0:00:03 > 0:00:05Across some of the most beautiful and remote landscapes
0:00:05 > 0:00:07of the British Isles...
0:00:07 > 0:00:08It's not a bad office, is it?
0:00:08 > 0:00:11You know, look at it.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14..Scotland's farmers carve a living...
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Everything has a time and a season.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Nature doesn't stop.
0:00:18 > 0:00:19..breeding sheep and cattle...
0:00:19 > 0:00:21There's a lot of old friends here.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24They've come to the end of their working life. Quite a sad day.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Wait a second!
0:00:27 > 0:00:30..bringing new life into the world...
0:00:30 > 0:00:33and battling with the elements.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35HE WHISTLES
0:00:35 > 0:00:36They're all cute in their own way
0:00:36 > 0:00:39and especially if they end up on your plate as a lamb chop.
0:00:39 > 0:00:40Yum.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Over a year, five very different families
0:00:44 > 0:00:47let cameras onto their farms...
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Hell of a size of nuts on him.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52..and into their lives, to share their struggles...
0:00:52 > 0:00:54I don't know why you won't go forward, missus.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Do you need to do this?
0:00:56 > 0:00:57..and their triumphs...
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Look at my baby.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01He's alive!
0:01:01 > 0:01:06..as they try and turn a profit in testing economic times.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08That's just depressing, that, really.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10There's cause for celebration...
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Gorgeous.
0:01:12 > 0:01:13..and a time to reflect.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17I feel sad that I haven't provided the next generation
0:01:17 > 0:01:18to carry on here.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20But it's never dull.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22I'm not letting go!
0:01:22 > 0:01:24It's not a job, it's a way of life.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34BBC Radio Scotland.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36- REPORTER:- There are warnings of gales in all areas.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40It's January in Scotland.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Winds gusting at more than 100mph have caused
0:01:43 > 0:01:45disruption in Scotland.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48The new year has brought with it wild winter weather,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50but also violent storms.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Cyclonic severe gale 9 to violent storm 11...
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Across the country, the farmers are battling the elements.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03Come on, ladies.
0:02:06 > 0:02:07In the Outer Hebrides,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11off Scotland's northwest coast on the edge of the Atlantic,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13the weather has been exceptionally fierce.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Stornoway recorded a gust of 113mph.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24You wouldn't come here if you were frightened by wild weather.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29You can't leave anything out that's not really firmly fixed down here.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36We get wind blowing at 120mph,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38tiles flying off your roof.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41But you stagger back in the house
0:02:41 > 0:02:44and your face is like a big tomato and you just...
0:02:44 > 0:02:47The rain's been stinging away at you.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50It's a mixed pleasure.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Sandy Granville owns two smallholdings, or crofts,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59where he rears sheep and cattle on the Isle of Lewis -
0:02:59 > 0:03:01the northernmost island in the Outer Hebrides.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Today, he's literally picking up the pieces after a recent battering
0:03:07 > 0:03:09from one of the most severe storms on record.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15It's just about the worst storm we've had for ten years.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18It's just a pile of wreckage out here really.
0:03:20 > 0:03:25The next thing is to just go round with a camera and take a few
0:03:25 > 0:03:29photographs to let the insurance company know what's going on.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Sandy moved here 12 years ago with his wife Ali,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37swapping their careers as barristers in London
0:03:37 > 0:03:41for the traditional life of crofters in these windswept isles.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Good few tiles off the roof.
0:03:43 > 0:03:44We also lost the...
0:03:46 > 0:03:49Lost a bit of fascia on the barn here.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54It's not too badly damaged, it's lost a bit of its roof.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00That bit of roof is sitting just over the hill.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04There's nothing there I can't straighten up.
0:04:06 > 0:04:07HE WHISTLES
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Oh, here comes the snow again.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15We've had every kind of...
0:04:15 > 0:04:18precipitation over the last couple of days.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Snow, hail, rain.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Time for another snowstorm.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Unlike their croft...
