SIMMENTALS
FITTING INTO ORGANIC, LOW COST SYSTEM IN WEST WALES Highlighting the flexibility and adaptability of the Simmental breed to all systems and geographies, here we feature the organic suckler herd and Welston pedigree herd of Anthony and Harry Davies, Tenby, Pembrokeshire.
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elcome to West Wales, where my son Harry and I farm 275 acres together with another 120 rented acres. Our climate is gentle thanks to the gulf stream and ideal grass growing country, which we try to utilise to the max. We carry 105 suckler cows and all followers are kept right through to either breed or to fatten. The farm has been organic for more than 20 years, producing milk, corn and beef. Without the use of chemicals, the farm has thrived with the dairy herd averaging 7800 litres/cow. Clovers – red and white – are the mainstay with arable silage boosting yields. In 2011 we decided to sell off the milking cows and increase the suckler herd. The majority of our beef cows were graded up from the dairy
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herd, and we found half bred cows had loads of milk, whilst the 15/16th cows have a lot more muscle. Each year we try to bull 20 to 25 heifers, and now all pedigree. The simple organic, low-cost system we employ, also helps with a low carbon footprint. Growing clover to fix nitrogen means we are able to graze from 1st March until November in most years. We make our own silage with a forage wagon and spread the manure back onto the silage ground. About 10% of the farm is reseeded each year, following the arable silage which we have gone back to this last 2 seasons. A mix of barley, oats and peas under sown with rye
