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Documentary, This Farming Life S02E09

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
#Documentary

#ThisFarming #Documentary #FarmingLife

Category

🐳
Animals
Transcript
00:00Across some of the most beautiful and remote landscapes of the British Isles.
00:07There's not many views like that. It's absolutely stunning.
00:10Scotland's farmers work day and night, producing our milk and our meat.
00:17Trying out new ideas.
00:20Buffalo doesn't want to do something. You're going to find it very difficult.
00:24And striving to turn a profit in tough economic times.
00:28We're struggling. We're definitely struggling.
00:32Over the course of a year, six very different families let cameras onto their farms.
00:39Everything that could have gone wrong there, went wrong.
00:42The idea of lying on a beach. Bliss.
00:45To share their struggles.
00:47We have to get her out or she's going to die.
00:49And their triumphs.
00:52It's not about the paycheck. It's about the lifestyle.
00:58Across the country, spring is blossoming into summer.
01:13The rush of births is over.
01:17But there's no let up for farmers.
01:21They must now ensure the new mothers and their young survive.
01:26Come on girls. Come on. Come on.
01:30And cattle wintered indoors, return to the fields.
01:35To fatten up on freshly grown grass.
01:40It's definitely one of the rewards of having livestock.
01:43Is having these moments where you get to set them free.
01:46And you know that they're going to be very happy to be out in the grass.
01:50You know, the best environment for them.
01:53In Fife, the grazing land surrounding Stevie Mitchell's farm is beginning to grow lush and green.
02:07It's time for his cattle to be turned out.
02:10Come on shoot him.
02:11But this is no ordinary herd.
02:16Stevie keeps 400 buffalo.
02:23And today, the first of them are about to set off on a trek to their summer home.
02:31I've chosen to let the cows, the young calves out first.
02:34Mainly because we intend not to really have to have much to do with them over the summer.
02:37So we're taking them to the furthest away field.
02:39She's probably about three miles from here.
02:41It's a journey they're familiar with.
02:46Five months ago, Stevie herded the cows back to the farm for shelter over winter.
02:53But they gave birth to 30 calves.
02:57Come on that one.
03:02Come on guys.
03:03Now these new mums will be introducing their calves to the outdoors for the first time.
03:08So it's great just to be able to let them out and have space and really enjoy life.
03:15Freedom!
03:24Stevie's in the business of producing premium meat.
03:32By mid-May, the grass will be full of protein, sugars and fibre.
03:37Come on you. Move up.
03:41Livestock that feed on pasture will have leaner meat, filled with higher levels of antioxidants and omega-3.
03:50The sun's out. It's great. The animals will thrive now. They're out in the fields.
03:56As long as we can get them into the right field without ending up in a barley field or causing any damage to other people's crops.
04:07You know, that makes me a bit nervous.
04:13With Stevie driving the herd from behind and Stockman Eddie at the front, it all seems to be going to plan.
04:21Well then.
04:22We're cooperating quite well.
04:24Ah.
04:25Until the buffalo make a run for it.
04:28Until the buffalo make a run for it.
04:36Oh yeah.
04:37Oh, oh, oh.
04:39Oh yeah.
04:41Shhh.
04:42Hey.
04:43Eddie steers them back to the road.
04:52But confused, they hotfoot it straight back to the farm instead.
04:56Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey.
04:58Eddie, just stay there.
05:04Eh, not quite to plan.
05:07Come on.
05:08Come on.
05:13Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho.
05:14Eventually, they get back on track.
05:19They were perfect, but we've got them where we wanted to get them, so quite a happy man.
05:29Come on.
05:30Next, they take Taff, one of Stevie's bulls, out to join them.
05:35It will be his job over the summer to get these females pregnant again.
05:41Although he seems to be more interested in mud than mating.
05:44So we've got an uncooperative bull.
05:47Do you want to...?
05:49Go on, bud.
05:50He's decided he wants his first bath.
05:54Come on, you.
05:56Eh?
05:57What are you doing?
05:58Come on.
06:00Come on.
06:03Lazy.
06:05He's happy.
06:07But this isn't part of my plan.
06:11We hadn't scheduled for you to have a roll about in the water.
06:13Come on.
06:14Keep holding us up.
06:15Come on.
06:16Let's go.
06:17Let's go.
06:18Come on.
06:19Okay.
06:20One of the things we enjoy about being outside is the opportunity to kind of do what water buffalo do.
06:22It's one of the different things from cattle, and that's finding a muddy hole and get themselves bathed in it.
06:29But...
06:31Come on.
06:33So obviously we wouldn't have a bath to impress the ladies later.
06:35Come on.
06:36Hup we go.
06:37Come on.
06:38Come on.
06:39Hup we get.
06:40Out the bath.
06:41Come on, you stumbering brute.
06:42Come on.
06:43What is this all about?
06:44Eh?
06:45I've just given you 25 girls, all knotting calves, and you want to lie in a puddle.
06:46What's your problem?
06:47Come on.
06:48Come on.
06:49Come on.
06:50Come on.
06:51Come on.
06:52Come on.
06:53Come on.
06:54Come on.
06:55Come on.
06:56Come on.
06:57Come on.
06:58Come on.
06:59Come on.
07:00Come on.
07:01Come on.
07:02Come on.
07:03Come on.
07:04Come on.
07:05Come on.
07:06Come on.
07:07Come on.
07:08Come on.
07:09Come on.
07:10Come on.
