Farmer Focus: Scanning results for goats disappointing

Scanning results for the artificially inseminated goats were a little disappointing at just under 40%, but they are in line with results from other producers. If we get some male kids, they can be genomic tested and used for future breeding.

We are debating whether to risk more inseminations for the out-of-season autumn-kidding goats, but the results are likely to be worse than in-season breeding.

See also: Read more from the Livestock Farmer Focus writers

Not wishing to talk the goat milk market down, it does seem supply is very close to demand at the moment. Some of the newer milk producers’ aggressive expansion plans may be curtailed to match buyers’ collection and processing capacity.

It is vital we work closely with the processors to ensure the volatility of cow’s milk prices does not spill over into our sector. The market is growing, but not at a rate that allows producers to double their production annually.

TB consultation

The Welsh government seems to like consultations. Hot on the heels of the NVZ consultation, with the ridiculous option for a whole-Wales NVZ, we have had the TB consultation, with the proposals including more draconian cattle testing.

I am sure farmers would be more willing to accept these measures if there were firm proposals to tackle TB in wildlife.

On a more positive note, the new small-grant scheme is very welcome and is something NFU Cymru have been asking for for a long time.

It should at last give Welsh farmers the opportunity to reclaim something from the 15% modulation taken from our SPS.

New kit

We have always had a skid-steer loader, rather than a telehandler. The current New Holland has served us well for seven years, but with mounting hours we have decided to change it.

I am not getting any younger, so have opted for a JCB skid steer, with a single arm boom and a door on the side to save climbing over the attachment each time I get in or out.

For Tommy’s 11th birthday we went indoor go-karting in Cardiff. It was great fun, apart from a speeding ticket on the way home doing 69mph in a 60mph section of the M4.

Gary and Jess Yeomans run a herd of 700 milking goats across 100ha, which supplies a local cheese factory. They also own a small pedigree Welsh Black suckler herd to graze permanent pasture.