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Documentary, This Farming Life S01E04 Scotland

The working day begins as the sun rises above the horizon and it ends long after the sun has set. Across Scotland and Northern Ireland, the struggles and triumphs of farmers and their families are documented to give a unique perspective into the lives of those providing the nation with milk, meat and more. Against a backdrop of some of Britain's most remote and beautiful locations, these farmers go about their day with unprecedented dedication as they tend to their animals, harvest their crops, and care for their own families, as they endeavour to keep everything on the farm running smoothly during often testing times.
#FarmingLife #ThisFarmingLife #Scotland

#FarmingLife #ThisFarmingLife #Scotland

Category

🐳
Animals
Transcript
00:00Across some of the most beautiful and remote landscapes of the British Isles.
00:07This is not a bad office, is it? You know, is it?
00:10Scotland's farmers carve a living.
00:14Everything has a time and a season. Nature doesn't stop.
00:18Breeding sheep and cattle.
00:20There's a lot of old friends here. They've come to the end of their working life.
00:23Quite a sad day.
00:25Come on.
00:26Square second.
00:27Bringing new life into the world.
00:29And battling with the elements.
00:35They're all cute in their own way.
00:37And especially if you end up on your plate as a lamb chop. Yum.
00:41Over a year, five very different families let cameras onto their farms.
00:47Hell in a size of nuts on them.
00:49And into their lives.
00:51To share their struggles.
00:53I don't know why you won't go forward, Mrs.
00:54Do you need to do this?
00:56And their triumphs.
00:58Look at my baby.
01:00He's alive.
01:01As they try and turn a profit in testing economic times.
01:06That's just depressing, really.
01:08There's cause for celebration.
01:10Gorgeous.
01:12And a time to reflect.
01:14I feel sad that I haven't provided the next generation to carry on here.
01:18But it's never dull.
01:20Don't let him go.
01:22It's not a job.
01:23It's a way of life.
01:24Late autumn.
01:25Early winter.
01:26In Scotland.
01:27Short, chill, wet days.
01:30Are followed by long, cold nights.
01:31But in the cycle of the farming calendar.
01:32These inhospitable birds.
01:33Are followed by long, cold nights.
01:37But in the cycle of the farming calendar.
01:38These inhospitable, barren conditions.
01:39Spell birth.
01:40And new life.
01:42These are busy months.
01:43For mating and calving.
01:44For mating and calving.
01:45In Scotland.
01:46In Scotland.
01:47Short, chill, wet days.
01:48Are followed by long, cold nights.
01:53But in the cycle of the farming calendar.
01:58These inhospitable, barren conditions.
02:03Spell birth.
02:04And new life.
02:07These are busy months.
02:09For mating and calving.
02:14Late on for me is the arrival of new life.
02:17With another batch of cows due to start calving.
02:19And with new calves.
02:20It's exciting because.
02:22You've got the potential of new superstars.
02:24To come through.
02:25For us.
02:26Which is for the shows.
02:28For the sales.
02:29And that's exciting for me.
02:32In the north east of Scotland.
02:35Martin Irvin and his family.
02:37Run a 240 acre farm.
02:39Breeding pedigree limousan cattle.
02:42Come on girl.
02:45Come on in.
02:47Late autumn is one of the two main calving times of the year.
02:51And eight new calves are expected any day.
02:54In a playful kind of mood.
02:57In a playful kind of mood.
02:59Set in peace.
03:01Martin and his father.
03:03Stevie.
03:04Are trying to move the expectant mothers.
03:06Into their own maternity pen.
03:08In my diary.
03:10She's due in the next.
03:11Five to eight days.
03:12She'll start getting slack in the back end.
03:14And that's like a telltale sign.
03:16So we've got one here.
03:17And two in the far off pen.
03:18We'll bring them all through together.
03:20The calf's gestation period.
03:22Is about 21 days longer than a human.
03:25And by Martin's calculations.
03:28All these cows are now ready to deliver.
03:31So well endowed ladies.
03:34Big bellies.
03:36New stock is the lifeblood of this farm.
03:41A good calf can grow into a young bull.
03:44That could fetch up to 30,000 pounds at auction.
03:48One big sale.
03:50Or lack of it.
03:51Has an enormous financial impact.
03:53On a family farm like the Irvins.
03:56As exciting as it is.
03:58To get a new calf.
03:59It's quite nervous.
04:00Because it means a lot.
04:01There was a bad spell we had last year.
04:04We lost three calves in a row.
04:06We don't like losing calves.
04:07It's just a bad feeling.
04:08We kind of punish ourselves if we do lose calves.
04:13When we do lose something.
04:14I know me and dad.
04:16Take it very personally.
04:18Dying is just not an option for us.
04:24Martin has his eye on one cow in particular.
04:27Five year old duchess.
04:29Who is now four days overdue.
04:32She had a difficult breech birth last year.
04:35And her calf died.
04:37I've been worrying about half for the last couple of weeks.
04:40Just because I kind of troubleded last year.
04:42It can be quite simple.
04:43It could be a couple of push in the sight.
04:46Or you could get stuck.
04:47And then that's when we have to intervene.
04:49And if we have to intervene it'll be quick.
04:51We'll catch her.
04:52We'll tie her up.
04:53And if we're not happy and nothing's happening.
04:55We'll cough it.
04:56The key decision for Martin and his dad is always whether to get involved or not.
05:08It's a hard thing for us to sit and watch.
05:10As much as you want to go intervene and do stuff and check things you're better to leave it alone.