07:11Come on.
07:12Come on.
07:13Come on.
07:14How are you?
07:15Hey.
07:16Hey.
07:17Hey.
07:18Well done.
07:19Good boy.
07:20Bye.
07:21Bye.
07:22Right.
07:23A few minutes in the mud bath and Taft's finally ready for the ladies.
07:27These mums will spend the summer with their calves.
07:33with their calves, but back at the barn the mothers with older calves have only
07:40days left together in the northeast of Scotland near Aberdeen Martin Irvine is
07:59also turning his cattle out for the summer. He and his wife Mel have a herd of 72
08:08pedigree limousines raring to get outside after seven months wintering in the barn.
08:14The cows know where they're going, they know what's happening, so they'll run around the park about ten times and they'll realise there's a taste of grass and they'll put the head down and up there.
08:29The calves that were born inside, they've never been outside their lives, so this is a whole new experience, a taste of grass which must be amazing for them compared to what we feed through the winter, it's just basically silage and draught and straw.
08:43Tastier than silage and much cheaper too, grass will save Martin and farmers like him much needed cash over the summer.
08:52If you could keep them outside all year it would be brilliant, but the fact is where we live, this part of Scotland, it's a short summer, it's a long winter.
09:01The calves are out.
09:03Next up is their dab.
09:08After a few years selling his pedigree cattle for poor profits, new stock bull, Irish, may have helped Martin turn a corner.
09:20Come on.
09:21Here we go.
09:23That's him just letting everybody know he's here.
09:32Just mad noises.
09:35He was bought for £5,000 three years ago, but the sale of his first two bull calves has already made the farm nearly £20,000.
09:47All the calves that have been had for the last two years have all been Irish.
09:53Good calves.
09:54Clicking really well with our cows.
09:56Our cows are a bit, you could call it plain, but good big square cows.
10:00And Irish, so that's just extreme muscles, just kind of rounding things off, so it's suiting us really well.
10:04They seem to be suiting the market right now, so I'm quite happy.
10:08Martin's limousins provide over half of his income.
10:14Top class bull calves can make thousands at auction.
10:17The others he sells on for beef.
10:22Irish has fathered 22 calves, and is expecting ten more this spring.
10:27The mums due in the next few days are still indoors, and Honey is looking like she could be next.
10:36For the last half hour she's been pretty quiet.
10:39I'd imagine there's some contractions happening, a bit of pressure at the back end.
10:43Honey comes from premium pedigree lineage.
10:46Her brother broke records at Carlisle auction, selling for 30,000 guineas.
10:51So she's got a good bloodline, and we've crossed her with Irish, so that combination could be something special,
10:59so I'm quite anticipating to see what we get.
11:01I'd like a bull calf off her, it'd be quite nice.
11:03So, fingers crossed, bull calf, alive and well and all right.
11:10A good safe birth is critical.
11:12Honey's new calf is potentially worth thousands.
11:16So the plot now is just to keep an eye there.
11:18So I want to be able to see her, but I don't want her to see me.
11:21I want her to relax and get in the zone and get on with pushing this calf out.
11:25So I'm going to hide her in the tractor.
11:28I'll see her and she won't see me, and she's never going for the job.
11:48In Appin, hill farmer David Colthart has had a hectic few weeks.
12:03His flock of 540 hardy black-faced sheep have nearly finished lambing outside.
12:14There's plenty of lambs.
12:15I haven't found any dead lambs yet, which is good, either predated or with the weather.
12:20So far, so good.
12:22Things seem to be working out quite well at the moment.
12:25Carving's also over for his herd of 45 beef cows.
12:32They'll be kept indoors for a few weeks, so that David can keep an eye on them.
12:38Right now, though, David's looking forward to a bit of time out at a family wedding.
12:44Tomorrow, my cousin's getting married, so there'll have to be a very early start and a very sharp finish,
12:51or it won't be popular.
13:03The morning of the wedding, and wife Sandra's ready.
13:07But David's been held up in the cattle shed.
13:17A wedding in two hours time, my cousin's wedding.
13:21And this is not helping things, things have just went wrong today.
13:25It's the wrong day for it.
13:28He's had to call in vet Alistair Carswell.
13:33Do you need to be somewhere?
13:35I've got an hour of time.
13:37All right.
13:38First thing's morning, there was a cow flat in the pen.
13:40And just overnight, just must have taken an attack of milk fever.
13:47Milk fever is caused by a drastic drop in calcium levels
13:51that can happen if a cow produces a lot of milk quickly.
13:54It causes muscle weakness, and untreated can lead to heart failure.
13:59The cow has just calved, which makes her unpredictable.
14:04Calved just a couple of days ago.
14:06Yesterday.
14:07No, no.
14:08This is going to get us off.
14:10At least she's got up.
14:11She wouldn't get up earlier on.
14:13But the other one in the pen here, she's just staggering about.
14:18It's not just her.
14:23There are four mums showing signs of milk fever.
14:28Alistair needs to get calcium into their systems.
14:34If he can stabilise them in time, the cows should recover.
14:39If the calcium basically is going in under the skin,
14:44it will then be absorbed slowly into the body,
14:46which will raise her levels.
14:48She's not bad.
14:49She's still in her feet.
14:50She's a bit wobbly.
14:51She would rather lie down.
14:52But that'll just be absorbed.
14:54That'll boost her body's levels,
14:57which will allow her to just get back into her correct metabolism.
