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#video #Countryfile - Season 38 - Episode 11: Lambing Special
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00:00Come on, then.
00:02Well, it's certainly easier than carrying the lamb.
00:04Isn't it?
00:06Lamb's coming through, lamb's coming through.
00:36It is all go here.
00:38Aren't they gorgeous?
00:39Although a little bit noisy.
00:40Just a little bit.
00:41This one wants to escape.
00:42This is a crucial time of year for farms
00:44because their future is shaped by the next few months.
00:48Yeah, for sheep farmers up and down the country,
00:51lambing time is make or break.
00:53There'll be lots of lambs being born, of course.
00:55Sadly, a few losses and plenty of long, sleepless nights.
00:58Right, let's get these back to their mum.
01:00Can I not just keep this one?
01:01No.
01:02Oh, OK.
01:04We're in the south-west of England, in Devon,
01:07at the start of lambing season.
01:08And on Mothering Sunday,
01:10where better to be than surrounded by four-legged mums
01:13and their newborn lambs?
01:16We'll be seeing all the action
01:18on three different sheep farms in the county,
01:20where, thanks to its mild climate,
01:23they've made a head start on lambing.
01:26While I'll be stationed on one farm in Devon,
01:29Adam has a few lambing duties in the Cotswolds to take care of
01:32before he heads south to join me.
01:36The last one, John.
01:38Fingers crossed.
01:39Fingers crossed. Come on.
01:40So this one's a two.
01:41Oh, yes!
01:42Twins!
01:43That's far on.
01:44Those rams did a good job.
01:49I have to say,
01:50it is probably one of the cutest lambs I've ever seen.
01:53Aren't you?
01:54I know.
01:55We'll have to look after you, won't we?
01:57Give us a little breath.
01:59Come on.
01:59There you go.
02:00That's not something I'm going to forget in a heartbeat.
02:21On our farm in the Cotswolds,
02:23we have 350 pregnant ewes,
02:25all to lamb over the next four weeks.
02:32Before I head down to Devon to catch up with Anita,
02:35I've just got to get everything ready for lambing.
02:37As most sheep farmers will know,
02:39once the ewes are in the lambing sheds,
02:41anything could happen,
02:42so you've got to be ready for it.
02:49So in our lambing shed,
02:51we've got these lambing pens
02:53with different groups in them.
02:55So these have been scanned for singles,
02:57which are red dots,
02:58and then blue dots in these pens are twins,
03:01and then we've got some triplets down the end.
03:04In fact, one's just lambed.
03:06There we go.
03:09So this is an experienced ew.
03:12She's lambed before,
03:14and she's got a good-sized lamb
03:16that she's given birth to perfectly happily.
03:18And I'll just check around her back end.
03:22So there's nothing else appearing as yet,
03:26but she's still got a big, round tummy,
03:29so she's definitely going to have some more.
03:31So I don't need to intervene at all, really.
03:33I'll just leave her to it
03:34and let her give birth naturally.
03:36But I'm on hand in case anything goes wrong.
03:46So this is early doors for our lambing
03:48because the gestation period of a sheep is 147 days,
03:51or about five months from mating to birth.
03:54And so really they're due pretty much early next week.
03:59We run around 250 commercial ewes on the farm,
04:02plus around 100 native rare breed sheep.
04:05But this year we have a new breed,
04:08unlike any we've kept before,
04:09and a lamb was born yesterday.
04:12So have a look just down here.
04:14I've got something quite exciting to show you.
04:16This is one of my new arrivals.
04:20A valet blacknose.
04:22Look at that.
04:24Isn't that cute?
04:25The valet blacknose hails from the Swiss Alps,
04:28with the first sheep imported into the UK around 2014.
04:33In this country, the breed is valued less
04:36as commercial lamb for meat production
04:37and more for its looks and personality,
04:40making it especially popular with hobby farmers.
04:43So they are very cute
04:45with their little black nose and their black ears,
04:47and this silky wool, which is just extraordinary.
04:51If I get this lamb next door,
04:52I'll show you the difference.
04:54So this is a Hampshire Cross lamb
04:57that will go for meat production
05:00and in about five months' time
05:03will be worth 120, 130 quid,
05:05depending on where the market goes.
05:07Let me pop it down.
05:09But the valet, because of their cuteness
05:12and the pet value,
05:15and because people love to have them
05:16in their little paddocks outside their house,
05:19this ram lamb, which will turn into a weather,
05:22will be a castrated male,
05:24will be worth probably five or six hundred pounds,
05:28which is quite extraordinary.
05:30A pedigree ewe for breeding could fetch even more,
05:33as much as fifteen hundred pounds.
05:36But money aside,
05:37I'm completely smitten with this little chap.
05:40I have to say,
05:41it is probably one of the cutest lambs I've ever seen.
05:44Aren't you? I know.
05:46We'll have to look after you, won't we?
05:49It just goes to show,
05:50sometimes value isn't measured in kilos of meat,
05:53but in finding the right market for the right animal.
05:57But no matter the breed,
05:59they all need the same care and attention.
06:03This little one is small,
06:05but it's drinking.
06:06You can see a black dung that's coming out of it.
06:09That's its first muck,
06:11which means its guts are working well,
06:14and it's had a drink.
06:15But what I need to do,
06:16so it can get under the ewe
06:18and find the udder easier,
06:20is get rid of some of this wool that's in the way.
06:23So I've got my shears here.
06:28So just with these hands here,
06:30just clipping the wool away from around her udder now,
06:34and I think that's pretty good.
06:40So I can get the lamb onto that teat.
06:46While I've got the ewe sitting down,
06:48I'm just giving the lamb a little top-up,
06:49so I know that it's had a good belly full.
06:52Some milk a little bit into his mouth,
06:54in the flavour.
06:57There you go.
06:58A little feed.
06:59Now that I know he's suckling well,
07:01I can turn my attention back to the rest of the flock.
07:05The ewe here that's given birth to one lamb
07:07and is due to have two more,
07:09she's lying back down
07:11and she's got her head up
07:12and she's starting to have contractions.
07:14And so it's my assumption
07:17that she's about to give birth to another lamb.
07:19For the time being,
07:20I'm going to stay close to keep an eye on her.
07:29For Adam up in the Cotswolds,
07:31lambing has just begun.
07:32But I'm down in Devon,
07:34near Oakhampton on West Fishley Farm,
07:36where lambing is well underway
07:38and I'm keen to lend a hand.
07:40I've only ever done this once before.
07:43On Countryfile, you may have seen it,
07:45quite a few years ago.
07:47Morning!
07:48Devon's milder climate
07:49means lambing can start early here,
07:51but that doesn't mean it's easy.
07:53With wet ground and changeable weather,
07:55lambing's still taking place indoors
07:57and there's hundreds of ewe's to keep a close eye on.
08:01Morning, morning!
08:03She's in there!
08:05I'm meeting a former nurse
08:07and now full-time farmer, Carol Barkwell.
08:10With her lambing season at its peak,
08:12no sooner have I washed up
08:14and I'm straight into action with a new arrival.
08:18Oh my goodness me!
08:19That's not something I'm going to forget in a...
08:21Heartbeat!
08:22It's lovely, isn't it?
08:23Hello, Carol!
08:24Nice to meet you!
08:25You're Anita!
08:26Yeah, welcome!
08:26Apparently we're lambing!
08:27Welcome, yeah!
08:30How many have you delivered so far?
08:31Whereabouts in the season, are we?
08:33Oh, we've delivered...
08:35300 of our ewe's have delivered,
08:37so we've delivered, I don't know,
08:38400-and-something lambs already.
08:41Tell me about the farming connection.
08:43How long have you been at this farm?
08:44I've been here 20 years.
08:47First-generation farmers.
08:49There's no other farming.
08:50I've just always had a passion for sheep
08:52and I've spent, from being a teenager,
08:54spent at least a day a week
08:56on my friend's farm locally here.
