Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales’ (HCC) Hill Ram scheme is making sure the future is bright for Welsh hill sheep businesses, according to 28-year-old farmer Ryan Williams.
The scheme, which is supported by the Welsh government and EU funding, aims to help upland and hill farmers with DNA technology to look at lamb parentage, Estimated Breeding Values (EBV) and fat and muscle depth.
Bedwyr Jones of Nant Gwynant, a Hill Ram scheme leader flock, is “part of the push” to record data of key livestock traits to help Welsh farmers produce high quality meat, according to HCC.
Williams said that, since partaking in the scheme and buying Hill Ram record lambs from Jones, his finished lambs are already two kilos heavier.
“I am delighted with the way these rams have been performing,” said Williams, who farms at Ty Isaf, Ffestiniog, in a share farming system.
“We’ve made no changes to our system here. You can see where these Welsh mountains lambs are produced at Gwastadanas, Bedwyr works with nature on these upland hills and mountains and produces quality lambs.
“For me, that’s crucial to our business too as we graze up on the Mignaint moorland.”
HCC’s Hill Ram Scheme is one of three 5-year projects in the Red Meat Development Programme which is funded by the Welsh government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.
Bedwyr Jones
Jones established himself at the Nant Gwynant farm, 25 years ago and says that technology and DNA testing is supporting traditional farming methods to produce better quality lambs for the market.
Jones and his family are improving the genetic merit of their flock, producing lambs from grass to meet market requirements and breeding rams with known quality performance.
“This year’s annual ram sale at Gwastadanas was one of the best yet,” he said.
“What we’ve found over the three years we’ve been part of the Hill Ram scheme is that you see small improvements each year. The lambs’ potential improves year on year in weight gain and quality.
“We select the best breeding rams, manage the flock better because of the data that we glean and use the technology to our advantage.”
“This is an extra string to our bow. Of course, we still look at the wool, the teeth, the feet and fertility, but the DNA lineage, the weight gain, the back fat measuring works hand in hand with our traditional farming methods.
“Since starting the work with HCC’s Hill Ram Scheme and performance recording the stock, our rams, on average have been selling between £180 and £200 a head better.
“To a farm business, that is when you clearly see the proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