0:04:27 > 0:04:30..their hardy Blackface sheep and Highland cattle,
0:04:30 > 0:04:32used to living outside all year round,
0:04:32 > 0:04:34have all escaped unharmed.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41In their weatherworn barn, Ali checks on
0:04:41 > 0:04:44their less resilient 15 hens
0:04:44 > 0:04:46and 26-year-old horse, Samson.
0:04:48 > 0:04:49They never go out if it's windy
0:04:49 > 0:04:52and I haven't even opened their door today.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56They don't mind the rain so much, as long as it's still,
0:04:56 > 0:04:58but they don't like the wind.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01I think they're quite comfortable here, quite warm.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06I used to love the wind. I used to think it was really exciting,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09but I've given that up now and I think it's horrible.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13I don't like it at all.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17The biting cold and strong gusts quickly sends them back inside.
0:05:19 > 0:05:24I just got caught in a gust there, lost my good balaclava and my...
0:05:24 > 0:05:28- glasses just ripped away and lost one of their legs.- Oh.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33And I think this is one of the more expensive pairs of glasses.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35I think I paid a tenner for them.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41I think it's going to be some administrative work indoors
0:05:41 > 0:05:43for the next little bit.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47Pretty much everything I'm going to do outside I've done now.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49But if I were to build this house again,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52I'd definitely bolt a steel roof onto it.
0:06:01 > 0:06:06270 miles south on the mainland near Loch Lomond...
0:06:08 > 0:06:11..hill farmer Bobby Lennox is also grappling with the after-effects
0:06:11 > 0:06:13of the storm.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17See if I've got any power yet.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21Nope, still no power.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27Six miles from the closest town, the remote location of Bobby's farm
0:06:27 > 0:06:30makes it vulnerable to power cuts during the winter months.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34We were off for about two days at the start of the storm
0:06:34 > 0:06:37and then we got the power back on and then this morning,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40power back off again, which is a nuisance
0:06:40 > 0:06:44cos to feed these sheep there's an auger system out the feed bin
0:06:44 > 0:06:49and I can't get any more feeding up until the power comes back.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53With his hi-tech feeding system out of action,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Bobby must revert to the old-fashioned method.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02These ten-month-old lambs, living in the shelter of the barn,
0:07:02 > 0:07:03are the lucky ones.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Their older relatives are scattered across the 5,000 acres of hillside
0:07:09 > 0:07:10that Bobby farms.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14The weather's miserable.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18There are...tremendous rain the last four or five days.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21I think last night we'd over two inches of rain, just last night,
0:07:21 > 0:07:26so that's followed about six inches of rain over this week so far.
0:07:28 > 0:07:29Everything's getting mucky.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32The sheep are miserable.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33We're miserable.
0:07:34 > 0:07:39Inside, wife Ann is equally out of sorts.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41No power. The house is like a fridge.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Shocking how much you miss having electricity.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51You get so used to it and, I mean, I've had the fire on
0:07:51 > 0:07:54in the living room today and yet it's...everybody's been in and out
0:07:54 > 0:07:55and it's just cold.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Hey-ho, we'll survive.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18158 miles northeast, north of Aberdeen,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21this side of the country may have escaped the brutal force
0:08:21 > 0:08:23of the storms,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25but not the biting temperatures.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31On Martin Irvine's 240 acre rented farm,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Martin, his brother and fiance Mel,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36are bracing themselves for a busy day.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43Today we're going to be scanning the ewes to see how many lambs,
0:08:43 > 0:08:44if they're in lamb,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46how many lambs they've got inside them.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48But it's freezing.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Up here, it's windy, windy, and more windy.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54It's never warm.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Hopefully we'll get through it as fast as we can.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Yeah, Mel loves her sheep, but she's not loving it just now
0:08:59 > 0:09:02cos it's cold and wet, but once the sheep start going through,
0:09:02 > 0:09:03she'll be excited to see...
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Well, she is excited to see what we've got.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09Hopefully there are lots of babies, but not too many.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12Mel's love for sheep is not shared by Martin.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17He reserves his affection for his pedigree Limousin cattle.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19He sells the bulls for breeding
0:09:19 > 0:09:21and it brings in most of the farm's income.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29But since Mel made a profit on her first flock last year,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31she's convinced Martin there's money in sheep.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36So, they've taken on a contract to manage over 500 ewes
0:09:36 > 0:09:37for the local estate.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Last year, they began their new enterprise.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Hell of a size of nuts on him.
