The process of adopting agri-tech solutions for improving suckler cows’ efficiency

Suckler herds play a vital role in Welsh agriculture, contributing significantly to our nation's beef production and they have a role to play within habitat management in Wales. However, maintaining a profitable suckler herd requires constant improvement in efficiency. With new technologies constantly emerging to potentially help farmers achieve this goal, this project aims to showcase the process of adopting agri-technology at Brynllech Uchaf to enhance the efficiency of Brynllech’s 35 suckler cow, Welsh Black, Spring and Autumn calving herd. 

The 2022-2023 winter period proved challenging for Rhodri and Claire, losing 2 cows due to metabolic issues during late pregnancy. This led them both eager to look closer at cattle health and performance through metabolic profiling as well as more time-efficient ways of monitoring the health and nutrition of the herd, pre and post calving.

In order to further improve cattle nutrition and monitoring pre and post calving while also identifying and addressing any other underlying disease issues, the use of agri-technology will be investigated. The project will aim to showcase the required thought process behind applying agri-technology solutions to on-farm problems and monitor the labour cost savings as a result. 

Aiming to improve the overall efficiency of their suckler enterprise, while contributing to achieving the following Sustainable Land Management outcomes:

• high animal health and welfare
• reduce the farms greenhouse gas emissions

December 2024

System outputs

• Data such as health and fertility are being monitored
• Rumination and other metrics were used to monitor the change of diet at housing, with no issues flagged

Farmer Feedback

• Rhodri found the process of installing and setting up equipment relatively straightforward, helped by “excellent support” by the supplying company
• The lack of reliable mobile phone carrier signal on the farm, partnered with the rugged terrain has resulted in connection being interrupted on occasions, therefore Rhodri is keen to look at how to improve this area and avoid the monthly data sim cost in running the mobile control unit.

Next Steps

• Dyfed Telecom were commissioned to advise on how to overcome the unreliable signal issue and recommended extend broadband connection from the farmhouse (275 m / 902 ft altitude) to the cattle shed (287 m / 942 ft altitude)  and up to the top of the field behind the shed (334 m / 1096 ft altitude), where the Sensehub control unit would be able to capture data from the tags of animals on most of the farm. This would ensure coverage in all of the fields grazed by the cattle and in the shed, while negating the need for the pay-monthly sim card. This will be done by;
  • Burying circa 400m of 25mm blue poly piping using a low ground disturbance method
  • Feeding circa 400m length of pre-terminated fiber cable through the already buried ducting
  • Installing fiber - ethernet converters in the shed and on top of the hill to allow physical internet connection at both locations
  • Install outdoor WiFi access point on shed roof to provide WiFi access in lower parts of the farm that are in mobile phone black-spots

• July 2024