08:58I would take Thursdays off
08:59to go and do sheep farming
09:01and go to Cumbria
09:02and buy lambs with him
09:04and that's where we go now.
09:05We go to Cumbria every year
09:07and buy our replacements.
09:08That's the type of sheep that we've got.
09:09Tell me, what have you got here?
09:10Well, the majority of these sheep are mules
09:12which come off of the hills in Cumbria,
09:15so they are a swaledale
09:17crossed with a blue-faced Leicester ram
09:19and that makes this nice commercial sheep.
09:22And the reason being, what, they're hardy?
09:24They do well on this type of ground,
09:27this level of ground here.
09:29They can just about cope with our wet,
09:31but they make a nice commercial lamb.
09:35Tell me, how many sheep have you got here?
09:36There's 450 girls to lamb this year
09:40and then there's the 50 we're going to run back
09:42and have scanned today.
09:44So we started out with a flock this year of 500.
09:47We normally try to lamb between 600, 650,
09:52but the last couple of years
09:54have been slightly difficult and different.
09:56So we pulled back.
09:58My husband died 18 months ago
10:01and we would run the farm together.
10:05Anyway, he's gone, but I'm still going to run the farm.
10:08I'm still going to do it.
10:11But we decided to pull back to 450 this year
10:14because that is very manageable.
10:16I've got sheds that can easily accommodate 450 sheep
10:20and we like to lamb indoors.
10:22It's set up for what we do.
10:23We've been doing it for that amount of years
10:25and our system is good.
10:28As well as managing her commercial flock,
10:30lambs destined for the food industry,
10:33Carol is also part of the team
10:35behind an inclusive organisation
10:37that brings people onto the farm
10:39for real hands-on experience.
10:42With a focus on those with learning disabilities
10:45and additional needs,
10:46they run placements,
10:47including some right here in the lambing sheds.
10:51Madewell is a community interest company
10:53that we set up 17 years ago
10:55to support people of all abilities
10:59and all ages, really, over 18.
11:01And they come and engage in lots of different activities.
11:05I've worked in care all of my life
11:08and I'm a great believer in outdoors,
11:11being very therapeutic.
11:13You get some mud under your nails
11:14and you're allowed to do that.
11:16And it's good for the soul, really.
11:18So we do it and we try and do it
11:20to the best of our ability
11:21and give people real experiences.
11:24Carol, I am so inspired by you already.
11:27I knew I would be.
11:28But that experience, talking to you now,
11:30and we've only just started our day.
11:32Yeah, let's get on with it.
11:32Let's tell me, come on, what are we doing now?
11:34Let's wash our hands.
11:34Let's wash our hands.
11:35I don't actually know how to get...
11:37Can't get out.
11:37Can't get out.
11:38Can't get out the gate, no.
11:52Before I head down to Devon,
11:54I've been keeping tabs on one of our pregnant ewes.
11:57She's expecting triplets.
12:03The ewe that's given birth to her first lamb
12:06of hopefully three
12:08has been having contractions
12:10but nothing showing at all.
12:11And I've left it for 45 minutes to an hour.
12:14And by which time I would expect
12:16to at least see the second lamb coming.
12:19So I'm just going to go put a glove on
12:20and lie her down and have a feel,
12:22see what's happening.
12:26Whoa, whoa, everybody.
12:28Little lamb.
12:29Now the little one.
12:30Into your mum.
12:31There's your mum.
12:32There you go.
12:33There she is.
12:34It's vital to be on hand at moments like this
12:37because lambing can turn perilous in a moment.
12:40Here's a good girl.
12:41I'll just lie her down.
12:44And not every birth goes to plan.
12:47I'll get her lamb
12:49and just put it by the front of her
12:51so she's not stressing too much.
12:55So I've got some lubrication jelly
12:56and a glove for cleanliness.
12:59So for me and for her,
13:01I don't want to introduce any infection
13:03into her womb.
13:05So I'll just,
13:07I'm just going to have a little feel
13:08to start off with.
13:14And what I'm feeling for
13:15is two front feet and nose.
13:18And I know she's fully dilated
13:20because she's already had one lamb.
13:21She's completely open.
13:25It does feel a bit strange.
13:28What have you got in there?
13:30Good girl.
13:38So this doesn't look very good at all.
13:41The birth fluid
13:43is black,
13:46dark,
13:47which indicates
13:49a dead lamb.
13:52And that's why
13:53she's been struggling.
13:58And now
13:59I'll just have to find out
14:00what the third lamb is.
14:01I'm just going to bring this quite quickly.
14:09This third lamb
14:11is actually alive.
14:13So
14:17it's going to shake it
14:20and clear its lungs.
14:23One of the difficulties
14:24when you have triplets
14:25is
14:26because there's so many lambs
14:28inside the womb,
14:29if you get
14:29the third lamb
14:31can have its umbilical cord
14:32kicked off
14:33or broken
14:34by one of the other lambs.
14:36And
14:37if its umbilical cord
14:38breaks
14:38while it's inside its mum,
14:41it then gasps for air
14:43and
14:45drowns in its own fluid.
14:46But this lamb
14:47is actually
14:49okay.
14:49It's alive.
14:51It's breathing.
14:52I'll put it next to its mum's nose
14:54so she can start licking it.
14:56There's your newborn.
14:59Just get that one.
15:01Over here.
15:02Come on.
15:03There we are.
15:05Lie down there.
15:07There you go.
15:08You stay together.
15:14This is one of the realities
15:16of farming
15:17and
15:18although I've been doing it
15:19for as long as I can remember,
15:22it still gets me.
15:23I don't like having
15:24dead lambs like that.
15:25It's horrible.
15:28But to have two healthy ones
15:30that are born alive
15:31that that ewe
15:32will now rear
15:34is a good thing.
15:35So
15:36every cloud
15:37has a silver lining.
15:43The first 48 hours
15:45of a lamb's life
15:46are critical to survival.
15:52So we move the ewes
15:53and their newborns
15:54into clean pens
15:55so they can bond
15:56and start suckling.
15:59Hygiene is very,
16:00very important.
16:01So we'll muck out each pen
16:02and then we'll use
16:03a disinfectant
16:04to put on the ground
16:05of the pen
16:06to stop any infection.
16:08Very similar to
16:09sort of being
16:09in a hospital wall
16:10so you need clean sheets,
16:11sterile situations.
16:15Despite all our care
16:16and planning,
16:17we sadly lose a few
16:19each year
16:19and as well as
16:21being upsetting,
16:22those losses
16:23can really hit
16:24the bottom line.
16:27Each lamb
16:28has a value
16:29in the future.
16:30That's part of
16:31the sheep business
16:32that we're going
16:32to be selling them.
16:33So lambs that are going
16:34to the butcher
16:35for the table,
16:36they have a value
16:37of around
16:38120, 130 pounds
16:40hopefully this summer.
16:41The breeding stocks
16:43are the pedigree
16:43Norfolk Horns
16:44and Cotswolds
16:45and our rare breeds
16:46could sell for
16:47200, 250 pounds.
16:48So to be losing lambs
16:51is really, really tough
16:53and so that's why
16:54we're here 24-7
16:56trying to keep
16:56everything alive.
17:01Right, the little ones.
17:03Now once the ewes
17:05have given birth,
17:06we take them
17:06into the individual pens
17:07so she'll just
17:08follow me
17:08because I've got
17:09her lambs.
17:11Come on.
17:13Here's a good girl.
17:17There you go.
17:22As well as disinfecting
17:23the lambs' navels
17:24with iodine,
17:25I need to check
17:26that the ewe
17:27is producing
17:27enough milk
17:28for both her twins
17:29to survive.
17:33that side.
17:34So that's the colostrum.
17:36It's like a thick
17:37custardy milk
17:39that's full of antibodies
17:41but this is really important.
17:43They get lots of it.
17:45They need about a litre
17:46in the next 24 hours each.
