The farmers had earlier evaded police roadblocks to reach the depot in Chepstow, south Wales.

The protest, which was watched by at least 60 police in full riot gear and the Gwent force helicopter, dispersed after officers threatened to arrest the farmers. They dispersed after being threatened with arrest.

At Llanrwst some 400 farmers agreed to lift their boycott of the local market.

And 1,000 farmers and supporters did the same at Newcastle Emlyn.

Rural incomes crisis

Many farmers have been refusing to take their animals to market until better prices are offered by buyers for the supermarket chains.

The rural incomes crisis will be discussed when Agriculture Secretary Nick Brown visits Cardiff next week to meet farming union leaders and Welsh Secretary Ron Davies.

Welsh Nationalist leader Dafydd Wigley MP urged supermarket giants earlier this week to cut meat prices on their shelves by 30% to rescue the beleaguered farmers.

He said a three-month trial would raise demand and stop the downward spiral in the lamb and beef industry.

Dafydd Wigley MP: Supermarkets can afford to help

He said: "The price farmers get for meat has dropped by up to 50%, yet the prices in the supermarkets remain just as high.

"In view of the enormous profits being made, the supermarkets could well afford to help the farming industry in this way for a trial period."

More farmers and their wives are seeking advice about Family Credit because of the deepening economic crisis says the National Farmers Union.

Family credit depends on size of family with the basic qualification for a single person being an income of less than £75 a week.

'Desperate financial straits'

Farming Wales, the monthly National Farmers Union newspaper, is publishing a list of contact numbers for social security offices in its October issue.

Editor Keith Jones said: "This is being done at the request of members who are in desperate financial straits.

"We have also been asked to supply details and contact numbers for various Samaritan groups up and down Wales.

"It is a sign of the growing anxiety out there".