0:09:48 > 0:09:52Mel invested more than £3,000 of the estate's money
0:09:52 > 0:09:55in some virile young tups to grow the flock.
0:09:55 > 0:09:56Drummuir Home Farm.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03On the farm, they introduced the tups to the ewes.
0:10:03 > 0:10:04He knows what he's doing.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07That's it.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11That's the only thing they need to do, is stay alive and make babies.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Now the ewes are three months pregnant
0:10:18 > 0:10:22and Mel's about to find out how many lambs she can expect in the spring.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25Here's our scanner now.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29She's hired the services of livestock scanner John Urquhart
0:10:29 > 0:10:31to give her ewes an ultrasound.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Mel and Martin get paid per animal by the estate,
0:10:34 > 0:10:39so if they increase their flock, they'll also increase their profits.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42This just slots onto that too.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48There's an ideal ratio of ewes to lambs that farmers aim for.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51So, ideally, we'd scan every ewe and they'd have twins, just for the
0:10:51 > 0:10:54fact that a ewe's got two teats, two lambs.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Matches out pretty perfect.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59If you have a single, it's just one lamb and it can be
0:10:59 > 0:11:02too big for lambing. Makes it harder for lambing, more problems.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Triplets end up having two teats, three lambs.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07They'll be fighting over it and it's harder for the ewe
0:11:07 > 0:11:09to look after three lambs.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11What you don't want is quads.
0:11:11 > 0:11:12They're just hassle.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17They'll measure their success by the average percentage increase
0:11:17 > 0:11:18in the size of the flock.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22We scanned at 180% last year,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25so it's 1.8 lambs per ewe going through our pens.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27So we're looking to beat that this year.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30I'd like to get... Mel's looking at 185 - 190,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32which would be great, but we'll see.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37John's machine is up and running and he's ready for business.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40This is the ultrasound probe here.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45This basically gives you a 180 degree view into the sheep.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48This is basically warm soapy water and this gives you contact
0:11:48 > 0:11:51with the ewe's skin and then creates the image.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Probably doesn't have the detail that you have
0:11:54 > 0:11:55with the human scanners.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58A lot more definition in them.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Took a little while for farmers to understand that it was
0:12:00 > 0:12:04a great management tool and I would think, UK wide,
0:12:04 > 0:12:10it's probably 70% to 80% of the nation flock will now be scanned.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Mel gets into position.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17This is us just getting started now.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20So, sheep will come in there, through to John,
0:12:20 > 0:12:23and then I'll spray them according to what they're having.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27She's got a colour-coding system worked out.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29One.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34Blue is if they're having one lamb.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Nothing for... What's wrong?
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Nothing for two and red's for three
0:12:39 > 0:12:42and a red and a blue is four.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46When it's a big sheep, like this, I'd like to see it having two.
0:12:46 > 0:12:47Two.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49You got your wish!
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Martin's got to keep track
0:12:51 > 0:12:54and direct the sheep into the right pens.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56You've got twins, singles, empties,
0:12:56 > 0:12:59triplets straight in the back.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Not only will scanning help predict the number of lambs to expect,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05but by separating the ewes into different groups...
0:13:05 > 0:13:06One.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10..they can also save money on animal feed.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14We can feed every batch different.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Triplets will get well-fed, twins will get something,
0:13:16 > 0:13:18singles, they'll get the minimum.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Just to let them tick over, you ken.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23It'll just be keeping the condition on them.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30It is an expense. It cost 50p per ewe for scanning.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33But it's very little if you look at the feed you could save.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38To get through the whole flock of over 500 today...
0:13:38 > 0:13:39Triplet.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41..they've got to work quickly.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43So many handles going.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45- Two.- Twin.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48I do struggle sometimes, but...
0:13:50 > 0:13:51With 30 years' experience...
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Three.
