Self-sufficiency has reaped rich rewards for Machynlleth beef and sheep farmer Dafydd Jones, the new British Grassland Society (BGS) UK Grassland Farmer of the Year.

His philosophy is to minimise the cost of inputs at Maesllwyni Farm, an organic holding that climbs to 300m (984ft) and receives an average annual 1,500mm (60 inches) of rainfall.

Mr Jones aims to make the most of home-grown forages rather than rely on expensive bought-in feeds – while producing a quality product for his market.

Collecting his title at Reaseheath College, Nantwich, he overcame challenges from Northern Ireland’s Sam Chesney and David Collister from the Isle of Man.

Competition judge Glasnant Morgan said Dafydd made good use of red and white clover and deployed a well thought-out grazed and conserved grass system.

“He is full of optimism and he is a strategist – supplying what the market wants and getting a premium price for his endeavours,” said Mr Morgan.

“He also knows his cost of production and practices self-sufficiency as far as is practical. Grassland and protein-boosting clovers are used to best advantage.”

Dafydd has 70 Limousin x cows mated to a Hereford bull to produce calves that finish at 20-28 months and achieve liveweights of up to 700kg.

His 750 Texel x Improved Welsh ewes are put to a Charollais terminal sire to lamb in March for finishing by September.

A second award also went to Wales when Dafydd Phillips, of Hermon YFC in Pembrokeshire, collected the NFYFC-BGS Future Grassland Farmer of the Year award.

The 18-year-old, who works on a dairy farm, stood out from 17 young farmers who took part in a training day in Somerset.

They were challenged to develop a profitable grass-based farm enterprise on a currently failing holding with the help of a £100,000 investment from a city- based private funder.