17:51just pop the teat
17:52inside his mouth
17:53and now I can feel
17:54that he's drinking away
17:56and a good sign of that
17:56is a waggy tail.
17:59It's a moment
18:00of real relief.
18:01We lost one
18:02which never gets
18:03any easier
18:03but two strong
18:05healthy lambs
18:06on their feet
18:06is something
18:07to be pleased about.
18:12So with things
18:13pretty much
18:13set here
18:14and my sheep
18:16all settled
18:17and set ready
18:18for lambing
18:19I can
18:20head off to Devon.
18:22And while I'm away
18:23I have a reliable
18:24team in place
18:25to ensure
18:26any lambing
18:26goes smoothly.
18:40Devon's mild
18:41often wet climate
18:42usually means
18:43plenty of good grass
18:44but last year's
18:46dry conditions
18:47left the county's
18:48normally lush pastures
18:49struggling
18:50and that had a real
18:52knock-on effect
18:52for farmers.
18:54Across Carol's flock
18:55early scanning
18:56showed fewer pregnant
18:57ewes than normal
18:58with 60
18:59not carrying a lamb.
19:01Those ewes
19:02have been given
19:02one more chance
19:03with the ram
19:04and we're about to find out
19:06if it's paid off.
19:08Hello John.
19:09Hi Anita.
19:10How are you doing?
19:10Are they clean gloves?
19:11Very well.
19:12They are clean gloves
19:13yes.
19:14This is the moment
19:15that matters.
19:16John Garthwaite
19:17is here with his scanner
19:18to see how many
19:19are pregnant.
19:21What's happening here?
19:22What's this set up?
19:23We're going to scan
19:24some sheep.
19:25These were scanned
19:26in November last year
19:28and they were empty.
19:30Yep.
19:30So some of them
19:31have been run
19:32with the ram
19:32since then
19:33and we're just
19:34going to run them
19:34through again now
19:35just to see
19:35if they have gone
19:36on since then.
19:37Second time round
19:38so they're going to
19:40come up
19:40through this little
19:41corridor here
19:42and then what happens?
19:43They're going to go
19:44into the trailer
19:45they'll get in there
19:46and then I've got
19:46a yoke at the front
19:47which will hold them
19:48by the neck
19:50and then I'm literally
19:51just going to put
19:51a probe underneath
19:52and squirt a bit
19:53of gel on
19:53and all being well
19:54we're going to see
19:55how many lams
19:56they've got in there.
19:57and you've got about
19:5760 today?
19:59About 60.
19:59How long's that
19:59going to take?
20:01If I was just on my own
20:03probably just over
20:04half an hour.
20:04But you've got me.
20:05I've got you.
20:06It might take seven hours.
20:07Might.
20:12And how many lams
20:13are you hoping to spot
20:14today?
20:16In the ideal world
20:17two in every sheep.
20:18Two in every sheep.
20:19All right.
20:19Come on.
20:20That won't happen today.
20:21Wow.
20:23What's the reality
20:24going to be?
20:25Reality
20:25I would think
20:26an average of
20:27one and a half.
20:28One and a half.
20:29All right.
20:29Well let's see.
20:29As long as everyone's
20:30got one.
20:31That would be ideal.
20:32I know.
20:33I don't want to be
20:33the softy in the
20:34equation here.
20:35Yeah.
20:36It would be nice.
20:37I'll be good.
20:38Go on.
20:38That's it.
20:38We're in.
20:40In a normal year
20:41Carol would be looking
20:43for strong twin rates.
20:44That's the optimum number
20:46for each ewe to rear
20:47and for the farm's
20:48overall productivity
20:49year on year.
20:50But this hasn't been
20:51a typical season.
20:53You can make it out
20:54vaguely.
20:54That's your lamb there.
20:56That's the body.
20:57Yeah.
20:57And that's its head.
20:58Pregnant?
20:59That's pregnant with one.
21:01So immediately we're
21:02down to 100%.
21:03But we're looking
21:04for 200.
21:05Come on.
21:06Off you go.
21:07Well done.
21:07Next volunteer.
21:08Next.
21:09Come on.
21:10So this one's a two.
21:12Oh yes.
21:13Not quite as far on.
21:15I don't really know
21:16what I'm looking at.
21:17I'm saying yes.
21:18I'm trusting John.
21:19I'm trusting you
21:20know what you're doing.
21:21I don't either
21:21to be honest.
21:23Is that four?
21:25So that is a two
21:27as well.
21:27Two.
21:28Come on.
21:33You are swift at that.
21:37That one is a three.
21:39Wow.
21:39Triplets.
21:41Those rams did a good job.
21:46So far so good.
21:48Every ewe through the scanner
21:50has been pregnant
21:51and that's crucial
21:52because there are no
21:53third chances for these ewe's.
21:55It simply doesn't pay
21:56to keep sending them
21:57back to the ram.
21:58If they're empty
21:59they'll be sold for meat.
22:03While the number
22:03of pregnant ewe's is good
22:05to keep that lambing
22:06percentage closer to 200
22:08Carol needs most of her ewe's
22:10to have twins.
22:13Right.
22:13We've got down to the last
22:14how many we've got here?
22:15Oh five I think.
22:16Four or five.
22:17Do you get nervous
22:18at this stage?
22:18We're always apprehensive.
22:20We generally
22:20with the main flock
22:22we take
22:22we have a bit of a sweepstake
22:24and everybody says
22:25what the percentage
22:26is going to be.
22:27It was not a very good
22:28percentage this year.
22:29I think that's across
22:30a lot of farmers
22:31it's not been a wonderful.
22:32Why do you think that is?
22:33The weather
22:33very dry.
22:35You know
22:36it's either too dry
22:37too wet
22:37too hot
22:38or too cold
22:39if you're a farmer.
22:39It's not that perfect day.
22:42Is this the last one John?
22:44Fingers crossed.
22:45Fingers crossed.
22:45Come on.
22:48I don't want to offend
22:50the sheep
22:50but she looks pregnant.
22:52Come on.
22:54She's in lamb.
22:55She's in lamb.
22:57One or two.
22:58One.
23:00Start on a one
23:01and done a one.
23:01There we go.
23:03Well done John.
23:06Swiftly done.
23:07Right.
23:08We're shaking hands now.
23:10You're alright.
23:11I'll leave you handshake.
23:14It's a clean sweep
23:15with every ewe pregnant
23:17and the farm's
23:18lambing percentage
23:19at a respectable
23:21167%.
23:22For Carol
23:23after a difficult year
23:25that's great news.
23:28What a brilliant result.
23:29Every single one
23:30is pregnant.
23:31You must be pleased with that.
23:33Yeah.
23:33Fantastic.
23:34You've spent money
23:35on every single one
23:36of these right?
23:37You want them to be able
23:38to do what they're here to do.
23:39Yeah, they're here
23:40to have babies
23:40so we will look forward
23:44to their births
23:45but these will be birthed
23:46outdoors
23:47because they're later
23:48so anything that's
23:49going to be born in April
23:50can be born in the field
23:51whereas we like to lamb early
23:53so we bring everything in
23:54in December
23:55and then lamb in February.
23:56Why do you like to do that?
23:57You get a better price
23:58at market
23:59because it's much
24:00much earlier season
24:01lamb.
24:01Yes.
24:02I like to go to Portugal
24:03in March and April.
24:04Hi.
24:04You know what, Carol?
24:06I really like your style.
24:08Well, what a successful morning.
24:21As I head off down to Devon
24:22it's very easy
24:23to forget
24:24how very different
24:25our landscapes are.
24:26Up here in the Cotswolds
24:28we're about a thousand foot up
24:29very exposed
24:30big open fields
24:31but quite free draining.
24:36Down in Devon
24:37much milder climate
24:39smaller fields
24:40you've got the banks
24:41and the hedges on top
24:42but the ground
24:43is often heavier
24:44and wetter
24:45so we're all lambing sheep
24:47but we've got
24:48different things to think about
24:49different challenges.
