A Ceredigion coastal farm is using grass management techniques to tackle changing weather.

Penlan Farm, Llanrhystud, home to Glyn, Eleri, Dewi, and Ifan Davies, has identified its grassland management as the most effective and sustainable method to handle unpredictable coastal weather patterns to maximise production and revenue under the GrassCheck GB initiative.

The farm, with south facing, shallow-soiled terrain, utilises a rotational grazing system across its 86 acres, supporting 250 mixed, lowland crossbred ewes and lambs.

Central to their operations is the strategy of maximising grass growth and managing forage supply all year round.

The Davies family is instituting nutrient application strategies through rigorous soil analysis to manage the challenges posed by their south-facing shallow soils.

Glyn Davies, discussing the difficulties faced on the farm, said: "Weather is the biggest challenge we have got.

"We burn easy here and getting grass to grow at the right time can be difficult.

"If it is a dry summer, we will run out of grass and that’s when we need to decide what to do with the lambs.

"It is difficult to manage sometimes – until recently, ensuring we have grass at the right time was difficult."

The Davies' introduced GrassCheck GB to their farm just over two years ago, after realising a shift in tactics was required.

He said: "We have been in GrassCheck now for two years and I’ve let the boys carry on with the project.

"I didn’t think it was going to work but after seeing it now in the second year we are growing more grass.

"Fertiliser usage is down and we’re selling more lambs at a better weight for a better price.

"We are getting more self-sufficient and sustainable."

While acknowledging that the program does require time investment, Dewi is convinced the return is worth it.

He said: "You have to measure the grass and put in some time to record your data.

"However, it’s an investment in time that will save in other ways at the other end."

As part of the GrassCheck GB initiative, the farm received a weather station and a plate meter, and the family has found the program's provided tools, including a WhatsApp group for sharing ideas, to be beneficial.

Ifan added, "This way of farming also means budgeting and seeing what you’ve got in front of you.

" It means changing how you manage the land to suit the weather but also making sure you have enough grass in front of you.” 

Proactive management of the land has resulted in tangible benefits for Penlan Farm. Last year, the farm sent the first batch of lambs in the third week of May.

Ifan said: "The ewes themselves are probably in the best condition they have ever been."