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“We need new, young blood in the industry”... “We have to attract young people back into dairying.” All are familiar headlines and few will argue with the sentiments behind them. But beavering away on many farms up and down the land, and going largely unnoticed, are scores of young, dedicated up-and-coming dairy farmers and herdsmen. They’re proof that the sector can, and does, offer an attractive career.

One of First Milk’s young and committed rising stars is Dion Davies, from Fron Farm, Llandysul, Ceredigion. Milking 120 cows, Dion, aged 20, has a seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a deep determination to improve the farm now he has been made a partner. He has just completed a National Diploma at Gelli Aur and is in his second of a three year Higher National Certificate course. He was also named Young Learner of the Year in the Lantra awards at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair and has recently completed First Milk Academy’s fertility course, which he described as “extremely worthwhile”.

Dion’s philosophy is to try and improve all the time. “I want to improve the land, the cows, the business, everything really. There’s usually something new that comes-up, and things move on.”

If feed prices weren’t so high he’d be trying to move yields up from the current 8,400 litres per cow towards 9,000, he says, but he and his father are reluctant to do that at present. But they did take advantage of First Milk’s T2 rental scheme with Keenan last year, to try out a feeder on a 0.5ppl rental arrangement. It worked well, says Dion, and they are very pleased with the results.

The family have always supplied a co-operative and Dion believes in the co-operative principle. “Being a member of First Milk gives us more security, and more power which I hope means we can squeeze prices up. They (First Milk) are going in the right direction.”

He is, as would be expected from an optimistic, enthusiastic youngster, extremely positive about the future. “We’ve got a bright future, definitely. Food will be in short supply and everyone wants it. Those who produce it should be in a good position.”