05:15It's a fine line.
05:16They're just waiting long enough.
05:17And I won't wait too long.
05:23First in Martin's precious herd to go into labour is four year old Florence.
05:28This will be her second calf.
05:30She started pretty much making a nest.
05:33Smelling the ground.
05:34And she'll start making mommy noises.
05:35Which is just like a mmm, mmm.
05:38This is her searching for a calf.
05:39She's not yet born.
05:40And that's letting us can.
05:42So that's her starting coughing.
05:46She can't put a pill right doing the sticks half up a bit.
05:49So there's something coming.
05:51And that's her just getting the calf into position.
05:54Like this.
05:55Ready for the calfing.
05:57Cows can be unpredictable and aggressive during calving.
06:01As each of these cows weighs around 850 kilos.
06:05They must be treated with caution.
06:13They're quite quiet normally.
06:14But as soon as they start coughing.
06:16They change.
06:17Because they could just come for it.
06:19They're like empty near them.
06:21When they're coughing.
06:22They get too close.
06:23Because you could just change the calf.
06:24And have you to the pen.
06:26So the gate's open for a quick exit.
06:34If there are any problems with Florence's labour.
06:36Martin and Stevie will have just seconds to step in.
06:40And save the valuable unborn calf.
06:45For now.
06:46It's a waiting game.
06:47In central Scotland.
06:48Near Loch Lomond.
06:49Sheep farmer Bobby Lennox.
06:53Runs a 5000 acre hill farm.
06:57Early winter is mating or tupping time.
06:58For his flock of black faced sheep.
06:59And he's preparing the sheds.
07:00For the rams or tups.
07:01With wife Anne.
07:03With wife Anne.
07:04Where are we going?
07:05That way.
07:06We're 35 years married.
07:07And we still got on.
07:08If Bobby tells me to do something.
07:09I'll jump immediately.
07:10And do it right away.
07:11With a scowl in my face maybe.
07:12Or a mutter.
07:14We're in the same Young Farmers Club.
07:15I think we fenced around each other.
07:16For a wee while alone.
07:17We're really going to eat.
07:18But he's letting go and a little bit.
07:19Bye.
07:20If you've got a bit of a spot.
07:21It's a bit of a lot of time.
07:22For his flock of black-face sheep.
07:23And he's preparing the sheds.
07:24And he's preparing the sheds.
07:25For the rams or tups.
07:26With wife Anne.
07:27married and we still got on. If Bobby tells me to do something, I'll jump
07:31immediately and do it right away. With a scowl on my face maybe, or a mutter.
07:38We were in the same young farmers club. I think we fenced around each other for a wee while though.
07:44And basically three or four weeks later we thought, I think we should get engaged.
07:49It was all fairly quick when it happened and never regretted it.
07:53Well, we have our moments. Not me of course. I'm the quiet, dutiful wife.
08:02For the topping season, their ewes must be brought down from the hills.
08:06Some were gathered in last week, but most are still roaming free.
08:18There they are, they're waiting on us.
08:21There should be about 500 sheep. Depends what's hiding and what comes in.
08:27This is perfect weather, the sun is shining, there's no rain, there's no mist in the hills.
08:31So it should be, that makes our job an awful lot easier.
08:37Grandparents, Bobby and Anne, show few signs of slowing down.
08:40Come on boy.
08:4360 year old Bobby is on a trail bike, as 500 sheep are grazing over miles of hillside, rising up as high as 3,000 feet.
08:53With the help of friend and contract shepherd, Derek, and their four dogs, they must find them and drive them down towards the farm.
09:00Good boy, good boy.
09:02It's basically about two and a half miles to the end of the glen.
09:06And Bobby, he'll be going out the top, and Derek goes along about the middle.
09:11And then they'll sweep the sheep round down to the farm.
09:15That's the plan. Nobody's told the sheep.
09:18Come on girls, ho, ho, ho!
09:20It's tough.
09:24With only seven hours of daylight at this time of year, they must work fast in difficult and uneven terrain.
09:35Terrain is probably the biggest challenge.
09:40Sheep can spread over a big area.
09:42It's not just kicking out the field for 10, 15 minutes with the dog and gathering the sheep up.
09:50We're away for four, five, sometimes six hours.
09:55On a day like this, it's nice, clean, fresh air.
09:58I don't mind working with the sheep.
10:01If you get a wet, miserable day, it's not so enjoyable.
10:03But if you get weather like this, it's fine.
10:05They're making good progress, but some sheep can evade the gather year after year.
10:19Bobby spots two potential escapees.
10:22Oi.
10:24Oi.
10:26Show!
10:29There's two sheep, unfortunately, just above the bottom crossings, and they don't want to come.
10:35Short.
10:37Cut.
10:38Right.
10:41This is time-consuming work when the days are so short.
10:48That was tricky.
10:50A bit slippy in there.
10:51Just going to go down this sheep path, cross the barn, and follow another sheep path across.
11:06And if it's slipped, you just ride with it.
11:09Hopefully not too far.
11:11It's a well-trodden path for 62-year-old Anne, who clambers through these hills about eight times a year to bring in the sheep.
11:21I had a very cushy job.
11:23I used to sit in an office.
11:25Short-hand typist.
11:27I went into my work for half past eight in the morning and I left about ten to five at night, five days a week.
11:34That was lovely.
11:35I went into my work.
11:38Bobby came along and that was it.
11:41And the first day that I was on the farm, the rain was coming out the sky in torrents.
