Super Dairies, Bat Bridges and Angora goats

Can bigger be better when it comes to large scale farming? The campaign against coastal conservation zones off our shores. It's official - bat bridges don't work and how curl power could be the next big thing for smallholders

Last updated: 17 June 2012

Country Focus - Sunday 17th June at 0700; presented by Rachael Garside and repeated Monday 18th June at 0530

The president of the National Farmer's Union claiming that the UK needs "more and bigger" super farms to keep food prices from rising too high but farming on a large scale is not without it's critics - concerns for the impact on the rural community and fears for the environmental impact. We visit a mega farm, built in Carmarthenshire, which met with controversy with animal welfare groups saying it's just wrong. It's the largest dairy farm in Wales owned by Hywel and Susan Richards - milking around 2000 cows.

Campaigners say they'll continue their fight against plans for new Marine Conservation Zones off the coast of Wales. The Welsh Government is currently consulting on plans to set aside three or four highly protected areas where no fishing or other disruption would be allowed. It says the zones are necessary to protect wildlife. But opponents say the plans will destroy the fishing and tourist industries in parts of rural Wales. You can hear more on this story on Eye on Wales programme.

Bat bridges don't work - according to a team of researchers at the University of Leeds the wire bridges built to guide bats safely across busy roads are simply useless. When a new road is built the government has an obligation that the development does not have a detrimental effect on populations of protected species - but are we mitigating our impacts effectively?

It's been an anxious week for Emyr Evans, the Dyfi Osprey Project Manager for the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust. Our community reporter Huw Jenkins finds out how the osprey managed in the storms.

We're spinning and weaving with Mohair as Rachael Garside visits angora goats in Moelgrove, Pembrokeshire. With rising mohair and meat prices, angora goats could be the livestock of choice for the aspiring smallholder - especially if you like an animal with a bit of personality.