A CEREDIGION family has secured a farming future for the next generation by investing in new dairy facilities.

The Stanfield family – Simon, his father Malcolm, wife Kim, and their 26-year-old son Christopher – had reached a point where the business either needed to invest to remain in milk production, or consider other opportunities for the farm.

The existing 8/16 swingover parlour was not adequate for the all-theyear- round calving herd of 250 highyielding cows, with each milking taking more than six hours.

To help them in their decisionmaking, they signed up to the Farming Connect Whole Farm Plan, which entitled them to three days consultancy, funded by 80%.

Working with John Crimes at CARA Wales, they considered their options and concluded that expansion was the most viable option for the future.

They are in the process of completing work on a 24/48 herringbone parlour, housed in a new building with associated handling facilities.

This system will dramatically reduce each milking to two hours and will give them the option to expand cow numbers in the future.

“The subsidised advice was essential to the decision-making process, we got the best advice to be brave enough to move forward,” said Simon.

The Stanfields farm 160 acres at Trefaes Fach, Beulah, Newcastle Emlyn, and rent a further 340 acres of off-lying land. They currently run 600 head of stock, including youngstock and followers, and 100 head of beef cattle.

With rising input costs, fertiliser application came under scrutiny. As a Farming Connect member, the business was entitled to 80% funding for soil testing. This process resulted in significant savings on fertiliser costs.

“By knowing exactly what was in the ground we are able to make the best use of our slurry,” Simon explained.

“We discovered that we didn’t need to apply compound on the grazing ground because it had been getting sufficient nutrients from slurry. We now only use straight nitrogen and we are definitely saving money.”

The Stanfields inject all their slurry and this will earn them valuable points towards the Glastir application they are planning to submit.

“We have expressed an interest in joining Glastir so this is something we will look at seriously in the next couple of months,” said Simon.

The farm currently has a 500,000- gallon slurry store, but the plan is to create a lagoon in the future.

In recent years paddocks and cow tracks have been established, which means the herd can make the best use of grass. Last year the cows were turned out in March.

The herd of Holstein Friesians, which has a calving index of 414 days, is currently yielding an average of 9,600 litres at 4.4% butterfat and 3.3% protein. Milk is sold to Glanbia.

The new parlour is expected to be up and running in the next couple of weeks and the Stanfields will then start planning new cubicle housing for the herd.

“The new set-up should put us in a good place as we move forward,” said Simon.

Farming Connect provides oneto- one support, knowledge, expertise, training and advisory services tailored to individual requirements.

Many services are fully funded, and others are subsidised by 80%.

For further information contact your regional farming connect coordinator, visit www.

menterabusnes.co.uk/farming connect or contact Elliw Evans on 07772 694116 or email elliw.evans@menterabusnes.co.uk.