Farmer Focus: Biosecurity bonus with new boundary fence
Joe Mault © Richard Stanton It’s been a refreshing change this spring, with lambing going well thanks to the good dry weather.
After last year’s relentless rain and mud, the dry spell has been a blessing not just for the sheep, but for the whole team involved in the daily routine of lambing.
And the Welsh ewes seem to really flourish in these drier conditions.
See also: What farmers need to know about fencing and the law
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While the sunshine has been welcome, we are now beginning to look skyward again as the grass is starting to disappear.
But as I write this, there’s a bit of light rain in the forecast, which should offer just enough moisture to keep things ticking over and start growing again.
This year’s smoother lambing season has also allowed us to press on with some wider farm improvement work.
Through the Landscape Enhancement Initiative (LEI), supported by the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty team, and funded by the National Grid, we’ve planted more than 3,000 hedging plants along a farm boundary.
The aim of the initiative is to reduce the visual impact of the high-voltage pylons that cut through the valley.
Although no hedge will ever completely hide their presence, the idea is that, over time, the new planting will help soften the visual intrusion.
It’s hard to tell just how much difference it will make in the long run, but it’s been good to be part of a project that’s trying to offer something back to rural communities affected by this kind of infrastructure.
From a practical perspective, the LEI scheme has also part-funded new fencing to protect the young hedging as it establishes.
For us, one of the biggest benefits has been the opportunity to improve our farm’s biosecurity by installing double-fencing along a key boundary onto an open mountain.
It’s a system with very few downsides (aside from the cost) and I’d like to see it championed in future Welsh government policy.
Initiatives such as scab control through co-ordinated dipping have had some success in Wales.
However, I can’t help but wonder whether a wider uptake of boundary double-fencing could offer a longer-term, preventative solution by reducing the risk of cross-boundary contact altogether.