0:13:53 > 0:13:58..it takes John less than a minute to interpret each scan.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02So, it's one lamb there. Head, neck, into body, out of body,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05umbilical cord and here's another lamb here, so that's two.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11To me, I all I see is dark marks, white and black, white and black.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13He's got a trained eye.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18So quick to pick out spines, ribs, eye sockets.
0:14:18 > 0:14:19Two.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21Working with white fuzz.
0:14:21 > 0:14:22Four.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25See that's not good.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28After two hours, they're approaching the end.
0:14:28 > 0:14:29Three.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31Oh, no, really, John?
0:14:31 > 0:14:32Three, that's what you don't want.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Triplet.
0:14:34 > 0:14:35- Two.- Two.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37And it's a boy and a girl.
0:14:37 > 0:14:38THEY LAUGH
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Now for the final result.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47Mel's aim is to increase their flock by more than 180%.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51- We had 13 empty.- Yeah.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54105 singles.
0:14:58 > 0:14:59Twins?
0:14:59 > 0:15:01299.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05299. Triplets?
0:15:05 > 0:15:07- 110 sets of triplets...- Oh, dear.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10..and then that was five quads.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Yeah. So...
0:15:14 > 0:15:16- Percentage.- Yeah.- Percentage.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21- Yeah.- 196.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22HE WHISTLES
0:15:22 > 0:15:27- Happy with that.- That's good. - Yeah. Happy days.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30It's an improvement. We're going to be busy.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34The triplets is a bit much but we'll just have to cope with that.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36With over 1,000 lambs in the pipeline,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39the prospects for spring are looking good.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42They're looking well. I'm quite happy with the condition of them
0:15:42 > 0:15:46just now so I'll just keep them ticking over till lambing.
0:15:46 > 0:15:47It's been a long day.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52Chuck these girls out to their parts, leave them to it,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56and before you know it there'll be lambs on the ground...
0:15:56 > 0:15:58and this shed will be my home for a month.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13150 miles away,
0:16:13 > 0:16:15on the other side of Scotland,
0:16:15 > 0:16:16on the West Coast...
0:16:17 > 0:16:22They can probably come up with you. It'd save a bit of a hassle.
0:16:22 > 0:16:23Yep.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27..hill farmers Sybil and George Macpherson are making their way
0:16:27 > 0:16:28through their morning chores.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30You hungry, boys?
0:16:30 > 0:16:32BLEATING
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Bit late today, aren't we? Come on, move.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40During the winter, they keep a small number of animals on the farm,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42which they have to feed every morning.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46The thing is, when you get them in here and involved with
0:16:46 > 0:16:48feeding them twice a day...
0:16:48 > 0:16:50Watch out, guys.
0:16:50 > 0:16:51..you start to get attached to them,
0:16:51 > 0:16:56which is not what one is supposed to do, but I'm afraid I do.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59And, yet again, you start to learn the characters of them.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Sheep have very different characters and ambitions,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04just like people really.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06You're the cheekiest, you, brown.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10The rest of their 2,000 sheep,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13mostly of the hardy Blackface breed,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16are scattered across the 15,000 acres that they farm.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22You thirsty? Is that what your problem was?
0:17:22 > 0:17:25You're coming for a drink, mate, aren't you?
0:17:25 > 0:17:27As soon as the feeding is over,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Sybil and George must attend an urgent job.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33Are we going by bike or pick-up or what's the plan?
0:17:33 > 0:17:35- We need to take...- We need the pick-up up there, don't we?
0:17:35 > 0:17:40- We need the pick-up up there anyway. - Right. Yep, we do. Kip, come on.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43They've got to return four male lambs, or tups,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45that Sybil borrowed to mate with some of her ewes,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48to sheep breeder and close friend Willie McNicol.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51He very generously lent us lambs and we said,
0:17:51 > 0:17:55"Yeah, we promise we'll have them back within ten days, Willie,"
0:17:55 > 0:17:58and the ten days has come and gone, due to the weather.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02He'll know perfectly well, but he's probably sitting thinking today,
0:18:02 > 0:18:03"This is quite a good day.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07"I hope they're out and getting my lambs in."
