20 March 2019
Farming Connect is offering Welsh farmers the opportunity to hone their grassland management expertise through a series of dedicated courses.
Wales Master Grass aims to help farmers to develop their knowledge and skills in grassland management, providing them with practical skills and confidence to implement changes on their own farms.
The higher-level dedicated grassland workshops are specific to each sector – dairy, beef and sheep – and will be held at various sites across Wales, at Gelli Aur College, Carmarthenshire on 8, 9 & 10 April (Dairy), Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, Glynllifon on 15 & 16 May and at Pencoed College, Bridgend on 2 & 3 July (both Beef & Sheep).
At these, farmers will learn about selecting and establishing appropriate grass species and varieties for intensive rotational grazing. There will also be a focus on grazing infrastructure and soil management and on measuring and interpreting grass growth measurements to inform decision making for grazing livestock.
Grazed grass now underpins the systems on many dairy, beef and sheep businesses in Wales thanks to multiple Farming Connect initiatives, including discussion group meetings, themed clinics and subsidised soil testing.
Dafydd Jones from Corwen, who attended the last round of Master Grass beef and sheep courses has gone forward and implemented what he learnt on his farm.
“The Master Grass course gave me the confidence to implement a rotational grazing system on the family farm, and raised my awareness of the potential of incorporating the system within our sheep enterprise”
Whilst Dyfrig Davies, who attended last year’s Master Grass dairy course, said that the course was very beneficial and intends to move on to the Master Soils course this year.
“The course gave me the confidence and reassurance that you’re working the right system for you. We can all turn cows out, but knowing that what’s in front of them is right gives you some piece of mind”
Dewi Hughes, Technical Development Manager at Farming Connect, says with this knowledge, farms could improve their milk yield and liveweight gains from grazed grass and forage and reduce overall input costs.
“We need to make sure that we continue to offer suitable information to continue the learning progression. Master Grass offers a higher-level training so that continued progression is available to specialist grassland farmers,’’ he explains.
For more information or to apply for the course, contact Farming Connect or click here where you can find the online application form. Spaces are limited and you must complete the relevant application form to apply.
This project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.