A PEMBROKESHIRE farmer has scooped first place in the annual All Wales Grassland Management Competition.

This prestigious competition is organised by the Federation of Welsh Grassland Societies in conjunction with Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and sponsored by HSBC and the trophy is presented to the winner at the Royal Welsh Show.

Mr Gethin Brown of Home Farm Stackpole, Pembroke, a member of Cleddau Grassland Society, won the award following his success as runner-up last year.

Home farm consists of 356ha in total - 287ha of pasture, 50ha of environmental grazing on wetlands and sand dunes, 9ha of fodder beet and 10ha of spring barley. Virtually the whole farm is in an NVZ.

The dairy enterprise is based on a spring calving herd on a grazing platform where all stock is paddock grazed on 24hr allocations. There are currently 550 cows in milk, 300 in calf heifers and 420 calves.

Average yield last year was 5200litres @8.1% solids giving 437kg/ms/cow.

The judges, Dr Heather McCalman, Euryn Jones - HSBC Regional Agriculture Manager in Wales and last year’s winner Mr Dafydd Jones, were impressed with the excellent supporting data provided by all the finalists. They agreed that Gethin Brown was a clear winner, “adopting new technology whilst farming with a clear strategic business focus. He pays attention to a wide range of practical details to maximise profitable milk production for grazed grass.”