0:18:07 > 0:18:08Sit down, Kip!
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Now with Sybil for two months,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14it's been the first mating, or tupping, season for the male lambs.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18We're just going to take in the sheep out of this hill park area
0:18:18 > 0:18:20to capture these tup lambs.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Called chasers, they were introduced to a flock of ewes at the tail end
0:18:25 > 0:18:29of the tupping season, to mate with the ones that hadn't fallen pregnant
0:18:29 > 0:18:31by the experienced tups.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Watch. Oh, Kip, don't.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36- Kip!- Christ.
0:18:37 > 0:18:42It's a big responsibility, having a loan of other people's livestock.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Willie's been a tremendous character and a great support when
0:18:44 > 0:18:48my father died when I was so young. He's been a great help and
0:18:48 > 0:18:51I would be absolutely devastated to lose one of his animals.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Sybil's hoping she'll find Willie's tups in the same flock
0:18:55 > 0:18:58of 200 ewes they were introduced to two months ago.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02Lie down. Just take your time, man.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07I'll be very relieved when we're dropping them off at Willie's
0:19:07 > 0:19:11and safely, hopefully, touch wood, deliver them home.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Come on, ladies.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16With the flock down the hill, they need to herd them
0:19:16 > 0:19:19into the holding pens, known as the fank, for sorting.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23These two sheep with the fleeces on, don't know
0:19:23 > 0:19:26if you've been watching them, but they are so badly behaved
0:19:26 > 0:19:29no wonder they've still got their wool on from last year.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Every opportunity to run away.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34And they stick together all the time. Here, Tib.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Look at them. They're wicked.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44At the fank, Sybil and George need to weed out Willie's tups,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47marked with green dots, from the rest of the flock.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Aye, if you take the tups in there, that'll be handy. Okey doke.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54It's down to Sybil to work the gate to try and catch them.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Green, green, green. The next one.
0:20:00 > 0:20:01Just steady yourselves, sheep.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Keep in the pair of them, Sybil, please.
0:20:07 > 0:20:08Right, OK.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12Finally, the tups are cornered.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14- Just put the tups in this pen. - Yep.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16- Got all four, yeah?- Think so.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21And after a bit of wrangling...
0:20:22 > 0:20:26..Sybil can at last take them to their rightful owner.
0:20:26 > 0:20:27Great.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31It's a short drive to Willie's farm,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35where the tups will be reunited with the rest of his flock.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Thank you very much for the loan of the tups.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46We'll let you know if there are any lambs next year.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48You will.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Well, this year it is now. We'll let you know.
0:20:51 > 0:20:52But if there's none...
0:20:52 > 0:20:55if there's none you'll be directly responsible.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Oh, right.
0:20:57 > 0:20:58BLEATING
0:21:02 > 0:21:04167 miles north,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08in the Highlands near Inverness,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11large scale sheep farmer John Scott
0:21:11 > 0:21:13is also preparing to have his ewes scanned.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17Can you give me sprays, please?
0:21:17 > 0:21:23Orange, blue, green, red - make sure you have plenty.
0:21:23 > 0:21:24Like Martin and Mel,
0:21:24 > 0:21:28John also employs the services of scanner John Urquhart.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33But his sheep enterprise is more than eight times the size.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37He's got more than 4,000 ewes.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Just looking for singles, twins.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Middle two.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46And the demands of breeding at this commercial level are unrelenting.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50I'm always nervous before scanning. I'm always a little bit worried
0:21:50 > 0:21:52that we're not going to get as many lambs as we hope.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57Our Fearn ewes would always be scanning,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59probably about 190%.
0:21:59 > 0:22:00Middle two.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07To run such a large operation efficiently and profitably,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09John needs more information from the scan than just
0:22:09 > 0:22:11the number of lambs per ewe.
0:22:13 > 0:22:14Early two.
0:22:15 > 0:22:20What John's given me there is early, middle and late so
0:22:20 > 0:22:22- if I mark at the front... - Early one.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25..like that,
0:22:25 > 0:22:27that is due between the 20th of March
0:22:27 > 0:22:30and the 27th of March.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35And, middle, so if I'm marking, middle of the back...
