00:00Since the bank holiday weekend, Kent has been one of the hottest regions of the country
00:04and with that heatwave has come water supply issues across the county.
00:08So for Kent's farmers this has presented a new challenge as they're worried that their livestock
00:12who consume gallons of water per day could be impacted by the supply issues.
00:19Well, we're hearing on the radio people being cut off from water.
00:25We've had reduced pressure from time to time which isn't fatal to us
00:28but I'm just terrified that we're going to end up being cut off
00:33and I've got to go and collect lorry loads of water bottles from southeast water
00:40in order to fill the trough but we'll deal with that when it comes.
00:47Green Farms is based in Ashford but across the county one former sheep farmer
00:51has been recording the temperature in his village near Tunbridge Wells.
00:54In an attempt to gauge when the livestock kept in his fields
00:57can come out of the shade and graze across bearer pastures.
01:01The trouble is we're now in a period of global gradual warming
01:07and we get long periods of without rain so it makes the grass very short for animals
01:13so they don't get the grass to feed on it they should have or cattle
01:19and with a shortage of water at times makes it extremely difficult for farmers
01:24to give the water necessary for other animals.
01:28Now using his weather station and his knowledge of the climate Lester has predicted that we should
01:32be back to normal weather by the beginning of June. Temperatures of 19 and 20 rather than the oppressive
01:39heats coming up to 30 that we've seen across the bank holiday weekend and into this week.
01:43But as we know the hot weather can be very difficult for multiple kinds of farmers.
01:48If you're a crop farmer you might have less water or if you're a livestock farmer you need to make
01:52sure
01:52that your cattle or sheep are getting enough shade and water.
01:55I would say if you're able to plant as many trees as possible to give them shade and also if
02:03you're
02:04able to be able to have your own ability for your own reservoir so you might be able to give
02:09your
02:10animals water because we're going to get more of the weather like we've got now more often as time progresses.
02:17Lester's predictions show that it's likely the climate will cool as we get closer to June.
02:21But while the high temperatures remain farmers will be feeling the heat
02:25to make sure they can keep their livestock healthy and hydrated.
02:29Finn McDermid for KMTV in Frittenden
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