Dairy farmers in Wales are being invited to apply for financial and technical support to improve herd health management and disease control, as part of the Dairy Improvement Programme.
AHDB secured £6.5m from the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh government, to deliver the Dairy Improvement Programme in Wales over the next five years.
The first phase – HerdAdvance – launches at the Welsh Dairy Show in Carmarthen today.
What is HerdAdvance?
HerdAdvance aims to help Welsh dairy farmers lift herd profitability and performance by improving herd health.
Farmers will receive free support and assistance from their vet and an AHDB animal health knowledge exchange manager to review their animal health and biosecurity plans and develop bespoke herd health action plans.
This whole-farm approach will take into consideration other influencing factors such as nutrition, genetics and the suitability of buildings.
Financial and technical assistance will be available for tackling a range of animal health issues.
One of the financial incentives available through the project is semen vouchers, which will be provided to farmers striving to improve their herd genetics by using Herd Genetic Reports to make informed breeding decisions.
Eligibility
- HerdAdvance is only open to dairy farmers with the majority of their farm in Wales.
- Participants need to commit to supplying regular data to monitor progress.
How to apply
The deadline for applications is 30 November 2018.
Farmers must complete an Expression of Interest form, which can be downloaded on the AHDB HerdAdvance website page.
Alternatively, those attending the Welsh Dairy Show can visit the Dairy Development stand to find out more.
Source: Farmers Weekly