15:03Steady, steady, steady, steady, steady.
15:06Oh, lass.
15:07You just want to get the cows sorted.
15:08She's got a calf there.
15:09She's a good big cow.
15:10Good calf.
15:11And she's just, you know, if you have to lose her,
15:16you've got a whole lot of other problems to deal with.
15:18So you don't want to do that.
15:19You just want to get her sorted.
15:22Milk fever is more common in dairy cows,
15:25as they produce high volumes of milk.
15:27About 8% are affected every year.
15:30But David has beef cows.
15:32And to have four struck down all at once is highly unusual.
15:36Trouble us.
15:37I don't know if any more are going to go down in the...
15:40So when I go along to the church,
15:43I'll just have to be there
15:45and then just get back out after the service and back across.
15:50Yep.
15:51Get the cake there on top of the feed.
15:53Yeah, that's sandwork.
15:55Yep.
15:57I'm about to get very much, even more harassed.
16:01Alistair has offered to come back and check the cows while David's at the ceremony.
16:11OK, that's great, Alistair. Thanks so much.
16:13Go on now.
16:14If I'm not back in the house by half past one...
16:16I think you better, I think you better go.
16:18Yes.
16:19Thanks so much, Alistair.
16:20Here's Rob opening in later on.
16:21Normally speaking, you wouldn't leave the farm.
16:26If there's any other event other than a close family wedding,
16:31I would not be leaving.
16:33Even with a draw of champagne and ample whisky.
16:38You wouldn't be able to enjoy it because you're worried about what's happening at home.
16:47Back at the house, David pulls off a dramatic transformation.
16:51This is what my mind could do in 15 minutes.
17:00Sandra's now been waiting two hours.
17:03Yeah.
17:04That's why we don't plan anything.
17:06I mean, you know, you can't plan to do anything really, can you?
17:09Because you don't know what's waiting for you in the shed.
17:12David logs on to the cow cam for a final check.
17:17Time is 1.30.
17:20What time are we supposed to be there?
17:22Ten minutes ago.
17:23Ten minutes ago.
17:24Okay.
17:25Great.
17:26So we're already in the way.
17:29Oh, she's standing up.
17:31That's good.
17:32That's good.
17:34Everything else seems fine in the shed at the moment.
17:37So it's time to put this away and not torment myself.
17:41Get my lessons about a read.
17:49What you practice is I'm sitting down in the pew.
17:54Aye, Annie.
17:55Time to go.
18:00I've probably forgotten some of my kit.
18:02Sparring.
18:04Help.
18:11Hopefully I have a couple of hours of peace.
18:13On my phone.
18:14Oh.
18:15On his farm north of Aberdeen, the spring births are not yet over for Martin.
18:33The prize bull Irish is about to become a dad for the 23rd time this year.
18:45Honey has gone into labour.
18:48Martin's hoping for a bull calf, which could earn him thousands at auction next year.
18:53Mr. Heath's going to fell back.
18:56Mr. Heath's going to fell back.
19:00Dad Stephen is on hand to help with the delivery.
19:03Get up.
19:06Push.
19:07Good girl.
19:08So it was a little bit of a problem.
19:09The calf's head was lying down and back.
19:11So I've flipped it up.
19:12It's sitting where it should be now.
19:13And now she's starting to push.
19:14Which is fine.
19:15Let's pull it up.
19:16Two.
19:17Two.
19:18So I've got the calf's head.
19:19Two.
19:20Two.
19:21Two.
19:22Two.
19:23Two.
19:24Two.
19:25Two.
19:26Two.
19:27Two.
19:28Two.
19:29Two.
19:30Two.
19:31Two.
19:32Two.
19:33Two.
19:34Two.
19:35Two.
19:36Two.
19:37Two.
19:39Two.
19:40Two.
19:41Two.
19:42Two.
19:43Two.
19:44Two.
19:45Two.
19:46Two.
19:47Two.
19:48Two.
19:49Two.
19:50Two.
19:51Two.
19:52Two.
19:53Two.
19:54Two.
19:55Two.
19:56Two.
19:57Two.
19:58Two.
19:59Two.
20:00Two.
20:01Two.
20:02Two.
20:03Two.
20:04Two.
20:05Two.
20:06Two.
20:07Two.
20:08Two.
20:09Two.
20:10Two.
20:11Oh, I need to go, I need to go, I need to go, I need to go.
20:41So just checking it, the airwaves are clear, see if he's breathing all right.
20:52Heifer.
20:53A heifer calf is a disappointment, but as a healthy purebred female, she can help to
21:01grow Martin's herd in the future.
21:03Yeah, good calf, nice size.
21:06On the Isle of Mull, Janet and Alistair Taylor are very pleased with their crop of newborns.
21:30They've just finished lambing their 128 breeding ewes.
21:35Lots of new life around the farm, yeah.
21:38It's a busy time of year.
21:40We're doubling our quantities of stock on the place.
21:43This spring, the flock has produced 119 healthy lambs.
21:48They're not just lambs to us, they're our future.
21:53Their future wants to be sold, future yow lambs that will become yows in the place, future
22:00meat for the freezer as well.
22:03You're always watching them grow as well and enjoying seeing them thrive.
22:09Starting with nothing five years ago, they've begged, borrowed and budgeted to get their
22:14flock to this size.
22:17They've also been building up their highland cattle.
22:20This year, they've had seven healthy calves.
22:24Like Martin, they're hoping the new calves will boost the farm's fortunes.