24:52Those risks and rewards
24:54are exactly what
24:55some old friends of mine
24:56know all about.
25:00For 17 years
25:01Mike Caunter
25:02was the livestock manager
25:03on our farm
25:04in the Cotswolds
25:05and his partner Fran
25:06worked alongside us
25:07as a livestock assistant.
25:11But two years ago
25:12they decided
25:13they'd had enough of me
25:14so they moved back
25:16to Devon
25:16to the 250 acre farm
25:19where Mike grew up.
25:23While I'm passing
25:24I can't resist dropping in
25:26on the way
25:26to see Anita
25:28particularly
25:29as they're already
25:30a few weeks
25:31into their lambing season.
25:33Hey, hello
25:34Caunter family
25:35hello boys
25:36hello
25:37hello
25:38hi Mike
25:39good to see you
25:40Philip.
25:41The move was all about
25:42building something
25:42of their own
25:43on their own land
25:44and to shape a future
25:46for their boys
25:47Wilf and Edward.
25:48There we are
25:49we've got a new
25:50Highland bull
25:51called Ted
25:51so you can call him Ted.
25:54Never mind the cattle
25:55Wilf's keen to show me
25:56a new lamb
25:57he hopes to take
25:58into the show ring
25:58one day.
26:00So what do you want
26:01to be when you grow up?
26:02Farmer.
26:03Do you?
26:03Like your mum and dad?
26:05Yeah.
26:05So you don't fancy
26:06being an accountant
26:07or a dentist
26:07or a bank manager?
26:09Farmer through and through?
26:12Good boy.
26:13Right,
26:14shall we pop him back
26:15and let you go to school?
26:20So how's lambing going
26:21this morning then
26:22Fran?
26:22Yeah, pretty good.
26:22We've got a set of twins
26:23born first thing
26:24and we've also got
26:26another zwartblares
26:26in the far corner
26:28of this pen
26:28so these are our singles
26:30but she's just a shearling
26:31so the first timer
26:32so it could take
26:33a little bit longer.
26:34Yeah, younger sheep
26:35might be more difficult.
26:38This is only Mike and Fran's
26:39second season lambing
26:40in Devon.
26:41It's a relentless
26:4224 hour job
26:43but for them
26:44this time of year
26:46is truly special.
26:48So for you two
26:49working together
26:51here down in Devon
26:52I mean similar
26:52to the Cotswolds
26:53in fact that's where
26:54your love first blossomed
26:55wasn't it?
26:56Late night in the lambing shed
26:57Mike?
26:57I was in the early morning
26:58because you wouldn't get up.
27:01Oh yeah, that's right.
27:05Mike's parents
27:06Philip and Chris
27:07are still very much
27:08hands on
27:08but to manage
27:10the workload
27:10of 350 ewes
27:12they lamb
27:13in three batches
27:14from January
27:14through to March
27:15and they're now
27:16midway through
27:17the second batch.
27:20So once the ewes
27:21have given birth
27:22they bring them
27:22into these individual
27:23pens
27:23and now Mike
27:24and Fran
27:24do the tagging
27:26all the lambs
27:26need tags in their ears
27:27and then they need
27:29their tails docking
27:30so
27:30just going to join in.
27:32So tail first Mike?
27:34Yes.
27:34So the lambs
27:35have got these long tails
27:36that Mike's putting
27:37a rubber ring on
27:38that just cuts off
27:38the blood supply
27:39and then the end
27:40of the tail
27:41dries up
27:42and drops off
27:42and in the spring
27:44and summer time
27:45when they get
27:45mucky around their
27:46back end
27:47with a long
27:47woolly tail
27:48that attracts flies
27:49that lay eggs
27:50that hatch into maggots
27:51that can then
27:51eat the sheep
27:52so it's really
27:53a welfare thing
27:53taking the end
27:54of the tail off
27:55and it stings a little bit
27:56but after a few minutes
27:57that's gone away
27:58and eventually
27:59it just drops off.
28:00A moment of discomfort
28:02for the lamb now
28:03could help prevent
28:04fly strike
28:05which is a potentially
28:07fatal condition.
28:09And then tagging?
28:10Yeah, two tags
28:11for this one.
28:13So tagging is a legal thing
28:15each lamb is identified
28:17with its own individual number
28:19and one of them
28:19is an electronic tag
28:21so it has a chip in it
28:22that you can scan
28:22with a scanner.
28:23So this is a process
28:24that needs doing
28:25with all the lambs
28:26and it's pretty stress free
28:27and pretty much painless.
28:29And that's him all done.
28:31When I first started
28:32on the farm at home
28:33I was a livestock manager
28:35and did Mike's job
28:36and then when he joined me
28:37of course he took over
28:38and now this is it
28:39reliving it, Mike.
28:40There's me standing back
28:40offering advice
28:41and you're still doing
28:41all the hard work.
28:42I'm just watching, yeah.
28:46Well, I promised
28:47to put in a shift today.
28:53I'm helping Mike
28:54move the first batch
28:55of lambs
28:55born back in early January
28:57onto fresh pasture.
29:02So will they follow
29:03the bag, do you think?
29:04Should do,
29:05they're being fed
29:05so it's not their
29:08first move either.
29:09No, so there you go.
29:10It turned out
29:11into the field below
29:13and they've come up
29:14to this field.
29:15Yeah.
29:18Go there, girls.
29:29Even in the drizzle
29:29I can see why
29:31they moved here.
29:32I mean, the climate
29:33and soils are very different
29:34to back on the Cotswolds
29:36and it just feels warm
29:37on a day like today.
29:38Yeah, we're a couple degrees
29:40warmer every day, I think.
29:45I mean, for us,
29:46lambing as early
29:47as you do down here,
29:48you know, lambing in January
29:49for us, we just have
29:49to keep them all
29:50in the sheds.
29:51Without the grass
29:51to turn the ewes out to,
29:52you've got to feed them
29:53and that costs
29:54a lot more money.
29:56So we lamb
29:56and get them out
29:57as quick as we can.
29:59Here in Devon,
30:00lush grass already
30:01gives Mike an edge
30:02for early lambing,
30:03but he's improving
30:04on that by adding
30:06a diverse pasture mix
30:07that benefits
30:08both the soil
30:09and the sheep.
30:10So what have you got in it?
30:11Clovers,
30:12some chicory.
30:13Yes.
30:14Some plantain here, look.
30:16We've got nitrogen
30:17fixing plants
30:18which are going to help us
30:19buy less nitrogen
30:20artificial fertilisers.
30:21And then some of the herbs
30:22are medicinal, aren't they?
30:23They sort of help
30:24with the guts.
30:24Yeah, so there's some
30:25which will help
30:26with the worming
30:27of the sheep
30:27so hopefully
30:28we'll be able
30:28to worm the lambs less.
30:30And it's high in protein
30:32so the silage
30:33we made off our second cut
30:34was 17% protein silage.
30:36Wow, that is high, isn't it?
30:37So you'd usually be getting
30:38what, 11 to 13?
30:39Yeah.
30:39And that high protein level
30:41is great for the flock's growth,
30:43milk production
30:44and overall health.
30:45And also there's a bit
30:46of drought resilience as well.
30:48So in a year like last year
30:49when it was so dry
30:51in the summer
30:51some of the herbs
30:52were the first things
30:52to grow when the rain came.
30:54So it's win-win
30:55all round really?
30:56Hopefully, yeah.
30:59Grass is only half the story.
31:03The right breeds
31:04matter just as much.
31:06And like me,
31:07Mike and Fran
31:08are devoted
31:09to native breeds
31:10that are perfectly suited
31:11to the farm's land,
31:12climate
31:13and way of working.
31:15So I recognise
31:16some of the breeds.
31:17You've got your Kerry Hills
31:18that I gave you
31:18as a leaving present.
31:19Yeah.