11:49And I was standing there and the water grew.
11:52My waterproof gear, leggings, the whole lot, thinking, I left my office job for this.
11:59Oh, God.
12:05As long as I'm fit enough to keep going, my hips and knees and ankles keep going.
12:09I will.
12:16An hour and a half in, conditions suddenly change.
12:20Now this is a bummer, the mist coming down.
12:23It means you can't see where the sheep are running.
12:28And it becomes dangerous for Bobby and the bike because you can't see where you're going.
12:33With only a few hours of light left, this weather could mean they need to abandon the gather.
12:39If the mist was down to my height and it didn't clear, we would have to, we would stop.
12:46Anne is worried about Bobby.
12:48Bobby's round that top bit now.
12:52Can't see him at the moment, but he'll be somewhere.
12:54Jim, get down.
12:57Too many steep bits.
12:59You can't see where you're going.
13:01It's not safe.
13:07BBC Radio Scotland.
13:08Met Office Amber at Be prepared warnings are in place for the west coast and also the Highlands.
13:14Winds gusting up to 80 miles an hour, there'll be disruption.
13:17Severe weather over the Atlantic is predicted to cause high seas and strong winds across Scotland overnight and through tomorrow.
13:25270 miles north, the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides is at the centre of a violent storm.
13:31Well, it's quite wild really, pretty wild. This is the first really good gale of the winter. I don't really want to be out too much.
13:46Former barristers turned crofters, Sandy and Ali Granville have opted to stay indoors this morning.
13:52It's been pretty horrid, yes, pretty horrid. One of the things about being here, this is a beautiful place to have a house because you could see and there's a lot of views, but we really get the wind and it just hits, hits the house.
14:06And this time, you know, we lost a lot of tiles and things, but it's noisy.
14:15They have 12 Highland cattle, more suited than their owners to the extreme weather.
14:20And a hundred hardy black-faced sheep.
14:26Crofting is a traditional, more communal style of farming, with shared common grazing for the island's livestock.
14:35Sandy and Ali made their life-changing move from being lawyers in London to crofters in Lewis when they were in their late 40s.
14:4312 years on, Ali is about to turn 60.
14:46I'm not sure that I will feel so different at 60, but I suspect that by 70, we will be feeling much more frail.
14:56And so, therefore, we should be maybe thinking about not doing the things that we're doing now.
15:02But I'm not sure what we would be doing.
15:07Maybe it's another adventure, perhaps. I don't know.
15:15Sandy makes a living by selling the beef and mutton he rears.
15:19He also has a sideline in making mutton sausages for selected friends and family.
15:26I've got these quite well-organized here, so I'll just take the front ones out first.
15:31Look quite nicely smoked.
15:36I like to get everything vacuum packed, so you know it's clean and germ-free.
15:49Sandy is waiting to hear from the vet, as today, of all days, a blood test is due on his herd of Highland cattle.
15:56Hello? Hello?
16:05It appears bad weather doesn't stop an island vet on his rounds.
16:09He's just leaving now.
16:11I expect you're having it in about an hour.
16:22The test is for BVD, or bovine viral diarrhoea.
16:27He has come to heels!
16:30It's a compulsory check-up for the calves,
16:33so Sandy will have to brave the weather to bring them down from the hills.
16:38OK, we're off.
16:41We're always watching the weather here.
16:44We have these big gales.
16:46Of course, none of us know what's coming to us, and the forecasts are always right,
16:50but not always right at the time they say they're going to be.
16:57Quiet on them.
16:59As a crofter, Sandy can graze his sheep and cattle on the island's 3,000 acres of common land.
17:05He's hoping to find his Highland cattle sheltering amongst the rocks on one of their favourite hills.
17:14Go, boys!
17:15It's a Force 11 gale, with winds blowing at over 60 miles an hour.
17:25I think they'll be sheltering, and I think they might be a bit surprised to see him.
17:33If he brings them down here, we just want to just walk them along the road and take them back up into our farm.
17:38And it's where he can wait for the vet.
17:40It's a fun thing to be testing yourself against a hard physical challenge.
17:56Many people would think it doesn't look very pleasurable, but there's a lot of joy in it.
18:06Highland cattle originated in Scotland, and are ideally suited to these harsh conditions.
18:28Their coats are double-layered, with a fine insulating inner coat and a well-oiled shaggy outer coat.
18:37Highland cattle, they wouldn't be chosen by farmers in softer places.
18:43But they're suited to our hills, they live outside all the time.
18:47They've usually got a cheery smile on their face, no matter how fierce the weather.
18:53Pretty grim, pretty grim. It's probably going to get worse yet.
19:00Sandy only needs the calves, but they won't come without their mothers.
19:04So he must try to lead the whole bedraggled herd down to the barn.
19:09It could take some time.
19:11In central Scotland, near Loch Lomond, Bobby and Anne are also battling the elements.
19:21Oh God.
19:22A sudden mist has enveloped the hillside, ruining visibility.
19:23Anne is worried about Bobby on his bike.
19:24Bobby's round that top bit now.
19:25He must be coming round.
19:26to go the other side of the thin wire.
19:27And he's going to go to the other side of the hillside.
19:28To go to the other side of the hillside.
19:29And they're going to come down to the middle of the hillside.
19:30To go to the other side of the hillside.
19:31Bobby and Anne are also battling the elements.
19:39A sudden mist has enveloped the hillside, ruining visibility.
19:45Anne is worried about Bobby on his bike.