22:30The plan for all this year's calves is a way to market.
22:34We're not keeping any for replacements this year, so...
22:37Fit and healthy, that's what we want.
22:39Sell for lots of money, that'd be nice.
22:45She's coming over here.
22:47But first, the calves need some modifications.
22:50Come on, Ed.
22:51Bull calf Stephen is brought in first, with his mum, Morag, keeping a watchful eye.
22:56That's a girl.
22:57Come on.
22:59Good girl.
23:00Come on, Ed.
23:01Unfortunately for Stephen, he'll make more money without his budding horns.
23:05Good girl.
23:07And his crown jewels.
23:14They've got no horns, they can get their heads through the feeders and it's not a problem,
23:18so they're more sellable when they're dehorned.
23:20Castrating, so we don't have lots of bulls.
23:23And again, it's so that when they are sold on, they're easier managed.
23:30Do you find me a cattle needle?
23:33And a sheep needle, and a syringe.
23:36I also takes the lead on the cowlark.
23:38He's in charge.
23:39I'm just the labour.
23:43Yeah, she knows I'm trying to trick her.
23:46Good girl.
23:48I want your baby.
23:49It may seem a harsh process, but it's vital if the farm is to get the best price for every calf.
23:56I do feel sorry for them. I feel sorry for any animal that you're having to do this to.
24:06It's not pleasant, it's just something that we have to do to help management.
24:12Ha!
24:13Ha!
24:19It's alright, I will take good care of him.
24:28His two horns, all they are is tiny little lumps.
24:33That's all there is to his horn.
24:34So we'll put a wee anaesthetic in to numb the area.
24:41Steady, steady, steady.
24:44And then we'll use the dehorner to stop it growing.
24:49What's the anaesthetic?
24:51It goes onto it, and it just burns all the way round, cuts through the skin, and you do a perfect circle.
24:59And it cuts all the nerve endings, all the blood vessels, everything that supplies the horn, so the horn won't grow.
25:07Our aesthetic's working?
25:23Yep.
25:27Good boy.
25:28And then we should be able to see a nice clear ring all the way round.
25:33We missed a bit there.
25:34It's a cruel day.
25:40Next, Alistair tackles his tackle.
25:44Cough, please.
25:46A bloodless procedure, using a simple elastic band.
25:50Just expanding it with the pliers, and he's doing the same thing, it goes over,
25:54and the balls remain in the sack, and then the ring's there to cut off the blood supply, and that will drop off.
25:59Well done.
26:00Well done.
26:01Just like...
26:02Nice and quick, just a quick elastic band.
26:05Good boy.
26:07He's fine, actually.
26:08But the longer you have them separated, the more everything gets stressed, so he needs to go back to Mum now.
26:16All right, all right, all right. You can go.
26:19Yeah.
26:20They're definitely happy to be reunited.
26:26That's the important bit, getting them back together as quick as we can.
26:29And then he can get a sick from his mum, he'll settle down, although he's, at the moment, the adrenaline's still kicked in, so he's not sure what's happened to him, but something has.
26:41Yeah.
26:42I love.
26:51In Happen, David's cousin has just got married.
26:57After a quick snap for the wedding album,
27:02David and Sandra have to skip the reception canapes
27:05to race back to the four cows struck down by milk fever at the farm.
27:11Right, Dad. Just a wee bit for us to check things at the shed.
27:15We'll see you over there just a wee bit.
27:31I love the service. It was nice to mess. They did a good job.
27:34It's good, but this was in the back of my mind.
27:37The cows in the shed here, so...
27:39Hopefully there isn't any more problems.
27:41I'm not dressed for it. Neither are you, Sandra.
27:44I'm going to get covered in smell as well.
27:52Three of the cows have recovered.
27:58Come on, girl. Oh, God.
28:01But one is much worse.
28:03Oh, dear.
28:11How was she when you left her?
28:12She was sitting up.
28:16Well, I can't really go in there with my shoes on
28:18and help you push her.
28:20I don't need the rest for it.
28:21No.
28:25Oh, boy.
28:26Just try and pull around with her head,
28:28and then if not, I'll go back and get changed
28:29and lift her up.
28:31It's vital the cow gets into a sitting position.
28:45Lying flat, her stomach will fill up with gas,
28:48and she could die,
28:50leaving her calf an orphan.
28:52David's called a neighbour, Dennis, to help.
29:01I'm going to get her head down, and get her legs in below her,
29:05and then just try and pull around so she's sitting there,
29:07but I'll go back a bit.
29:08So try and actually pull around so she's sitting up.
29:11Right.
29:12Come on, girl.
29:13Come on, girl.
29:13Come on, girl.
29:15No, it's not looking very good at all for her, I'm afraid.
29:19No, I'm trying to get her up on her side so that she's propped up,
29:24but no, you can usually tell we're looking at them
29:29when things are not good.
29:32No, things are not looking too good for her.
29:34I'm going to jam it in against her to help keep her up.
29:43It'll be a long ways, and I'll try and pull her.
29:46Can you go?
29:46Yep.
29:49Want to work?
29:53Stay around.
29:56Earlier, David put a special sling on her
29:58so she could be hoisted up by a forklift.
30:01But at the moment, she's too weak.
30:04At least she's up.
30:05Yeah.
30:08It just means it's probably going to be a long evening tonight
30:11because after we get her meal,
30:13just have to just change and just come back
30:15and just deal with her.
