Agricultural students at Coleg Sir Gâr work with a range of industry partners to enhance their learning experience at Gelli Aur campus.
Supported by Dunbia and Hybu Cig Cymru, students take part in Live to Dead (L2D) training which enables them to see the whole supply chain process and how meat is processed, marketed and sold after leaving the farm. “This experience, which includes classifying animals for the EUROP payment grid and helps students and farmers understand their own product better,” said Coleg Sir Gâr lecturer, Mark Needham. “In turn, these skills will improve their selection skills in their future marketing of stock and a better understanding of health and welfare issues of their animals.”
Mark and other members of the teaching team at Gelli Aur also recognise the importance of the business side of the agricultural industry.
Students in their first year benefit from other industry visits and partnerships including supply chain visits to organisations such as Dunbia, British Wool Marketing Board, Ty Tanglwst Dairy and Puffin Potatoes.
Part of their business unit is aimed understanding business structures so it’s important for students to learn the processes beyond the farm gate and by opening them up to such experiences, it helps develop a broader sense of the industry from selection to packaging and marketing as well as the diverse range of careers in the industry.
Mark Needham added: "For the first time this year, a beef production day for students was hosted by the 2013 Farmers Weekly Beef Farmers of the Year finalists, James and Alec Cowan who run a beef enterprise in Blaencwmpridd.
"Teaching staff organised activities for the day with the support of our industry partners who gave specialist talks.
"This included Genus who talked about bull selection as well as talks by RVC Vets on health planning, Mathew Van Djik of Bibby Agriculture helped student devise beef rations and Dunbia and Hybu Cig Cymru gave advice on beef marketing.”
Students were asked to document a comprehensive evaluation of the event which not only provided them with up to date technical information, but also fulfilled learning outcomes for their qualification.”
Pic: Coleg Sir Gâr agricultural students learning about cattle classification at Blaencwmpridd