19:48Bobby's round that top bit now.
19:51He must be coming round to go to the other side of the finless, the water.
20:01As Bobby gets to the brow of the hill, the mist suddenly eases.
20:11And Anne finally catches sight of him.
20:15He's fine. He was looking for sheep, which I can't see.
20:21But with three and a half hours of daylight left, they need to get a move on.
20:27Bobby has guided most of the flock down towards Derek and Anne.
20:31who can drive them on towards the farmer.
20:38Hey, hey, hey, hey!
20:40They're all in the right place. We're just waiting till we get them together.
20:45Stragglers don't always want to come.
20:46My heart is filled with joy.
20:56My bit is done.
20:57I was to stop them running down to the bottom from Craig Lennyburn
21:01to keep them all above the road, keep them above and down.
21:04So I've done my bit.
21:05To go wrong now, it's not my problem.
21:17Mission accomplished.
21:20With just an hour of daylight to spare.
21:22They're good at this time of year.
21:25Yeah.
21:25They generally run the right way, but there's two that have been dodging me the past two gathers,
21:30and I've had to leave them.
21:32Anyway, they're in.
21:33Quick bite to eat.
21:34And we'll probably make a start with sorting these out after we've done that.
21:40They must now separate the best breeding ewes from the rest of the flock.
21:45We'll work on till we can't see.
21:47Which at this time of year is unfortunately too early,
21:49but four o'clock fast forward, we're stuffed.
21:52It's this very loss of daylight in November that brings these ewes into season.
21:58It affects their hormones, so they're ready to mate.
22:04The shorter days may work wonders on the sheep, but they do nothing for Anne.
22:09Try to work by the light of the moon sometimes.
22:13Can't see.
22:16Doesn't work.
22:17And it's not romantic, trust me, because it's usually freezing.
22:22In North East Scotland, at the Urbans family farm,
22:41Martin's vigil with Florence is coming to an end.
22:45Her labour has gone well, and it now looks like she's about to give birth.
22:52Feet turn round, and you'll see feet adjust.
22:57Florence has been unsettled with her tail up for over an hour.
23:01A sign that her calf's arrival is imminent.
23:05So what I want to see is two feet showing.
23:07We'll probably get another ten minutes if I haven't seen the second foot.
23:10Have her feel, see her hands okay, and then let her go.
23:14It's her second calf.
23:16It's her calf to sell the first time.
23:17So far, there's been no reason for Martin and his dad to intervene.
23:25But as a calf is born, the cord breaks, and it takes its first breath.
23:30If this happens while it's still in the birth canal,
23:33it could inhale amniotic fluid and drown.
23:37You don't want to lose her calf just because you were too slow.
23:39So you'd better do it a wee bit of air water to save her.
23:47They lost three calves last year,
23:50so they're keen to make sure that this calf is breathing properly as soon as possible.
23:53We've got two buckets of water.
23:58The bucket of water is for the calf.
24:01If we do cough the calf,
24:03and it's not getting a proper breath,
24:04the bucket of cold water,
24:06throw over the calf,
24:07and it's just like if I threw a bucket of cold water over you,
24:10you're going to gasp.
24:11You're going to go,
24:12It's just the same technique with the calf.
24:17Right, you're going to peek out of the corner, okay?
24:20Nice and slow.
24:23Florence still looks to be doing well on her own.
24:34But then Martin's dad thinks there might be a problem.
24:37Stuck at the haps here this new, sir.
24:40It just needs to be pulled out of it.
24:42The calf's chest could be compressed,
24:45and its breathing impeded.
24:47Now is the time to intervene.
24:51Go on, Martin, if no choice.
24:53Turn it over to Paul.
24:56Look at him.
24:56This is the calf.
24:57Yeah.
25:04With Florence secured,
25:05they move quickly to free the calf.
25:09You have a sheet.
25:13Here.
25:14Come on.
25:15Come on.
25:17Where?
25:18Come on.
25:18Come on.
25:18Come on.
25:19Come on.
25:20Come on.
25:21Right.
25:22So there you go, shaking the head is the perfect thing for us, you'll hear
25:52him, he's kind of raspy, so he's got a bit of glut in his throat. Glut is amniotic fluid, and
26:03Martin helps him coughing up. Flooded with birth hormones, Florence wants to get to her
26:09calf. It's a healthy female. Limousin are particularly alert and active newborns, and she will soon
26:36be on her feet and suckling. I'd say in about an hour, this calf will be up and standing
26:43and trying to sue his mum. And you can see we're here, he's got a great bag of milk, plenty
26:48of milk. She's just perfect. It's a good start, though.
26:55Just 50 minutes after being born, she stands for the very first time. Well, almost. On
27:17the other side of the country, on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Sandy Granville
27:24has been battling the elements in pursuit of his herd of highland cattle that he needs
27:31to bring down from the hill to the vet. They're due an annual BVD test, and the vet needs a
27:38blood sample from three calves. First, they must be separated from their mothers, so Sandy
27:43has a plan. I'll call them all in and lead them through the pen, and with luck I'll get
27:50the two cows out the other side and shut the young ones in. That's perfect, Sandy. We just
27:56need three. Getting three inquisitive horned calves from their mothers in a howling gale is
28:06a bit of a challenge.
28:27Luckily, highland cattle are a docile and good-natured breed, not easily stressed. They're bred primarily
28:34for their fine, low-cholesterol meat.
28:37Come on, little one. It was a bit of a bad start that they'd all broken out of the pit.