30:16Yeah, I'll put a blanket on her because she's shivering a little bit.
30:20Dennis, you can come to the house
30:22and you can take some covers across, so...
30:24Covers?
30:24Yep, for her.
30:25Dad on top of that.
30:26From the house?
30:27Well, just come back, Sandra.
30:28Welcome back.
30:28What covers?
30:30You're not taking a cool off my bed.
30:36It's a great life, really.
30:37Oh, yes.
30:38Wonderful.
30:39You just never know what's going to happen,
30:41but nobody really expected all this.
30:43On a day like today, I mean,
30:44how many weddings do we ever go to?
30:46Like, one a year?
30:48And all the disasters in one day, too,
30:49the day of the wedding.
30:50It's so typical.
30:52No wonder we don't plan to do anything, right?
30:58Most cows recover a few hours after being given calcium.
31:02But in a minority of cases, the animal will die.
31:05This cow's had the maximum dose,
31:08so they've just got to wait and hope.
31:10But for now,
31:12they're expected back to toast the bride and groom.
31:14Won't be able to drink too much, though.
31:16Not if you get a cup.
31:17We have to drive back here and do this.
31:18But why do I feel like it?
31:19In Fife,
31:34Stevie needs to get the final batch of buffalo out to graze.
31:43These mums have older calves.
31:45They've been together all winter.
31:47Baby.
31:49Now it's time to cut the apron strings.
31:55Well, we're just putting these gates here
31:57so that we can wean some calves.
32:02Once they're separated off from their mums,
32:04they'll be pretty keen to find any escape route,
32:06so we're reinforcing things.
32:14At eight months old,
32:15the calves no longer need their mother's milk
32:18and will thrive outside by themselves.
32:21Steady, guys.
32:24Most of the mums are already four months pregnant
32:27and need some time to rest before they carve again.
32:30Oh, you.
32:31But buffalo can be more tricky to wean than normal cattle.
32:35We've got a much stronger bond between mum and baby,
32:38particularly the female side for whatever reason.
32:41I think it's obviously the kind of traditional herd instinct that they want to stay bonded.
32:47So we have to kind of try and do it inside where we've got big strong pens.
32:52Because if we did it out in the fields,
32:53they would be hopping over fences and through fences and breaking things and all to get back together.
32:58So this is, we've learned this over the years,
33:01it's better to do it now
33:03and then we'll let mums out to grass
33:06and hopefully maybe a week's time
33:08once we're confident that they're quite comfortable
33:11and calves will get out too.
33:13Come up.
33:15We're going to just bring all the cows and calves this way
33:19and then the theory is we'll only let the cows go back
33:21and then we'll shut the gate.
33:23So the cows will be on this side, calves will be on that side.
33:32As the mums are separated off...
33:35Oop!
33:37Hey!
33:41Some persistent calves slip through.
33:43Hey!
33:45Yeah, two calves have just beaten us.
33:49They're pretty quick
33:52and if they want to go, they're quite hard to stop.
33:56So fast.
33:57You got any barley?
34:01We're going to try and outthink them here.
34:04So Eddie's just putting a wee bit of protein in the cows.
34:07The calves won't be so fast,
34:08but the cows will be quite excited for it.
34:12With the mums distracted by a second breakfast,
34:15Eddie chases the calves out.
34:17Come on and go.
34:19It's quite easy to get yourself all worked up and stressed,
34:22but like that would only make it worse.
34:23So just...
34:24Try not to hurry it.
34:32What's the wee?
34:36There's one here.
34:37Oh, well done, Ed.
34:38Watch.
34:39That's okay.
34:44That's it?
34:45Yeah.
34:46That's all.
34:47The mums and calves are safely segregated,
34:51but the penny hasn't yet dropped that this will be permanent.
34:57There'll be a lot of crying calves and roaring mums very shortly,
35:02but once they realise what we've done,
35:04we're trying to minimise that by actually keeping them
35:07so they can still see each other,
35:08so they can't get physical contact,
35:09but they can still kind of see each other,
35:12and hopefully that will reduce the stress.
35:16Although if you come in here tomorrow
35:19and they're all crying their eyes out,
35:20you feel quite guilty about it, I have to be honest.
35:22It's probably not going to be very popular with my auntie
35:28and the pig stockmen who live next door
35:31because they roar and they keep roaring and they keep roaring.
35:37Any human being would probably find it quite difficult
35:39to walk away from.
35:40You feel quite guilty about it all,
35:42but it is, you know, it has to happen.
35:45You can't...
35:46It's for both the calf and mum's good,
35:48so, yeah, it's just one of these things.
36:04Sure enough,
36:06Antica Miller's had anything but a silent night.
36:08So, definitely feeling quite guilty this morning
36:17when you come in and hear the noise
36:18of the mums and young calves roaring.
36:24Desperate to get back in the same pen as each other,
36:26but it will gradually get less
36:30as I'm telling my auntie
36:32because she's quite grumpy.
36:34I can see why it could be quite annoying
36:37if you're living right next door to it.
36:39So, probably not the most popular nephew today.
36:43In Appin, it's the morning after the wedding.
37:08But David's cow still hasn't recovered
37:13after collapsing with milk fever.
37:16Come on, come on, come on.
37:18Come on.
37:22She still hasn't got up,
37:25but we've got her in a sling
37:26which is specially designed for lifting down cows.
37:28So,
37:30she survived the night
37:34and just trying to make sure that
37:37with a harness,
37:40she can try and use her legs.
