FWGS will be visiting Blaenbwch, Maesmynis, Builth Wells on Wednesday 25 May where hosts Robert and Tracy Powell are attempting to ‘make more from less’ on their 275ha SDA holding with MOD range grazing rights.
Mob grazing 500 lambs off just 10ha over a 10 to11 week period last season demonstrated some of Blaenbwch’s real potential from a combination of rotationally grazed high sugar grass, red clover, chicory and herbal ley mix. Add high performance Innovis genetics to the strategy and Robert Powell says he is aiming to reduce production costs to £50 per ewe.
“Whilst we can’t expand the grazing area, we are learning about reseeding with higher value mixes and how to utilise, not for silage but quality grazing. We introduced a paddock system split into 10, 1ha paddocks, and moved the lambs on every two days after they’d taken down the sward from 1,800kg DM/ha to 1,100kg DM/ha.”
Getting to grips with better grassland management and stepping up reseeding with new high value mixes became one of the priorities for Robert following a HCC scholarship tour to New Zealand in 2012. “We had to kick ass. Our traditional system had to change if the unit was to remain sustainable. We started to rejuvenate the stratified sheep enterprise and expand ewe numbers from 2,200 to 3,000 head. Already, it’s a million miles better.”
“Apart from in the past being disappointed with our terminal sires’ longevity, we wanted to breed a smaller crossbred ewe maturing at 65kg to 70kg, around 20% less than a Welsh Mule, and one that would look after itself for nine months of the year off grass and for the majority of time without any concentrate.”
“Innovis genetics looked like fitting the bill. We invested in Aberdale and Aberfield maternal sires noted for their prolificacy, mothering ability and efficiency. The decision has enabled us to increase stocking rate and maintain similar levels of performance at around 195% scanned. Another bonus is our 400 Aberdale cross ewes don’t need flushing thereby freeing up 14ha of seasonal grazing for the ewe lambs coming off the mountain.
“In addition, swapping Continental terminal sires for the Innovis range is enabling us to finish lambs to target weight one week earlier and reduce ram power; last season one Abermax ram covered 114 crossbred ewes scanning 198% and over 90% lambed within the first three weeks.
“On the forage front, for the first time we’ve grown 6ha of fodder beet in addition to the swedes and turnips we’d been growing for years. This will allow us to keep more ewes at home as we increase numbers in future. Feed costs work out at 4p to 5p per ewe per day.
“Added together, Blaenbwch’s improved performance is so far just the tip of the iceberg. We believe there so much more potential to make more from less.”