28:53They need to be penned in so the vet can access a vein in the cat's tail.
28:57BVD is a contagious disease that can cause infertility, and is particularly dangerous for unborn calves, leading
29:10to deformities at birth.
29:12We do a lot of voluntary disease checking. Unfortunately, we've never had any positive results for anything. We've also got a largely closed hurt. We don't buy in any piece. We breed all our own.
29:33The blood samples successfully taken. The mothers and calves can be reunited.
29:44They return to their communal grazing on the hillside.
29:57Sandy will find out the results of the blood test in a couple of weeks.
30:05In a way, it gets harder as you get older. But in other ways, we get cleverer and manage to make jobs easier for ourselves.
30:20Pretty well.
30:21In the end, we'll be too old and weak to carry on. We haven't quite reached that point yet.
30:28On the mainland, much further south, farmers Sybil and George McPherson work two
30:57farms, spread over 15,000 acres of mountainous terrain.
31:04Come on, ladies. Come on.
31:08Like other farmers across Scotland, they're getting their flock.
31:121,500 black-faced sheep, ready for winter topping.
31:20Any lame or unfit ewes need to be separated out, so they can be looked at.
31:25Here she comes.
31:29Slow down, missus!
31:31Oh!
31:32Sybil and George have known each other since childhood.
31:35Together for 18 years, and married for 12.
31:38They work as partners on the farm.
31:41George is a remarkable character.
31:42He is the kindest, funniest, most supportive person I think I've ever met.
31:50Get up. Right, get up.
31:52She's honest, down-to-earth, and smart person. She's a very clever person.
31:57She's my best friend. She's certainly turned into that without any doubt. I'm very proud of that.
32:01Well, we'll put them in there, I think.
32:04I can't tell you just how much I rely on him for so many things in life.
32:09He's my rock. He's my everything.
32:13Sybil and George make joint decisions about their livestock.
32:16With the blackface breeding season almost here, time for a shopping trip.
32:29Sybil and George need at least four new tups for their winter topping.
32:34Luckily, they have one of the country's top livestock auctions on their doorstep.
32:39We've got a Domali blackface top sale. The best top sale in the world.
32:47There's folk from all over the country here. This is where you'll buy your best hill tups.
32:54It's very exciting because there's a lot of height. There's a tremendous amount of really good sheep here.
32:59It's also anticipation of buying something that's going to knit into your flock
33:04and you're going to have its offspring for years and years forming part of the flock.
33:07So it's important to try and make the right decision.
33:11Now, they just need to find some tups. They both like the look of.
33:16I don't know what's looking at them over there.
33:18I think they're a nice pair of lambs.
33:20Have you looked at them? They're nice.
33:22There's a woolly one in there.
33:24Look at them.
33:28It's very interesting to see the cream of the crop, so to speak.
33:31We looked for a coat that was dense and thick and able to withstand wind and rain and all the elements that come at it.
33:41We'd be looking for a sheep that was very bright and alert and lively.
33:44A big, sleepy sheep's no use on a mountain.
33:47It may be okay in a flat green field, but we looked for something with spark.
33:50I like to see nice hair on their faces. The old people tell you that's a sign that the ewes will milk well.
34:06500! 500! 500! 500!
34:12It's an all-day annual event, with nearly 700 tups being auctioned.
34:179,000! 1,000! 1,000!
34:20Some livestock sales are still in guineas.
34:22One guinea is the equivalent today of £1.05.
34:26Top prices can be achieved for a prized breeding specimen.
34:30The record here being 90,000 guineas for one top.
34:41There's lots of competition.
34:45This is the big top auction of the year, and everyone's after the best.
34:507,000 guineas for this animal.
34:55Next up, a top from a much-admired bloodline.
35:0040,000! Come on!
35:02That's 40,000!
35:0440,000!
35:0640,000!
35:0940,000 guineas!
35:12It was a syndicate for three of the biggest breeders that bought it between the three of them.
35:18Sybil is hoping to spend a rather more modest 500 guineas per top.
35:22She isn't looking for a pedigree bloodline, but for strong, healthy animals that will survive and breed out on her hills.
35:31For what we call a hilltop, just to chase away to the mountain, you have to be realistic about how much you can afford.
35:38You can't justify it because it's just too much money to lose if they don't come back in.
35:42Sybil's now got her expert eye in.
35:46Just fell in love with one of your tucks, Patsy.
35:51He's got one you like in there.
35:52He's in this pet, 620.
35:54That one.
35:56And she's smitten.
36:00I love the back of his head.
36:01I like the colours and the hair on his face, and he's got a really good bare waterproof coat.
36:07Just like him.
36:08I'm sure he's well out with my price range, but there's something about it.
36:12I just was walking past and he caught my eye.
36:14So I need to go and speak to George now to see what we think.
36:19Will he be just as enamoured?
36:21I saw him doing a nice tough onions pan away down the line, 620. Have you seen him?
36:30Strong teeth are needed to forage for food on the mountains.
36:34I think he's a pretty good mountain.
36:37They agree.
36:39Now they have to bid for him.
36:41If it all looks perfect, possibly four figures, I don't know.
36:45Maybe.
36:47500!
36:48500!
36:50It's the turn of Sybil's favourite in the ring.
37:13With bids now well over her ideal price,
37:15determined Sybil seems to have lost any sense of caution.
37:19Could this top tup tip her budget completely over the edge?
37:23500!
37:24500!
37:25500!
37:32At Martin Irvine's farm, Florence's newborn calf needs to be named and tagged.