37:43Do something for yourself.
37:44Come on, come on, try.
37:46Come on, try.
37:50She'll need to do something for herself.
37:52She's not really trying.
37:53She's probably still pretty sore.
37:54So, fingers crossed,
37:57if she rests for a couple of hours,
37:59come back and give her another try to lift her.
38:01She's comfortable at the moment.
38:03Got a bit of feed.
38:04She's had water.
38:07I'll just keep her fingers crossed.
38:10All wee cavvy.
38:15A real shame.
38:16A real shame.
38:16A real shame.
38:24Farmers work hard all year round
38:33to keep their livestock alive and healthy.
38:41But two and a half million sheep
38:43and over a quarter of a million cattle
38:46die prematurely on UK farms
38:49every year
38:50from accidents,
38:52infections,
38:53and disease.
38:54You bring life into the farm
38:57and sometimes you're there
38:59when life goes out of the farm.
39:03But the wee cow behind me here,
39:05unfortunately,
39:06for whatever reason,
39:08she passed away last night
39:10and,
39:12you know,
39:16I've had a hotline to the vet
39:17this last few days
39:18and there's absolutely nothing more
39:20that we could have done
39:21than what we've actually done.
39:24for six months,
39:28we're in the shed,
39:30backwards and forwards,
39:31they see you,
39:33you see them
39:34all through the winter period.
39:36So, you can't help
39:37but get attached to your animals
39:38to a certain extent.
39:41At the end of the day,
39:42you have to have a level of,
39:43we'll re-listen that,
39:47they're there to produce calves
39:49for you to sell.
39:50But still,
39:51with the time that you're here,
39:53you try and make sure
39:53that these animals
39:54have got their best lives
39:55that they have.
39:59They totally rely on you
40:00and that's the worst thing
40:01of it,
40:02that I'm in charge
40:03of the environment
40:03that our cows are in.
40:06So,
40:07you can't help but think
40:08it's something that you've done
40:09or inadvertently done
40:10that's caused this problem.
40:14David had one case
40:16of milk fever
40:16at the start of calving,
40:18which was unusual.
40:19But to have multiple cows
40:21struck down in one day
40:22is a total shock.
40:24In ten years,
40:25I haven't had cows
40:25get milk fever
40:26and then one day
40:27you get four.
40:30It's just difficult
40:30to try and pinpoint
40:31the exact reason
40:33what caused it.
40:35There's a wee stressor
40:36somewhere along the line
40:37that I haven't quite
40:39figured out yet
40:40and I need to try
40:41and figure it out
40:42because I don't want
40:42to happen again.
40:47The loss of a young cow
40:49also has a lasting
40:50financial impact.
40:51I've lost a nice cow.
40:55She only had her second calf
40:56and she could have been here
40:57until she was 14 years old.
41:00So,
41:01she's only five years old.
41:03It's a real shame.
41:06Thanks, Archie.
41:07Cheers much.
41:08Appreciate it.
41:13Cut off in her prime,
41:15David's not only lost her
41:17but the future calves
41:19she could have had.
41:21His priority now
41:23is to save the orphans
41:25she's left behind.
41:27I've got the little calf in there.
41:29It's dependent on me now
41:30to get a mum.
41:32So,
41:33that's going to be the focus
41:34over the next few days.
41:35across to the north-east of Scotland.
41:56Mel is also counting
41:58her livestock losses.
42:00She's checking on the 600 sheep
42:02that belong to the estate
42:04they rent from.
42:05There's two or one.
42:07Yes.
42:08This extra contract work
42:10has brought in a good income
42:11over the last few years.
42:14Everything's finished lambing
42:16at home and at the estate
42:18so it's just a case of me
42:20coming up and checking
42:21the sheep
42:22and seeing everything's okay
42:23and making sure
42:24no one's stuck on their back
42:25or stuck on a fence
42:26are dead
42:28which quite often happens.
42:30Like David
42:31she knows
42:32some livestock
42:33won't survive.
42:35The youngsters
42:36are particularly vulnerable.
42:38I'm just looking for
42:39226
42:42which was a triplet
42:43and I'm afraid
42:44to say
42:45I think it's
42:45gone down to twins now
42:47which is a shame.
42:50There's 226 there.
42:52See the red one
42:55226
42:56and she's only got her two.
42:58She's doing a good job
42:59of the two
43:00but she was doing
43:01a really good job
43:02of the three
43:02but
43:04fox and badger's
43:05got to eat
43:06I suppose
43:06which is more disappointing
43:07for me really.
43:10Right
43:11I'm going to just keep going
43:12and see what else
43:12I can find.
43:15If they move.
43:16They think they're
43:17getting fed.
43:19With all this grass
43:20they think they're
43:20getting fed.
43:22This is one of Mel's
43:23last visits to the sheep.
43:25For the last four years
43:27the sheep contract
43:28has brought in
43:29an extra 15,000 pounds
43:30a year
43:31but with baby Erin
43:32now one
43:33Mel and Martin's
43:35priorities have changed.
43:37We finish in the next
43:38four weeks or so
43:40so
43:41yeah
43:43it's just a case
43:44that you know
43:44when we think
43:45oh I'll not be doing
43:46this next year
43:47it's a shame
43:48because we've gotten
43:49the sheep to where
43:49we wanted them
43:50but
43:50it's just too much
43:51for us
43:52you've just got to
43:54be good to yourself
43:55and not work yourself
43:56too hard
43:56which we're kind of doing.
