Chris Davies

• Chris Davies believes that the best innovations are those that deliver measurable improvements on the farm. By combining practical sheep husbandry with a willingness to test new ideas, he has transformed key areas of his family business and is now keen to help other farmers achieve similar results.
• Chris farms alongside his father at Awel y Grug, a 320-acre upland sheep farm near Welshpool.  He has a current flock of around 700 breeding ewes with plans to expand the flock further. Like many sheep enterprises, the business faced rising input costs, particularly for purchased feed, and Chris wanted to find practical ways to improve efficiency while reducing the farm's environmental footprint.
• Support through Farming Connect proved to be a turning point. As part of the ‘Our Farms’ network, Chris worked with specialist advisers to trial rotational grazing and introduce productive, protein-rich red and white clover leys into the grazing system. The results have significantly reduced the farm's reliance on bought-in concentrates at lambing while maintaining flock performance and improving the quality of home-grown forage. The experience reinforced Chris's belief that careful planning, measuring results and adapting proven ideas can make a real difference to both profitability and resilience.
• Chris has continued to build on that approach across the business. He uses electronic identification (EID) and digital record-keeping to monitor flock performance, benchmark results and support informed decision-making. He is also a strong advocate of Targeted Selective Treatment (TST) for parasite control, using performance data to reduce unnecessary drenching while maintaining animal health and helping combat antimicrobial resistance.
• Efficiency extends beyond livestock management. Chris has designed new practical sheep handling facilities utilising a former sheep shed to improve livestock flow, reduce labour demands and make one of the busiest times of year easier to manage. His focus is always on finding straightforward, cost-effective solutions that work in everyday farming.
• As a Farming Connect mentor, Chris is looking forward to sharing practical experience rather than theory. Having successfully introduced new grazing systems, technology and improved management practices into his own business, he understands both the challenges and the rewards of change. He aims to give fellow farmers the confidence to evaluate new ideas, make informed decisions and adopt systems that improve productivity, profitability and long-term sustainability.

• Farming Connect ‘Our Farms’ participant.
• Member of a Farming Connect sheep discussion group.
• Extensive practical experience using EID to monitor flock performance and benchmark results.
• Experienced user of AgriWeb, Tru-Test and Gallagher grassland and livestock management and recording systems.
• Practical expertise in rotational grazing, red and white clover establishment and grassland management.
• Experience designing efficient sheep handling facilities, using existing infrastructure and livestock housing to cost-effectively improve efficiency.

Measure actual results, not your assumptions. Good records help you understand what's really driving performance and where you can improve profitability."

"Start with one change, do it well and learn from it. Small improvements introduced with confidence can have a lasting impact on your business.