gyllid fferm drawsnewid perfformiad busnes.

• Gall pob fferm — bîff, defaid, llaeth, neu gymysg — elwa o gynllun busnes sylfaenol.

Elfennau craidd: nodau clir, cyllidebau, a rhagolygon sy'n addas i faint a system y fferm.

• Mae cynlluniau busnes yn helpu ffermydd i baratoi ar gyfer ansicrwydd fel y tywydd a newidiadau yn y farchnad sy'n gyffredin yng Nghymru.

Mae'r gyfres hon wedi'i llunio mewn partneriaeth â Precision Grazing Ltd. Maent yn Arbenigwyr mewn mentrau da byw ac yn gweithio gyda nifer o fusnesau sydd wedi cofrestru â Cyswllt Ffermio i greu gwydnwch ac elw cynaliadwy.

North Wales vet Joe Angell is a livestock vet that has a proactive approach to improving the health and performance of our livestock here in Wales. This is an opportunity to hear about the concept of TST and why It's important to optimise parasite control in sheep.