37:38She's to be called Jaya.
37:41So what you're hearing is mum, Florence.
37:46She sees us taking her calf away and handling her calf and just, she wants to look after it.
37:51So it sounds bad, but it's actually a good thing. She's a good mummy and it's...
37:53Every newborn calf will get tagged and then the tag we've got the name of the calf. The E stands for his father and it's Enfield.
38:06Every very good breed has a letter. And limousines for 2014 is J. And next year it'll be...
38:11Let's see...
38:16D-H.
38:18It's usually the alphabet, but just follow the alphabet.
38:21So this year, 2014, the letter is J. And at the start of the year it's quite easy because you've got every name you can choose.
38:27But you start getting to the end of the year, we're into November, December.
38:31We've already had about 65, 70 calves already.
38:34Names start getting tricky, so we've started getting quite creative.
38:38We've got a Juggernaut.
38:40It's a bull calf, that was a good name I quite like.
38:42We've got a Jaws, we've got a Jarvis off of Iron Man, the robot.
38:47It's just random names.
38:51Just superheroes, comics, TV, movies.
38:53And if you have got a cow, you think it's going to give you a good calf, which has a bull calf.
38:57You kind of save the good names for the better calves, because you quite think they might come through to the bull sales at the end of the day and a catchy name kind of reads well.
39:05Drastic Partons on TV last night, it came in my head this morning.
39:10In the short term, bulls are better because you can take money in with bulls quicker.
39:14Long term, you want females.
39:16If you've got a really good cow, you like to get females off her because that's keeping that bloodline going.
39:23A good breeding cow like Florence could have up to 12 calves in her lifetime.
39:29She's proving herself to be an attentive and protective mother.
39:33She's a really hard worker.
39:35She puts everything into the calf, she's got a big bag of milk.
39:38She puts everything into the calf, and that's what I like to say.
39:41She's a very good mummy.
39:42Hopefully her new daughter Jaya will be an equally valuable addition to Martin's growing family of Limazan.
39:48At their farm near Loch Lomond, Anne and Bobby Lennox are getting ready to create the next generation of spring lambs.
40:10How many do you want?
40:13Half of them.
40:15How many is half?
40:17Rough half.
40:19With the girls all gathered in from the hills, Bobby's now turning his attention to the boys.
40:24He has to choose 10 strong tups that will be up to the job.
40:35Come on boys. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. Come on.
40:39Bobby is a bit of a pioneer when it comes to genetics.
40:42In the 1990s, he started keeping meticulous records about his best animals.
40:52Using this data, he can now select which tups should be put with which hues to improve the meat quality of their lambs.
41:00And that one's number.
41:03Two, four, five, eight.
41:05Bobby needs to check his paperwork to select the chosen few.
41:09It shows me all the history on that particular sheep.
41:12And this is the important bit is the EBV, so the estimated breeding values.
41:17So this sort of tells you what the prediction of the genetics will produce.
41:21That lambs could be a very big one at 11.5 kilos heavier than the average.
41:26Very, very good. That's in the top 1%.
41:29That's my best sheep on figures, and I think it's, you know, one of the best sheep to look at as well.
41:36Bobby's system has made him an expert at breeding lambs with a high lean meat yield.
41:40Which is exactly what the supermarkets want.
41:45Before I started doing this, we're averaging 14.5 kilos of carcass.
41:49We're now averaging 20 kilos of carcass, so that's 6 kilos heavier.
41:54That's about 20 pounds in value.
41:57He separates the best.
42:00These tups, and the new lambs they will father next year,
42:04are key to the financial survival of the Lennox's farm.
42:07Profit margins are tight for Tennant Hill farmers like Bobby and Anne.
42:13It used to be like 500 sheep per man to make a living.
42:17And you're now about 1,100 sheep per man.
42:21Bobby's family have been working this farm as tenants since 1750.
42:25There's no doubt the amount of rent I've paid over the last 260 years would have bought the farm over probably several times.
42:35But there never has been an opportunity to buy the farm, so the occasion has never arisen.
42:41If you owned it, we would do things a lot differently.
42:45I mean, we don't know, say within the next 10 years, what will happen.
42:52I mean, I said when I was about 50, give us 10 years.
42:5762, I'm now saying give us another 10 years, please.
43:01And then we'll make our mind up what we do.
43:0310 tups are selected.
43:05All are fit and agile with strong back legs,
43:09which they'll need to successfully mount up to 10 females a day for the next few weeks.
43:15This is what we call skirting.
43:18And it's just been a big mark on the rams so that they're easily spotted from a long distance.
43:23There's roughly 600 ewes up in this field, so they're all just in one big paddock.
43:28It's a fee for all now.
43:30Survival of the citizens.
43:31Don't worry, the girls will come and find them.
43:33They know.
43:35It all goes back into the mists of time, into the length of day.
43:39It's all unbred in them.
43:40On you go.
43:41Your luck is in.
43:43Here is your moment.
43:45These are the chosen ones.
43:46Yes, the chosen ones.
43:47Woo hoo.
43:53Hello there.
44:01Hello darling.
44:04Each female is fertile and receptive for a 24 to 36 hour period every 17 days.
44:12So it's action stations.
44:15Time to get a cuddle.
44:17Ha, ha, ha, ha.
44:18Try this one.
44:20The tups lose 15% of their body weight during the three week breeding season.
44:25Impregnating 50 to 60 females each.
44:27They go for the older, more experienced ewes first.
44:31At the moment they're fighting over one ewes there.
