Building a sustainable future at Blaengelli Farm

Located in the scenic landscape of West Wales, Blaengelli Farm is one of 685 farms across the UK that participated in Soil Association Exchange’s environmental baseline assessment. The insights from this survey, spanning nearly 240,000 hectares, have informed our recent From Data to Decisions report, which provides a foundational resource for UK farms to measure their environmental impact, enhance operational efficiency, and support long-term profitability.

The Howells are a prime example of the report’s vision: driving sustainable progress on-farm, where food production, nature-friendly practices, and environmental stewardship go hand in hand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the past decade, Roger and Catherine Howells, alongside daughters Emma and Sarah, have taken a keen interest in reducing their environmental impact, steadily investing in infrastructure and process changes to enhance animal welfare and reduce their carbon emissions. This has contributed to reducing their footprint to 1.06kg of CO₂ equivalent per kg of fat and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) - significantly below the national average of 1.2kg.

Despite this progress, the Howells recognised a need for a more holistic view of the farm’s environmental impact, prompting them to join Soil Association Exchange’s assessment.

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"We’ve participated in sustainability audits with our milk processor for the past five years, but we saw this as an opportunity to build a fuller picture of the farm," Roger says. 

“Our audit was straight-forward as we already had most of the data to hand to populate the database from monthly reviews we carry out with our farm consultant,” 

“The baselining went much deeper. It’s allowed us to focus more closely on areas like soil health, looking at soil pH, phosphate and potash, alongside copper and magnesium levels - which we hadn’t done before,” explains Roger. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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A focus on animal welfare and herd health
The Exchange assessment evaluated six key areas: soil, biodiversity, animal welfare, water, carbon, and social impact. Blaengelli Farm scored particularly well in animal welfare - a reflection of the family’s proactive approach to herd health management.

"We’ve invested in facilities over the years to support cow health, which ultimately helps our environmental goals as well," Roger explains.

 

Eight years ago, the Howells built a 320-cow cubicle shed, with support from Lloyds Banking Group, who recommended and funded the farm’s Exchange audit. The investment has allowed for a more tailored diet for dry cows pre-calving. The change has nearly eliminated issues like milk fever in autumn-calving cows, cases of which were once as high as 50%.

"Healthy cows are more efficient cows," notes Roger. "Routine foot-trimming, coupled with investments like an automatic footbath, has reduced lameness cases from 34 per 100 cows in 2016 to 15 today."

The report reveals a high standard of welfare across all dairy farms that took part with good mortality rates and an average of 14.7 mastitis cases and 12.7 lameness cases per 100 cows among Exchange farmers.

 

From a breeding perspective, improvements in herd health have also supported a more productive, sustainable system at Blaengelli Farm, with youngstock calving at the optimal age of 24 months. 
The Howells’ dedication to detailed herd management has lifted conception rates to 46%, with a rolling pregnancy rate of 33%.
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Soil health and forage quality​

The assessment revealed excellent soil structure on the Howells’ farm, with soils described as crumbly and porous, supporting strong air and water movement. Over recent years, the family has prioritised producing homegrown feed, ensuring a self-sufficient system with nutrient-rich forage for their herd.

"We expanded our land six years ago when Sarah returned to work on the farm full time, allowing us to grow more of our own feed. Today, the cows are on a simple diet of grass silage, straw, and minerals, producing  11,000 litres of milk annually," explains Roger.

The family has also adopted low-emission slurry-spreading equipment to reduce ammonia emissions and carries out regular soil testing to tailor nutrient applications for each field.

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​Environmental challenges and opportunities 

The Exchange assessment highlighted areas where further environmental gains could be achieved, providing the Howells with actionable recommendations. Some key suggestions included introducing clover to reduce nitrogen inputs, planting deeper-rooting grasses and legumes, and applying farmyard manure to correct phosphate levels.

"We’re already working with our agronomist to put the recommendations into practice and refine our nutrient management plan," says Roger. "For example, we’ve begun applying farmyard manure to low-phosphate fields and plan to apply lime to fields with suboptimal pH."

Facing the unexpected 
Unfortunately, a recent TB outbreak has forced the family to keep twice the usual number of youngstock to replace lost animals, which doubled their replacement rate and increased methane emissions.

"TB is something that feels completely beyond our control and is deeply frustrating," Catherine reflects. "The knock-on effect on our operations and mental health is significant."

Despite these challenges, the Howells remain committed to improving the farm's sustainability and are following a clear roadmap from their Exchange assessment to help guide their journey. ​​​