0:22:35 > 0:22:36Middle two.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39..like this... You're doing well here.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41..that's the week after.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43So earliest first week, middle the second week,
0:22:43 > 0:22:47and I'm marking the tail here, that's anything after that.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Precision is essential
0:22:52 > 0:22:56and John plans the lambing season like a military operation.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Early two.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02He scans every ewe in his flock, from commercial cross breeds
0:23:02 > 0:23:07bred for meat, to valuable pedigrees raised for breeding.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10It's great cos John gives us a great rate for the numbers,
0:23:10 > 0:23:11- don't you, John? - JOHN LAUGHS
0:23:13 > 0:23:15He'll get through 1,000 sheep today.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17- Two.- Early.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19Yes. Early two.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23So far it's all going to plan. The percentages are good...
0:23:23 > 0:23:25That's just what we need.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27..the timings are as expected...
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Middle three.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31..and John's on target to start the lambing season
0:23:31 > 0:23:33on the 20th of March.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38But then scanner John goes quiet.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44So what I find is John goes quiet for a while,
0:23:44 > 0:23:49it's either going to be empty, or multiples, as in more than two.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51100 days.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54That's February lambing. Yeah?
0:23:57 > 0:23:59It's not good news.
0:23:59 > 0:24:05So these sheep, these mules were bought from my brother-in-law,
0:24:05 > 0:24:10and it has just turned out that, through John's scanning, we found
0:24:10 > 0:24:12out some of them were actually in lamb when they arrived on the farm.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15So that's going to be an interesting conversation next time I see him.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18We didn't expect to be lambing in February, but obviously now we may
0:24:18 > 0:24:20have a small February lambing flock.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24Might not be that small cos there's still quite a lot of these to scan.
0:24:24 > 0:24:25Oh, dear.
0:24:26 > 0:24:27So it's a bit of a pain, another
0:24:27 > 0:24:30group of sheep we're going to have to keep an eye on.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33It means that we're going to have to spend a bit more time with them.
0:24:33 > 0:24:34It's a bit of a hassle.
0:24:34 > 0:24:35Early, early two.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42To stick to schedule, John must park the surprise and carry on.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47After six hours, 1,000 sheep are scanned.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Early two.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Well, a wee burst of pairs there to lift things.
0:24:52 > 0:24:53Yeah, nice end to it all.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58He finishes the day with a good average of nearly two ewes per lamb.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Today went really well. There are
0:25:02 > 0:25:05plenty of lambs in the ewes and the hogs and, yeah, pretty pleased.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07So we'll just get things back out to the fields now,
0:25:07 > 0:25:10finish off, see what else needs done for the day and that's it.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12But despite the good result,
0:25:12 > 0:25:16he's still not over the surprise of his brother-in-law's sheep.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19He certainly owes me a couple of beers, I would say, for that,
0:25:19 > 0:25:22but it means we'll be lambing a little bit earlier than anticipated
0:25:22 > 0:25:24but it's not the end of the world.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40As the month of January progresses,
0:25:40 > 0:25:43the farmers continue to brave the elements
0:25:43 > 0:25:46and carry on with their winter routines.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48These are the joys of living on the West Coast,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51or living anywhere in Scotland. All weathers in one day.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Come on. It's coming. Just give me a minute.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01But it's not all bad news. The short days mean that
0:26:01 > 0:26:05once the daily ritual of animal maintenance is through...
0:26:05 > 0:26:07It's quite nice, this time of day.
0:26:07 > 0:26:08..there's often free time.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14There's a chance to catch up on paperwork.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21For some, there's time to indulge in pleasurable pursuits.
0:26:21 > 0:26:22Got almost no wind at all.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28But it's the most delightful day.
0:26:28 > 0:26:33It's just...probably somewhere near freezing, bit above freezing,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37and I'm hoping that when we get out from these islands,
0:26:37 > 0:26:40we might get a little more wind.