31:20Would you prefer
31:20a coffee machine
31:21or a sheep?
31:22Oh, definitely the sheep.
31:23Yeah, I think
31:23I'd prefer the coffee machine.
31:27And then your little
31:29grey-faced dartmoors
31:30which are gorgeous
31:30there's one lamb
31:31jumping on its mum
31:32over there.
31:33Yeah.
31:33You've still got those, Fran.
31:34Yeah, ironically
31:34I had them living up
31:35with my parents
31:36in Berkshire
31:37since my teen years
31:38and then I've met Mike
31:40and then they've
31:41followed me home.
31:48There's another sheep
31:49that really thrives
31:50in the conditions here.
31:53Particularly when it comes
31:54to early lambing.
31:57I just wanted to show you
31:59this breed.
32:00This is the Dorset
32:01and of course
32:02here we are in Devon
32:03but they're a very good breed
32:05for people down in the south
32:06where the climate
32:07is a little warmer.
32:08Partly because
32:09they give birth
32:09all year round.
32:11So the majority of ewes
32:12will ovulate in the autumn
32:14and then five months later
32:16give birth in the spring
32:17when the grass starts to grow.
32:18That's when most sheep farmers
32:20will be lambing their ewes.
32:21But the Dorset
32:22you can choose to lamb
32:23all year round.
32:24So you can lamb them
32:26very early
32:26sort of November
32:28or even December time
32:29and that means
32:30that as the lambs grow
32:32you can send the lambs
32:33to the markets
32:34during the sort of
32:36Easter period
32:36when most sheep
32:38are giving birth.
32:39So you get these lambs
32:40early to the market
32:41when the price is high.
32:42So economically
32:43a really good thing
32:44for Fran and Mike
32:45to have on the farm here.
32:47Right, let's let them
32:48go back to their mum.
32:55Yeah, around the corner
32:56there's a good girl.
33:00Right, see if you want a bottle.
33:04Doing things like this
33:05is really special.
33:06You know, you know
33:07you're helping a little life
33:09and when it's successful
33:10and it's drinking like this
33:11it's very rewarding.
33:14when you tip a lamb up
33:16like that
33:16you can see
33:17their tummy's
33:18nice and round
33:18full of milk
33:19if it was pinched
33:20and narrow
33:20you'd know it was empty
33:22but she's got a big
33:23full tummy
33:25and very happy.
33:29Of course
33:29every lamb that thrives
33:31also helps
33:32the farm's bottom line.
33:38There's an old farming joke
33:39that goes
33:40if you want to become
33:41a millionaire
33:42from sheep farming
33:43you need to start
33:43as a billionaire.
33:45Of course
33:45it's said with a smile
33:46but it's a gentle reminder
33:48of just how fine
33:49balanced the business is.
33:52And here
33:53Mike and Fran
33:53are shouldering the weight
33:55of supporting the farm
33:56and the family.
33:58So as far as the lambing
34:00is going
34:00how have things been
34:01this season?
34:03They've been good
34:04our scanning percentage
34:05was down
34:06because of the dry summer
34:07and the drought
34:07so we'd like that
34:08to be a bit high
34:09on a few more lambs
34:10thinking our first year
34:11will be the worst year
34:12hopefully improve year on year
34:13but the lambing is going well.
34:15Yeah.
34:19Those early lambs
34:20born in January
34:21will hopefully be ready
34:22for Easter
34:23when prices peak.
34:25For Mike and Fran
34:27that early start
34:28isn't just good timing
34:29it's key to making
34:30the numbers stack up.
34:33They're only two years
34:34into this new chapter
34:35but they're already
34:36building something
34:37they hope their children
34:38might one day take on.
34:42Yeah well congratulations
34:43on everything you're
34:44achieving down here
34:44it's lovely to see you
34:45fit and happy
34:46and healthy
34:46I've got a dash
34:47because I'm heading up the road
34:48to help Anita.
34:49You're welcome back anytime.
34:50Thanks Mike.
34:51Thanks Fran.
34:51See ya.
34:57As I learned earlier
34:59Carol's Farm
35:00is about more than just livestock.
35:02It's also home to Madewell
35:04the not-for-profit
35:05community interest company
35:07that supports adults
35:08with learning disabilities
35:09and additional needs
35:10as they experience
35:11farming life.
35:14Everything here
35:15is designed to develop
35:16real world skills
35:17and greater independence
35:19and at the heart
35:20of it all
35:20is the on-site cafe.
35:24Hello Dan.
35:25Ah hello Anita.
35:27How are you?
35:27I don't want to interrupt you
35:28whilst you're getting
35:29a coffee order out.
35:30No no of course not.
35:31I'm actually doing
35:32a black coffee
35:33with one sugar
35:35for someone.
35:36Yeah.
35:37Dan has been here
35:38for almost two years
35:40learning new skills
35:41and growing his confidence.
35:43I will be your assistant today Dan.
35:46Ah no worries.
35:49Most come to the farm
35:51for day experiences
35:52meeting the animals
35:53and getting a taste
35:54of farm work
35:55but some like Dan
35:56have become part
35:57of the family.
35:59What do you enjoy
36:00about being here?
36:01Well
36:01all of it actually
36:03it kind of ticks
36:04all the boxes for me.
36:05I'm serving the public
36:07so getting to communicate
36:08with them
36:09write down orders
36:10make drinks for them
36:11it sort of
36:12makes me feel good
36:14it makes me feel confident
36:15it makes me feel safe.
36:17All really important things.
36:18Yes.
36:19And how was it
36:19before you were here?
36:21Well before I came here
36:22I was
36:24I had really big
36:26mental health problems
36:27I was in a bit
36:28of a dark place
36:29I wasn't fit to work.
36:32Thank you
36:32for being so honest with me.
36:34Thank you Anita.
36:35I think it's really important
36:36to be able to talk about
36:37mental health
36:39because
36:39It is yes.
36:40and how this place
36:41has you know
36:42really helped you
36:43in many ways.
36:44How are your cooking skills
36:46though Dan?
36:46I wouldn't say
36:47I am
36:48a perfect cook.
36:50I've heard you've got
36:50something in the oven.
36:51Yes we have some
36:52fruit crumble.
36:55O-M-G.
36:57It will be very hot.
36:59Here we are.
37:01Dan.
37:02This looks delicious.
37:04What's in there?
37:05We have apple, pears
37:08and black currants
37:10that have come from a bush
37:11located around the Maidwell site.
37:13Even better.
37:14So this is a pure
37:15Devon crumble.
37:18It is so wonderful
37:21to hear your story
37:22from somebody
37:23who was at quite a low
37:24point in your life
37:26to now hearing you say
37:27that you know
37:28there are so many options
37:29open to you.
37:30Yes.
37:31I've enjoyed the journey.
37:32And you can make a crumble.
37:33Oh I can definitely
37:34make a crumble yes.
37:35Come on shall we do it?
37:37Right.
37:37Cheers.
37:38Cheers.
37:40Oh my goodness yeah.
37:43You'll never know.
37:44You'll just have to
37:45take my word for it.
37:46It is absolutely delicious.
37:49Thank you Dan.
37:50You're very welcome.
37:50What a joy this is.
37:55Frankie Atherton
37:56is the general manager
37:57of Maidwell.
37:58She helps to support
37:59Dan and his colleagues
38:00as they get involved
38:01in different activities
38:02from cafe work
38:04to farming.
38:04Hello Frankie.
38:06Look at that.
38:07Brought you a coffee.
38:08Bye.
38:08Thanks.
38:08How about that?
38:09Well Dan made it.
38:11Oh thanks Dan.
38:12This project is quite
38:14incredible.
38:15So you've got a working
38:16farm.
38:16Yep.
38:17And alongside that.
38:18We're a day centre
38:19and we provide support
38:20for adults with various
38:22needs.
38:23So anything could be
38:24loneliness, mental health,
38:26learning disability.