44:37Poor girl.
44:39When you see the first pair of blacky lambs being born, we all go.
44:45Aren't they lovely? Aren't they cute?
44:46At the Dal Mali auction, Sibyl has fallen head over heels for a handsome top.
44:59The price is now up over a thousand guineas.
45:01Well beyond her ideal budget.
45:02And she's still bidding.
45:03This love match isn't meant to be.
45:111,400, 1,400, 1,400, 1,400, 1,400, 1,400, 1,400, 1,400, 1,400, 1,400, 1,400, 1,400, 1,600, 1,600, 1,600, 1,600, 1,600, 1,600, 1,600.
45:26This love match isn't meant to be.
45:30I like to drop a hell of a lot, a really hell of a lot.
45:34He looked better in there and just, he just goes, he's wireless and faster.
45:38And the crowd.
45:39I did like him and I think I probably was in about 1,200.
45:45But when it's all happening, you just kind of get a bit bemused.
45:48But I suddenly thought, I couldn't personally justify spending more than that.
45:55So we can pick them even though we can't buy them.
45:59Sybil is down, but not yet out.
46:02Prices are high, so they must reassess.
46:05The rhythms of nature are at work in these winter months.
46:16Most tups are fertile all year round.
46:19But they're at peak performance at this time of year, to coincide with the ewes breeding season.
46:24So now is the time to buy.
46:28We've marked down three that we're quite interested in.
46:30So it just depends how they look when we see them out on the concrete, how their feet look and how they look as to which one.
46:37But we've marked down three different ones with a potential to buying them.
46:40But it's now so busy, Sybil might not be able to bid on them.
46:47It's impossible to get in.
46:50I don't even know if we can push in or not.
46:56She manages to squeeze in, just in time.
47:01Outbid, she tries for another in the same group.
47:25Tapping time is just round the corner, and this is one of the last big auctions of the season.
47:33Sybil needs at least four tups.
47:35Three, four, four, four, four, four, four.
47:42Success at last.
47:46I liked his attitude in the ring.
47:48His legs were very correct, and he was very bright, and his coat looked nice.
47:52So I bought him at 400.
47:57We bought your meat up.
47:59Yeah, thank you very much.
48:01Tried hard on quite a few of the other ones, but you know how stingy I am when it comes to cash, huh?
48:08That's one tup down, but more to go.
48:13There are two rings in action, 600 tups still to sell.
48:18And the buying is continuous.
48:19We just went and bought this shearling.
48:23We just both really liked the tup in the ring.
48:25Didn't really look at him much before, but really thought he had an excellent coat,
48:28and watched him in the ring, and we both liked him, so we bought him.
48:32But we need to have a look at him now.
48:36Sybil paid 700 guineas for this young tup.
48:39So close up, will she think he's worth it?
48:42That is him, isn't it, George?
48:43It is him.
48:44Yeah.
48:44We thought he looked awful well in the ring.
48:48Just the sort of coat you're looking for for coming to Argylshire to the wet, and whatever else.
48:52The weather will not get through that.
48:54After nine hours at the sale, Sybil and George spend 2,000 guineas, just over 2,000 pounds, on four new tups.
49:10That's our purchases.
49:12Quite a good day's business here.
49:14I'm awful pleased with them, Sybil.
49:15Yep, now we need to get them in the trailer.
49:18Yep.
49:20These hardy tups are destined for a tough life out on the hillside.
49:25Excellent.
49:26Between them, they will hopefully father hundreds of lambs, to add to George and Sybil's flock next spring.
49:33In the north-east of Scotland, north of Aberdeen, more new life is ready to emerge at Martin Irvine's farm.
49:55Duchess is four days overdue, but it looks like she's finally going into labour.
50:00We're at five o'clock tonight, she started kind of prancing about, answering about, tail was up, looking uncomfortable.
50:07So we're just going to watch her.
50:11Martin is anxious about five-year-old Duchess, who lost a calf last year.
50:17Problem we had last year, the calf was getting presented backwise, so it's coming backwards, back legs first.
50:24And the problem you have when a calf is coming backwards, the last thing to come out is its head.
50:28When a calf's halfway out, the cord breaks and starts breathing.
50:32Got the hips out no problem, we got stuck just at the chest, just for ten seconds too long.
50:39The calf had taken a breath inside, filled the fluid.
50:41By the time we got the calf out, it wasn't fit to take a breath.
50:44Tried what we could, and we lost a calf.
50:46If Duchess can't give birth to a live calf this time, she might not have a future on the farm, and will have to go to slaughter for meat.
50:55So Martin wants this birth to go well.
50:58Signs aren't good though.
51:00With no calf to feed this year, Duchess is unusually large.
51:04All the feeding that she's been taking, she's been going into herself, so she hasn't had to feed a calf.
51:09And if a cow's feeding a calf, she's been all into milk and feeding the calf.
51:13But because she's only had to look after herself since last year, she's kind of...
51:17Conditions are a bit good, she's a bit hefty, carrying a bit much weight.
51:22And the problem with that being, you could put that weight into the calf.
51:25So what I'm worried about is a big calf.
51:28Big calf, hard calf and a bit of trouble.
51:30A cow's labour usually takes about six hours.
51:39As this could well be a long and difficult birth, Martin's mother Denise and fiancée Mel are on hand to help, should anything go wrong.
51:52Losing animals on the farm is really hard for all of us.
51:56Martin takes it quite badly to heart, because that's his job.
