Joe Doyle from Southern Pits, Lawrenny, Pembrokeshire gave the winners and runner-up a particularly good run for their money during this year’s FWGS All-Wales Grassland Farming Competition.

Joe has very recently become the tenant of a 200ha (500acres) rented holding which he has been managing for much of the last 10 years or so and is one of the youngest competitors to get this far in the competition.

The farm ranges from a light red sandstone soil to heavier soils containing clay on a gently rolling topography and the unit comprises 50 acres of red clover leys, 50acres of maize and 40 acres of forage rye grown after maize with 400acres of grassland, principally High Sugar ryegrass leys.

The dairy herd numbers 440 spring calving milking cows (Friesian/Holstein) averaging 6,500 litres at 4.5 per cent butterfat and 3.6 per cent protein with 1.4 tonnes of concentrates fed. 100 bulling heifers and 100 weaned replacement heifer calves are also kept but are contract reared off farm from weaning to 500+ days.

Strip grazing is practised with fences moved every 12 hours and grass in front of the cows being regularly sampled for analysis. Three cuts of grass silage are taken annually with the first cut harvested in late April and the forage rye grown after maize and harvested as silage is a key component of the dry cow ration.

Particularly striking were the target setting, enthusiasm and attention to detail throughout the farming system. Excellent forage production is undoubtedly being achieved by the use of modern varieties of grass and clover as well as the adoption of alternative forages including red clover, maize and forage rye. The successful renovation and improvement of a recently acquired block of rented land is another notable feature.

The judging team of Dylan Jones (UK Grassland Farmer of the Year 2024), Martin Lyons (HSBC) and Dr Iwan Owen (Aberystwyth University) were very complimentary about what they had seen over two days of judging.

Despite several of the holdings visited not having received any appreciable rainfall in many weeks, all farms were looking remarkably well and the grassland, crops and livestock seen were a credit to all concerned.

Competition was as tight as ever, so much so that a strong case could have been made for any of the four entrants who had come through their regional rounds.

The judges agreed unanimously on a worthy winner: Adrian and Rhys Cooke, Nantyderri Farm, Llantilio Crosseny, Abergavenny, with Einion Owen, Plas Uchaf, Llanfaethlu, Holyhead, Anglesey a close runner-up.

The other regional representative, Berwyn Lloyd and his family from Pencwm, Moylegrove, Cardigan, also impressed judges with a well thought out, integrated and self-sufficient system producing all the forage and grain required to rear and finish suckler bred cattle. No nitrogen fertiliser is applied to grazing land which instead relies on white clover.

The FWGS All-Wales Grassland Farming competition is sponsored by HSBC and run in conjunction with RWAS. The competition is open to all members of the 20 Welsh Grassland Societies.