38:28And they come here
38:29and they spend time
38:30and they learn skills.
38:31Things like gardening,
38:32woodwork.
38:33It's just a place
38:34where they can come
38:35and be safe
38:36and do things that
38:37maybe they couldn't do
38:39outside of here.
38:40People can come
38:41and be themselves here
38:42and feel like
38:43there's no pressure.
38:44It's friendly,
38:45it's inclusive.
38:46I describe it
38:47as a puzzle a little bit.
38:49Yeah.
38:49Everybody is that
38:50piece of a puzzle
38:51that's different
38:52but together it makes
38:54this beautiful picture.
38:56On this farm
38:57everyone has a role
38:59to play.
39:00Out in the lambing pens
39:01team members are
39:02taking on responsibility
39:03for the newest arrivals.
39:06So it's a little boy.
39:09Tilly has plenty
39:10of lambing experience.
39:11She's been helping here
39:12for almost 12 years.
39:18And this little one
39:19as well.
39:21Very tiny little one.
39:22We've just got to
39:23keep an eye on this one.
39:25I like to move the sheep.
39:27I like to...
39:29Sometimes I get a bit
39:30distracted.
39:30I cuddle the lambs
39:32sometimes.
39:33A little bit of a cuddly time
39:34and I'm always like that
39:35but I love it.
39:38It's just nice to be
39:40around with people
39:40and stuff
39:41and I just love it.
39:42So it's just one of my
39:43favourite hobbies
39:44I like to do.
39:48While on the farm
39:49Tilly and the rest
39:50of the team
39:51are supported by
39:52farm manager
39:52Susie Searle
39:53who much like Carol
39:54originally comes
39:56from a care background.
39:58Each one has got
39:59their abilities
40:00and we work
40:01using each other's
40:02skills together.
40:04Also with Susie today
40:06are Anne
40:06who's been part of the team
40:08since 2015
40:10and Annabelle
40:11who joined
40:12a few years ago.
40:14It's their job
40:15to move the lambs
40:16into different pens
40:17as once the newborns
40:19get strong enough
40:19they need to mix
40:20with other lambs
40:21and ewes
40:21to get used to being
40:22in a bigger flock.
40:24So I really enjoy
40:25being trusted
40:25to do things on my own.
40:28I've learnt how
40:29to drive the quad bike
40:30the gator
40:31I've learnt how
40:32to get the medicine
40:34from the medicine cabinet.
40:40So now you can see
40:42the mum
40:43has got some
40:44of the liquid
40:45that's from the lamb
40:46and it's now
40:47going to lick
40:49the lamb
40:49but it won't lick
40:50when we're in the pen
40:52so when we move
40:53out of the pen
40:54the mum will then
40:55start to lick
40:56the lamb.
41:00We're always
41:01very busy
41:02yeah
41:02but with this team
41:05it's fun
41:07isn't it girls
41:07when we work.
41:09We work as
41:10such a team
41:12yeah?
41:12We prefer to work
41:13as a team
41:14than not work
41:15as a team
41:15don't we?
41:16Yeah.
41:21I would like
41:21to have
41:22my own
41:22sheep farm
41:23I just love
41:24seeing all the
41:25new lambs
41:26and all the ewes
41:28farming is in
41:29my blood now
41:31and it's
41:31going to be
41:32forevermore.
41:42We've been
41:43lucky today
41:44with the rain
41:44but what's it
41:45looking like
41:45for the week
41:46ahead
41:46here's the
41:46Countryfile forecast
41:48and especially
41:48for you Greg
41:49James from Radio
41:50One
41:50who's on his
41:51longest ride
41:51for Red Nose
41:52Day and Comic
41:53Relief.
42:02Hello
42:03thanks for joining
42:03me.
42:04You know what
42:04let's get to the
42:05good news
42:06straight away
42:07it's going to be
42:08warming up
42:09over the next
42:09few days
42:10yay
42:10and those
42:11temperatures
42:11could even
42:12reach 20
42:13degrees Celsius.
42:14Now on the
42:15satellite picture
42:15you can see
42:16this pretty
42:16picture here
42:17these are
42:17shower clouds
42:18blowing off
42:18the Atlantic
42:19quite unstable
42:20chilly air
42:21from the north
42:22that's over us
42:23right now
42:24but in the days
42:24ahead things
42:25are going to
42:26change and
42:26we'll start to
42:27see this
42:27southerly
42:28developing all
42:29the way from
42:30Spain so hence
42:30the temperatures
42:31will rise.
42:31Now I don't
42:32think 20
42:33will happen
42:34everywhere
42:34for most of
42:35us it'll be
42:35around the
42:36mid maybe
42:36high teens
42:37but that's
42:37certainly pleasant
42:38enough this
42:39time of the
42:40year.
42:40Okay let's
42:41get to the
42:41here and
42:42now and
42:42we've got
42:43that rash
42:43of showers
42:44after a
42:44rather grey
42:45rainy and
42:45blustery day
42:46for many of
42:47us but there
42:47will be clear
42:48spells overnight
42:49too.
42:50It will be
42:50fairly nippy
42:51first thing in
42:52the morning on
42:52Monday if you're
42:53up very early
42:53perhaps as low
42:55as zero degrees
42:56there in eastern
42:57parts of Scotland
42:57but in most
42:58towns and cities
42:59across England
43:00Wales and
43:00Northern Ireland
43:01it'll be above
43:02freezing three or
43:03four Celsius.
43:04So the forecast
43:04then for Monday
43:05shows actually fine
43:07weather for most of
43:07us in the morning
43:08in fact it'll be
43:09quite bright if not
43:09sunny.
43:10There's the next
43:11weather front
43:11approaching so it'll
43:12be a while before
43:12that warmer air
43:13reaches us because
43:14on Monday once
43:15again rain here in
43:16the northwest of
43:17the country which
43:17eventually will reach
43:18the northwest of
43:19England so Cumbria
43:20Lancashire around the
43:21coasts of Wales it'll
43:22be quite damp.
43:23I think eastern and
43:24southern areas on
43:25Monday may turn
43:26cloudy there might be
43:27a spit in the wind
43:27but I don't think
43:28we're expecting any
43:29prolonged rain and
43:31then Monday night
43:32into Tuesday the
43:34winds will start to
43:35change direction.