44:05For Janet and Alistair
44:06on Mull
44:06giving up their contract work
44:09is not an option.
44:10they hope to earn
44:144,000 pounds
44:15from the sale
44:16of livestock
44:16this year
44:17but it's subsidies
44:18and working
44:19for other farmers
44:20and landowners
44:21that keeps their farm afloat.
44:22good boy
44:27all the way in
44:27good job
44:31good job
44:31all right
44:36tons of room
44:38seven months
44:41seven months ago
44:41Alistair took on
44:42three deer management
44:43contracts
44:44which should bring in
44:45an extra
44:469,000 pounds a year
44:47with the shooting season
44:50over
44:51his responsibility now
44:52is to keep the deer
44:54healthy
44:54it's really magical
44:58doing it just now
44:58it's just like
44:59seeing all these
45:00wild deer
45:01coming right up to you
45:02it's amazing
45:03there are over
45:146,000 red deer
45:15on Mull
45:16that's two
45:17for every human resident
45:19why do you think
45:21we're here
45:2230
45:23there's more coming
45:25the island
45:28can't sustain
45:29a bigger population
45:30and girls
45:31as any more
45:33will decimate
45:34wild vegetation
45:35and farmers crops
45:36so with no natural predators
45:44Alistair's job
45:46is to control numbers
45:47no stay
45:48stay
45:49but for part of the year
45:52he helps to keep the deer
45:54in good condition
45:55by feeding them
45:56we're managing the herd
45:59really for quality
46:00we're wanting to see
46:01good strong animals
46:02coming through
46:03much like you would do
46:04with your farm livestock
46:05we start feeding them
46:09when the season finishes
46:11and then feed them
46:12every other day
46:13and they get their
46:14cobs like this
46:15and then they get
46:16lick tubs as well
46:17to help keep them going
46:19with minerals
46:20and things in it
46:21it's something quite special
46:38feeding them
46:38because they're
46:39completely wild animals
46:41it's not like
46:42it's a deer park
46:42or anything like that
46:43where they're used to
46:44seeing people
46:44the only other time
46:45they see me
46:46is when I'm shooting them
46:47it's a job in addition to everything else
47:06there's
47:07financially
47:08it's not a huge
47:11money making scheme
47:12we do get a bit more
47:14all three estates
47:16pay me differently
47:17so one estate
47:19I get a monthly salary
47:20one estate
47:20I get a lump sum
47:21and one estate
47:23I get the money
47:24from the deer I shoot
47:25so none of it's
47:28huge money
47:29but it is just a little bit
47:30of a help
47:30to Janet and I
47:31and the estate
47:32that has the monthly income
47:33I also get a second vehicle
47:35and a few other things
47:36like that
47:36which is very useful
47:37but even with contract work
47:41their farming future
47:43on Mull
47:43is uncertain
47:44it's hard
47:49what farming's doing
47:50at the moment
47:51is worrying
47:51and you know
47:53whether we can keep going
47:55doing what we're doing
47:55making as little
47:56as we are
47:58it's debatable
47:59what's going to happen
48:00really
48:01but I think
48:02there's a lot of farmers
48:03all over
48:03that are
48:04having the same thoughts
48:06you know
48:07but you know
48:09we love it
48:10we've got to carry on farming
48:12we've just signed
48:15our next lease
48:17and that's us tied in again
48:18for another five years
48:20I'd like to see
48:23by the end of that five years
48:24us have our stock up
48:26to where we're happy with it
48:28put a bit more money
48:30into the silage fields
48:31because it could do
48:32with a lot of money spent on it
48:33it'll just depend on
48:34how much we make
48:35from the livestock
48:35money's always the thing
48:37that holds us back
48:38and then
48:40after that five years
48:42I don't know
48:44is it another five years here
48:46is it a bigger farm
48:47I just don't know
48:49go home now
48:54cup of tea
48:55yeah
48:56put your nosey
48:59whilst Janet and Alistair
49:11are unsure
49:11if they can lay down roots
49:13long term
49:14Mel and Martin
49:19on the mainland
49:20are committed
49:21to making their farm
49:22a success
49:23for their growing family
49:24go
49:26so it loves it
49:29the faster the better
49:30she's definitely like us
49:36as soon as we could
49:37reach the pedals
49:37well before we could
49:38reach the pedals
49:38we were driving tractors
49:40and the cord bike
49:41so she'll get every chance
49:43that I did
49:43family farms
49:48are maybe
49:48the way forward
49:49me and dad
49:51none of us
49:52take a proper wage
49:53out of the farm
49:53we do take a wage
49:55but it's just enough
49:55to live on
49:56it's a way of life
49:57I think that's maybe
49:58the kind of farms
49:59that are surviving
50:00in the house
50:00of family farms
50:01because
50:01you're not having
50:02to take a big wage
50:03out
50:04which puts pressure
50:04on the business
50:05where I've got
50:07enough money
50:07to look after
50:09myself
50:09Mel and Erin
50:10I'm happy enough
50:11and I get to spend
50:15all day with
50:16Smiler here
50:17ooh
50:19that's a vicious
50:20we've always said
50:21that we would want
50:22a quite a
50:24well not large
50:25yeah large enough
50:26family
50:26so yeah
50:27I would like to have
50:28another one
50:29another Bobby
50:30but everyone tells me
50:32that she's been so good
50:33that the next one
50:33will never be as good
50:34as her
50:35so
50:35she's a wee star
50:41she's a wee star
50:41in Appin