52:00I suppose it would be like anything, like a doctor losing a patient.
52:04It's now half past eight, and there's still no action.
52:07And she just does not seem to be getting on with the job.
52:09Just no interested.
52:11Sitting there, chewing her cud.
52:13So, I phoned the vet, spoke to him and told him what I was feeling, what she'd been up to.
52:19He's thinking she's maybe lacking calcium, and that's why she's not getting on with the job.
52:22So, at the moment, we're going to put calcium under the skin, so that'll boost her calcium.
52:28And then, because the calf isn't even coming up, she's now slackened at the back end.
52:32So I've got my arms in here, just slackening her off while that goes in.
52:36Because the problem we've got with this calf is umbilical cords right up at the front here.
52:42So it's going to get snapped early.
52:44So it only gives us minutes to get this calf out.
52:46So we have to be as quick as we can to get this calf out.
52:50So if that cord snaps, as soon as we start pulling, you've only got two to three minutes to get this calf out and go in.
52:55Duchess has been in labor for almost four hours now.
53:04The size of the calf's feet confirms Martin's fears.
53:09That's the left leg.
53:11It's unusually big, and Duchess will need help to get it out.
53:18Okay.
53:20Look at that side.
53:20They need to use a carving jack, a piece of equipment that needs expert handling, or it can damage the calf.
53:29It attaches to the ropes round the front legs, and can provide powerful leverage.
53:36I don't want to set the ropes on the feet.
53:38Dad, he'll work a jack.
53:40And I'll make sure the head, nothing's coming up the right way.
53:42Dad, I've got to be on pressure.
53:45Stop.
53:46I'm big.
53:50It's just tight.
53:58Right, I need ropes for the head.
54:01Where's my ropes for my head?
54:05The calf's head is stuck.
54:07Right.
54:08How do you?
54:13It's right there.
54:14What's pressure we've got?
54:25That's a head to eat me.
54:27Are you going to go?
54:31I'm going to fall.
54:31Watch yourself.
54:35Right.
54:36It's going to go.
54:48Just keep going.
54:49She's not going to push that hard.
54:50Right.
54:51Right.
54:51Right.
54:51Go, go, go.
54:52Go, go, go.
54:52Go, go, go.
54:53Go, go.
54:53Go, go.
54:54Go, go.
54:54Go, go.
54:54Go, go, go.
54:54Go, go, go.
54:55Go, go, go.
54:55Go, go, go.
54:56Go, go.
54:56Go, go, go.
54:57Go, go, go, go.
54:59Wait till the calf's stuck.
55:01Finally, the massive calf is born.
55:03I feel the water.
55:04But it's unresponsive.
55:09Down, Glenn.
55:10Down, Glenn.
55:10Lift it.
55:12Lift it.
55:16They need to get it to breathe and fast.
55:23Even.
55:25Over the wall, Martin.
55:30Over the wall, Martin.
55:31Over the wall, Martin.
55:31Just wait a second.
55:34Over the wall.
55:40Lift him now.
55:41Lift him straight up.
55:43Male lift.
55:44Swing to me.
55:48Drop.
55:51It looks brutal, but this could save its life.
55:54Over the wall, Martin.
55:57The calf still isn't breathing.
56:00Its eyes are dull.
56:01Over the wall, Martin.
56:02Let's do the work.
56:07Let's throw his head away.
56:10Right, foot leg.
56:11Fat legs!
56:18Coming, it's coming.
56:19It's coming.
56:22Holding the calf upside down helps clear the glut.
56:26Okay, throw him back.
56:30At last, it takes its very first breath.
56:37Unless the cough and splatter, they don't get that bit up.
56:40Then they drown.
56:42That's why it was all systems go.
56:44Thick.
56:45Very thick.
56:45It's been a huge ordeal.
56:55When he was out, he was gone.
56:57He was nothing than I.
56:59Until he just got about 80 in his lung, just his heart's still going.
57:02So the blowing got about 80 in his lung and get him going again.
57:06Everything that could have went wrong, kind of did go wrong.
57:08Everyone has a bit of a panic.
57:10This could be worth 30 grand.
57:14He's still got a bit of glut in his lungs.
57:16Mel's tickling his nose, pretty much.
57:18You know, kind of make him cough.
57:20You can make him kind of gasp and push his ear out a bit better.
57:23He's almost there doing it.
57:24That's better.
57:25What do you want to do?
57:25See him shake his head.
57:28Hey, there we go.
57:29There you go.
57:30The calf will be called, appropriately, Jumbo.
57:47Next time, Jumbo's first day of life doesn't run smoothly.
57:54Could have quite easily been a dead calf.
57:56There was a fine line between him living and him dying.
58:00George and Sybil get in a fix with a haulage lorry.
58:04Perfect, that.
58:05No.
58:06Yeah, but you come perfect.
58:09There's no other way you can do it.
58:10Oh, no.
58:14And Christmas arrives.
58:17But there's no rest for the farmers.
58:21It's just after 8 o'clock, about time things are getting fed.
58:26Some people may think that it's a bit hard having to work on Christmas Day,
58:29but when you get scenery like this, it's just pretty special.
58:33Wouldn't change it for the world.
58:41Bizarre sacrifice rituals in a lost Welsh city.
58:44Just some of the treasures unearthed in the new series,
58:46starting now over on BBC Four, Digging for Britain.
58:49Well, here on BBC Two,
58:50which team can dig deep enough to win these quarterfinals
58:52of University Challenge next.
58:54I'll see you next time.
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