43:36Now notice they're
43:36coming in from the
43:37southern climes now
43:38so a weather front
43:39tries to move in
43:40but it basically gets
43:42pushed and sheared
43:43away to the north
43:44so yes there will be
43:45some wind and rain
43:46in the northwest of
43:47the UK but for the
43:48bulk of the country
43:48we've got that
43:49southerly breeze the
43:50clouds all thin
43:52yes a little on the
43:53windy side around
43:54some of these western
43:55coasts but look at
43:55the temperatures
43:56widely into the
43:57mid-teens so I
43:58think Tuesday is
43:59already going to
44:00feel very pleasant
44:01across the UK and
44:02then Tuesday night
44:03into Wednesday that
44:05weather front basically
44:06what's left of it
44:07fizzles away the
44:09winds die down and
44:11we're in for a clear
44:12start on Wednesday
44:13there could be some
44:14mist and fog in
44:15places which sometimes
44:16lifts to those grey
44:17skies for for a while
44:18in the morning but
44:19essentially speaking
44:19it's a beautiful day
44:2019 degrees that's the
44:21estimate for London
44:2215 celsius for
44:24Newcastle as I say we
44:24could reach our first
44:2620 celsius of the
44:27season on Wednesday
44:28and I think for some
44:29of us Thursday could
44:30actually be every bit
44:31as well I suspect on
44:32Thursday the higher
44:34temperatures will
44:34actually be around
44:35Wales we could see
44:36up to about 18
44:38degrees celsius
44:39again a bit of mist
44:40in the morning
44:41perhaps lasting just
44:42around into the
44:43afternoon but on the
44:44whole a pleasant
44:45enough day so
44:47looking like looks
44:48like we're going to
44:48get some of that
44:49spring warmth early
44:50spring warmth through
44:52the middle of the
44:53week onwards now
44:54high pressure is in
44:55charge of the weather
44:56so hence it's going to
44:56settle down and of
44:57course high pressures
44:58once they establish
44:59themselves they tend to
45:00stick around for a
45:00while so low pressures
45:02zip across high pressures
45:03tend to stick around
45:04that's why the weather
45:06stabilizes so it
45:07becomes calm and
45:08settled now notice
45:09the temperatures are
45:10a little lower on
45:11Friday that's because
45:11the winds will be
45:12blowing around from
45:13different directions
45:14over the coming days
45:15and that does have a
45:16bearing on the
45:17maximum temperatures
45:18that we get but
45:19broadly speaking the
45:20weather's looking
45:21absolutely fine with
45:22that high pressure as
45:23I say possibly peaking
45:24at around about 20
45:26celsius middle part
45:28of the week that's
45:29it enjoy
45:37we're in devon
45:38helping with early
45:40spring lambing
45:40that's not something
45:41I'm going to forget
45:42in a heartbeat
45:44when it's successful
45:45and it's drinking
45:46like this it's very
45:47rewarding
45:49I don't want to
45:50offend the sheep
45:50but she looks
45:51pregnant
45:54while the devon
45:55climate means that
45:56these early lambs
45:57can access pasture
45:58even at this time
45:59of year
46:01stocking the right
46:02breed of sheep
46:02for the conditions
46:03is essential
46:09sheep farmers
46:10across the UK
46:10carefully select
46:12breeds that work
46:13for their farm's
46:13specific climate
46:14and terrain
46:18Tom and Leah Cole
46:19run a sheep farm
46:20in the hills of
46:21North Devon
46:22they started their
46:23farm in 2018
46:25with just over 50
46:26mules
46:28and ever since
46:29have been steadily
46:30growing their flock
46:31always thinking
46:32carefully
46:33as to which breeds
46:34best fit their farm
46:37we've got
46:38predominantly three
46:39different breeds
46:40you've got the
46:40North Country
46:41Mule here
46:41the Suffolk there
46:42and the Cheviot
46:44Cross
46:44just further down
46:46there
46:46we put this
46:48lambing shed
46:48up in 2019
46:49with the outlook
46:51of housing
46:52400 ewes
46:53now to date
46:54we're around
46:55the 4.30
46:56so we've nearly
46:57outgrown it
47:01the flock
47:02has grown fast
47:04but on exposed
47:05ground like this
47:06bigger numbers
47:07don't make life
47:08easier
47:08when the weather
47:10turns
47:10they're simply
47:11more at risk
47:12most of Tom's
47:14sheep are modern
47:14commercial crosses
47:15like Suffolk mules
47:17bred to grow
47:18quickly and easily
47:19sell
47:20but they can
47:21struggle when
47:21conditions are
47:22harsh
47:22so this year
47:24he's introduced
47:25a traditional
47:26hardier breed
47:27into the mix
47:28the Devon
47:29Closewool
47:30we're high up
47:31sort of 800
47:32foot above sea
47:33level here
47:34in recent weeks
47:35it's been rough
47:36with hailstorms
47:37and typical
47:38Exmoor
47:38wintry weather
47:40here's all the
47:41rams that we
47:41put to the females
47:42predominantly
47:43you've got
47:44Texel sires
47:45we've got a few
47:46Suffolks that we
47:47use to produce
47:47the Suffolk
47:48Mule Cross
47:49they've got the
47:50Devon Closewool
47:51that we're
47:51trialling this year
47:52just the fact
47:53that they might
47:53be able to
47:54stick the elements
47:54a bit better
47:55in recent years
47:56we've had
47:56a lot of
47:57rainfall
47:58it's a lot
47:59more woolier
48:00breed
48:00it carries a bit
48:01more flesh
48:02the Closewool
48:03ram
48:04saw about
48:0560 females
48:07to start with
48:08and
48:1040 or 50
48:11lambs out of
48:12them
48:12here on the
48:13edge of Exmoor
48:14we'll get some
48:15of the largest
48:15rainfall in the
48:16country
48:16so
48:18going back
48:19back to the
48:19more traditional
48:20breed that's
48:20been developed
48:21here
48:21we hope that
48:23the newborn
48:24lambs can stick
48:24the weather
48:26local farmers
48:27gave up the
48:28Coastwool breed
48:29in the early 80s
48:30they think I'm a
48:31little bit mad
48:32trialling this
48:34experiment
48:35haven't gone too
48:36hard at it
48:37only purchasing
48:38one ram
48:38but you never know
48:41there might be
48:41two next year
48:45some of the
48:45Texel
48:46cross
48:47Suffolk mills
48:47are very
48:48thin-skinned
48:51these are born
48:52with a lot
48:52more wool
48:53meaning that
48:53they can get
48:54out of the shed
48:54perhaps a day
48:55earlier
48:56that day is
48:57quite important
48:58for the busy
48:59time at
48:59Lamming
49:00we're very
49:01limited with
49:02shed space
49:04Tom's always
49:04looking at
49:05trying something
49:05new
49:06aren't you
49:06trying to
49:07improve how
49:08we're doing
49:08everything
49:09and how
49:10things are
49:10especially how
49:11it sticks to
49:12weather
49:12because we
49:12land so
49:13early
49:13we need
49:14something
49:14that's going
49:14to stick
49:15the weather
49:15well
49:15always try
49:16and do
49:16things
49:17some work
49:17some don't
49:18hopefully
49:18this one
49:19will
49:20so that
49:21number 13
49:21there
49:22got quite a lot
49:23of wool over
49:23his face
49:23and woolly
49:24legs
49:24and that's
49:25one of the
49:25main reasons
49:25we chose
49:26to experiment
49:27with this
49:27breed
49:27so he's
49:29got a bit
49:29more wool
49:29on them
49:29to fight
49:30the elements
49:30of this
49:31exmoor
49:31weather
49:31and it's
49:32working so
49:33far
49:33they're now
49:34three weeks
49:34old
49:35the closest
49:35crosses
49:35I haven't lost
49:38so far
49:39the introduction
49:40of the Devon
49:41close wool
49:41has proved
49:42a success
49:43Tom and Leah
49:46are blending
49:47traditional methods
49:48with fresh ideas
49:51and by turning
49:53to a local
49:53long established
49:54breed
49:55they're setting
49:56the farm up
49:56for the future
49:59but a farm
50:00is only as good
50:01as its workforce
50:05this is champ
50:06without him
50:07I wouldn't
50:09be able
50:09to do
50:09as much
50:10as I do
50:10on my own
50:11he does
50:11all the
50:11gathering
50:12a good dog
50:13is priceless
50:14he surely
50:15is a good dog
50:20we've got
50:21a winning
50:21bet here
50:22they're the next
50:24trainees
50:25on the farm
50:26they're going to be
50:28a handful
50:29to train
50:30the good ones
50:31are the ones
50:31that know
50:32half of it
50:33already
50:41Mary's two
50:42and a half
50:42and then we've
50:42got five week
50:43old Freddy
50:43as well
50:44so challenging
50:45but all good fun
50:49good girl