50:52David has been trying to get to the bottom
50:57of what caused the milk fever outbreak
51:12in his herd
51:13he suspects that the fine balance of minerals
51:20that his cows need at this time
51:22was upset
51:23was upset by a slight change in diet
51:25this is what we call draff
51:27it's from one of the local distilleries
51:30and it's a byproduct of the making of whiskey
51:33it's the remnants of the barley mash
51:36and we use it in the cattle feed
51:38and we use it in the cattle feed
51:38and it's absolutely brilliant feed
51:39it really is an important part of the diet
51:41but there's a breakdown
51:42at the local distillery
51:43and we didn't get our
51:45our monthly load of draff
51:47for four days
51:48so the cows were without draff
51:50then we got it for a week
51:51and then we had the problem with the milk fever
51:53so in essence
51:54probably what's happened
51:56it's probably the perfect storm
51:57of calves
51:59are demanding a lot from the cows
52:00in terms of milk
52:01the slight changeover in the diet
52:03when we're four days without the draff
52:05and then the draff being reintroduced
52:07so that's probably a culmination
52:09a lot of things
52:10that has meant that
52:12it's just one of these rare occasions
52:15everything goes wrong
52:16David's run of bad luck
52:20isn't over
52:21he can't get any of his cows
52:24to adopt the orphaned calf
52:26it just didn't go as we planned
52:29and now we are left
52:30with this lovely little orphan calf
52:33which we have to make a decision about
52:36she's too young to graze
52:45so David and Sandra now face
52:47having to feed her themselves
52:48a job that will be a lot easier
52:51if they can wean her off the bottle
52:53and onto a bucket
52:54the only problem is
52:56when you confine her
52:57she's not really actually used to being handled
52:58so when you confine her
52:59and you try and entice her face
53:01into the bucket
53:02she's probably going to struggle
53:03and push against us
53:04whoa, whoa, whoa
53:05whoa, girl
53:08whoa, whoa, whoa
53:09I know, I know
53:12put a nose in the bucket
53:14I will
53:15David, look at me
53:16she's still too scared
53:17right
53:18it's not even warm
53:22gee, how tasty
53:24cold milk
53:25come on, cabbie
53:26come on, cabbie
53:30come on
53:31smell my fingers
53:32smell that
53:34don't move
53:36I didn't move
53:38you did
53:38you want to taste
53:42there we go
53:48nice, sucking my finger
53:51you want to try some?
53:56come on
53:57get your little face in there
53:58look, she's drinking
54:01good
54:03that's tasty
54:07want some more?
54:10well, if she'll drink
54:11out of a bucket
54:11at least that's something
54:13I mean, you can just
54:14leave the bucket in
54:15and she can feed herself
54:16basically
54:16you think I'm your mommy now?
54:24feeding the calf
54:25for the next few months
54:26will be a big commitment
54:27but David and Sandra
54:29aren't going to give up on her
54:31she's better to sell you
54:32we'll give her the best shot
54:34that's the bottom line
54:35we'll feed her
54:36she'll be alright
54:37she'll live
54:38yep
54:39she's fought all the way
54:42to here, so
54:42yeah, she's a survivor
54:43even fighting with me
54:45we should change her name
54:46to Sassy
54:46Sassy the survivor
54:47in Fife
55:00in Fife
55:00no longer needing
55:01their mother's milk
55:02well then guys
55:04Stevie's calves
55:05have become adjusted
55:06to life without their mums
55:08and are eager
55:09to explore the outside
55:10they're the last of the buffalo
55:16to head out
55:16to summer grazing
55:17they seem very happy
55:28despite the windy
55:29it's so windy
55:31it's not all good
55:33the calves are settled
55:42which means
55:43their pregnant mums
55:44can take it easy
55:45before they give birth again
55:46see they're our friends
55:57they're our friends
55:59they're our friends
55:59maypole
56:00yes
56:01but Stevie's got an extra treat
56:05up his sleeve
56:06hey buddy
56:09have you got the quad handy
56:11I was thinking about
56:15just letting the buffalo
56:16down into the
56:17you know
56:17down by the boathouse
56:18at the loch
56:19just for an hour or so
56:20give them a swim
56:21just the thing
56:26for hard working mums
56:27a trip
56:28to the buffalo spa
56:30it's weird to think
56:56because buffalo are
56:56from a hot country
56:57that they actually
56:58have less sweat glands
57:00than cows
57:01so that is their way
57:02of controlling their temperature
57:04and hence where they get their name
57:06it's actually possibly
57:24my favourite thing
57:25about having water buffalo
57:26is getting to see
57:26just how happy they are
57:27and they're getting to thrash
57:29about in the water
57:29obviously the loch's actually
57:32quite clean
57:33it's really funny
57:33when some of the fields
57:35have got some real muddy
57:36wallows
57:37and yeah
57:38it's what water buffalo
57:39should be
57:40and you can definitely
57:43see the sheer contentment
57:45on their faces
57:46so very rewarding
57:47to watch
57:48next time
58:00David
58:02tries a novel approach to bird scaring to enjoy every every day is good fun but
58:10hopefully once in for another few days Robin and Penny take action when a fox
58:16gets into the hen run so the plan is Robin to the rescue and Stevie takes his
58:23favorite ball double oh seven to his first country show hey he stopped
58:53you
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