50:50well done
50:52Mary loves
50:53the lambs
50:53the lambs chase
50:54her and she
50:55chases the lambs
50:56so they have
50:56good fun
50:57and games
50:57with each other
51:00before lambs
51:01you don't know
51:02how you're going
51:02to cope
51:03you know
51:04all the hours
51:05when you're in it
51:06you just manage
51:07you just go on
51:08to overdrive
51:10very lucky
51:10with family
51:11and friends
51:13they've definitely
51:14got us through
51:15this season
51:15haven't they
51:16yeah
51:16yeah
51:16we wouldn't have
51:17done it without
51:18them
51:20living a dream
51:21I love
51:23sheep
51:23and that's
51:24what I wanted
51:24to get into
51:24at a young age
51:25and lucky enough
51:26to doing something
51:27I always wanted
51:28to do
51:28yeah
51:29future's pride
51:37it's been
51:38non-stop
51:39today
51:40here at
51:40West Fishley Farm
51:41and just as things
51:42are about to get
51:43really hectic
51:46the cavalry
51:47finally arrives
51:48to lend a hand
51:55I'm covered
51:56you look like
51:57a proper fool
51:58just in the nick
51:59of time
51:59hello
52:00oh hello
52:00lovely to be you
52:02hello Adam
52:03I'm here to help
52:03what are we doing
52:04what are we doing
52:04we're going to get
52:05these sheep here
52:06out
52:07these are all
52:07mums that have
52:08got two babies
52:09they've had twins
52:09they've been in here
52:11as a group
52:12for three days now
52:13the weather's just
52:14about nice enough
52:15for them to go out
52:16into a field
52:16that's got a field
52:17shelter
52:18so it takes
52:19quite a few people
52:20mob handed
52:21to get them all out
52:22so let's get them
52:23going
52:23I'll go and
52:24open the gate
52:24okay
52:27come on
52:29ready
52:30ready ready
52:31go little
52:32enemies
52:34this is a big step
52:36at just three days old
52:38they're out in the open
52:40for the first time
52:41and every lamb has to stay
52:43with its mum
52:44miss a feed out here
52:45and they lose energy quickly
52:52for these 17 ewes
52:54with their 34 lambs
52:55it's a short trip
52:56to a nearby
52:57four acre field
52:58their home
52:59for the next few days
53:00before they move again
53:02to a larger
53:03ten acre spot
53:10so this little lamb
53:11just got left behind
53:12number 13
53:13so we'll go and find
53:14number 13 mum
53:15and reunite them
53:16come on
53:20being the lambs
53:21first time on pasture
53:22it's no surprise
53:23they find it all
53:24a bit confusing
53:25this way
53:26I think their mum's
53:27back there
53:28so if we just
53:28shove them down a bit
53:29yeah
53:30come on
53:30come on
53:31go on
53:32this way
53:32your mum's down there
53:33she's down there
53:34come on
53:35you'll find them
53:37so now nature
53:38will do its thing
53:39and will they find
53:39their own mothers
53:40they will
53:40so the bleats
53:41are unique
53:42but the smell
53:43is really important
53:44so when a lamb
53:45goes to feed
53:46from her mum
53:46the ewe will
53:47sniff the lamb
53:48if it doesn't
53:48smell like her own
53:49she'll recognise
53:50that and she'll
53:50butt it away
53:51say go and find
53:52your own mum
53:52so she'll only
53:53feed her own lambs
53:54and they've learnt
53:55that in the shed
53:56the lambs have learnt
53:57to find their mum
53:58because that's
53:58where the milk bar is
53:59because you don't
54:00want to have
54:00an empty tummy
54:01out here
54:02no
54:02no
54:02you need to survive
54:04but sometimes
54:05each family group
54:06needs a little
54:07helping hand
54:07to find each other
54:11so there's 17
54:12over there
54:13Anita
54:13there she is
54:14come and find
54:15here they are
54:16Anita's just
54:16walking the two
54:1717 lambs
54:18along the fence
54:19there
54:19and hopefully
54:21give her a chance
54:21to find them
54:22because there's
54:23so many baby lambs
54:24running around
54:24calling for their
54:25mums
54:25it's a bit of
54:25a cacophony
54:26of bleating
54:27that soon as
54:29they find each
54:30other
54:30that noise
54:30will quieten down
54:31and just the odd
54:32ones that are left
54:32will marry up
54:34with their mums
54:34hopefully
54:36one's found
54:36that's fine
54:37that's it
54:37you've done it
54:37it's that way
54:38there we are
54:38that's it
54:40number four
54:41is a bit lost
54:42go on
54:43go back up
54:43to your mum
54:45I don't think
54:46I'm helping
54:47well I think
54:47the more you run
54:48around it tends
54:49to muddle them up
54:50a bit
54:50they'll sort of
54:51eventually sort it
54:51out themselves
54:5223
54:53there we go
54:53they're sorted
54:5518's got one there
54:58that's so clever
54:59and now they will
55:00be here for how long
55:01so they'll stay
55:02in here
55:02until they've run
55:03out of grass
55:04so they'll just
55:05move them out
55:05around the farm
55:06all summer
55:07they'll be weaned
55:08off their mums
55:08the mums will get
55:09back in good condition
55:10go back to the ram
55:11in the autumn
55:11and then it happens
55:12all again
55:13cycle happens
55:13all again
55:16with the three day old
55:18lambs now settled
55:19in their family groups
55:20we can return
55:21to the barns
55:22to move the newborns
55:23into a larger pen
55:25and to get them there
55:26they've got their own
55:27special transport
55:29so if i pass it to you
55:31the lamb
55:31the lamb
55:32goes in the trolley
55:33perfect
55:33and then hopefully
55:34mum will follow the lamb
55:35thank you
55:36lucky number
55:36now
55:37chuck it in the trolley
55:41beautiful job
55:42and then you're in charge
55:43of driving
55:43all right let's do it
55:44and then we get another
55:45one round from round there
55:48yeah
55:49come on then
55:53well it's certainly easier
55:54than carrying the lamb
55:55isn't it
55:56lambs coming through
55:57lambs coming through
56:03if i wait here
56:04so they don't run out
56:05just chuck the lambs
56:06in the pen
56:06and away we go
56:06i say chuck them in
56:09put them in gently
56:10i love your confidence
56:11in me
56:12in you go
56:12i think we've worked out
56:13our working relationship
56:14Anita
56:15i'll consult you
56:16do all the work
56:16sounds great
56:17i'm on a steep learning curve
56:19but come on
56:20that was all right
56:21well you're a natural
56:21yeah it's great
56:22i mean you'd hope so
56:23after this amount of time
56:24though wouldn't you
56:26but once lambing starts
56:28there's no time
56:29to sit back and relax
56:30right adam
56:31i think there's another
56:31you birthing
56:32so shall we
56:33get in there
56:34yes
56:37for carol and her team
56:38600 lambs
56:40have been born so far
56:41with a further 75
56:42expected to come
56:43in the next two weeks
56:46hopefully all healthy
56:47like this little one
56:50already the ewe
56:52having gone through
56:53that birthing experience
56:54is already wanting to
56:55love the lamb
56:56and is licking it
56:57straight away
57:00so she's talking to it
57:01it's talking to her
57:02and the lamb already knows
57:04the ewe's voice
57:05because it's been listening
57:05to her while it's been
57:06floating around inside her womb
57:08and now this is
57:09when the ewe is learning
57:11the ewe is learning that smell
57:11that unique smell
57:13that that lamb is carrying
57:14beautiful
57:14absolutely magic
57:17i will never forget today
57:19i will never forget today
57:46it's the old wow moment
57:48i need to turn all the lights off
57:50to go into dark mode
57:51okay
57:54it is still really dark
57:56and it's actually quite nice
57:57isn't it
57:58quickly to the box there
57:59perfect
58:01so
58:01clean box for him
58:04and um
58:06how long have you been
58:07excited about doing
58:08the night walk
58:09quite a few days
58:11the days
58:13that's next week
58:14on bbc one
58:16hope to see you then
58:17bye bye
58:18bye
58:18right should we check on her
58:19yeah
58:20well you'll check on her
58:21i'm gonna watch
58:29triumphs
58:29tribulations
58:30trouble and strife
58:31in this farming life
58:33in rural scotland
58:34over on bbc two
58:35now
58:35also new on iplayer
58:37the big cats
58:38are back
58:39follow them 24-7
58:40in africa's
58:41last great wilderness
58:42well here next
58:44bbc ones
58:45in the scottish borders
58:46with the antiques roadshow
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