0:26:40 > 0:26:45But even if we don't get any more wind, it's jolly nice to be here.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48- Don't you think, Ali? - Yes, lovely. Just lovely.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Just got to make the most of what daylight we get round about now.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58And we've got Christmas cake and coffee, which is good.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00And a steak and kidney pudding in the oven.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02- When we get home.- When we get home.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09For others, there are neglected odd jobs to do.
0:27:09 > 0:27:16Just fitting the taps, the plumbing and maybe fitting in the hob units.
0:27:16 > 0:27:17Fancy.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23And for Martin and Mel, there's some big event planning to do.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29They're getting married in May,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31timed perfectly for the end of the lambing season.
0:27:33 > 0:27:39Today we're going for our tasting for our wedding menu,
0:27:39 > 0:27:41so we're both quite excited about that.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43Purposefully had a light breakfast,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46cos I know it's involving lots of food.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48- It's a good feed, isn't it? - Lots of lovely food.
0:27:52 > 0:27:53Sunny.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Like most of the farmers,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58lambing is one of the busiest times of year so they need to have
0:27:58 > 0:28:02all the arrangements in place before the season begins.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04Hello!
0:28:04 > 0:28:07Today, they've got an appointment with their wedding caterer.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09- Hungry?- Yes.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Good, good. Come and sit down.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14They're having a traditional white wedding
0:28:14 > 0:28:18and have invited 106 guests for a three-course meal.
0:28:18 > 0:28:22This afternoon, they need to choose the menu.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25- It's melon and passion fruit cocktail.- Thank you.
0:28:25 > 0:28:30To sample, they've got three starters, two main courses
0:28:30 > 0:28:32and three desserts.
0:28:32 > 0:28:33I love melon.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Refreshing. I quite like it.
0:28:35 > 0:28:36Thank you.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38That looks fancy.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41- Is it really, really haggisy?- Yep.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43When I first met Martin,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46he hadn't tried a lot of different foods so...
0:28:46 > 0:28:49he tried a fresh apricot and nectarines and...
0:28:49 > 0:28:50Pomegranate.
0:28:50 > 0:28:55..pomegranate. Yeah. Sheltered life he lived.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59Yeah, it was just apples, bananas and oranges at Braehead.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03Prawn cocktail and the hot smoked salmon mousse,
0:29:03 > 0:29:06- and Cullen skink in the shot glass. - Wow.
0:29:08 > 0:29:09Nice, isn't it?
0:29:09 > 0:29:13I don't know which I'd pick out of that three but...
0:29:13 > 0:29:16But sheep-loving Mel is certain about one item
0:29:16 > 0:29:20that won't be on the menu for the main course.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22I hate lamb, I just hate it.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26Hate the taste of it, the smell of it cooking. Oh.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30The smell you get from roast lamb in the kitchen
0:29:30 > 0:29:34reminds me of the lambing shed and it's tying that two together
0:29:34 > 0:29:36just puts me off completely.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39The beef is just so tender.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42Think that would be the perfect main course.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45- Everything OK for you? - Mm-hm.- No problem.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49Three large desserts later...
0:29:49 > 0:29:52Oh, it's got glitter on it!
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Oh, yes.
0:29:55 > 0:29:56..it's decision time.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59- Don't know.- Beef.- Yeah, beef.
0:29:59 > 0:30:03Yep. And for pudding pavlova and your profiteroles...
0:30:04 > 0:30:07- ..please.- Good.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10- Thank you very, very much. - You're welcome.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16Having sorted out the arrangements, it's back to the day job.
0:30:26 > 0:30:31Near Inverness, it's an early start for John Scott and his team.
0:30:31 > 0:30:32Will I take one as well?
0:30:32 > 0:30:35I would take that two together.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39This morning, it's not his sheep that have got him up,
0:30:39 > 0:30:40but his beef cattle.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42He has a herd of 200.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47John has a business rearing pedigree bulls
0:30:47 > 0:30:51and this morning he's preparing to take four of his best
0:30:51 > 0:30:53to the Stirling bull sales.
0:30:54 > 0:30:58At the moment, we're just loading the bulls up.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Yeah, I'll get involved in the handling, especially when we're
0:31:01 > 0:31:04down there, but Jimmy's an expert at it, he's really good at it.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08If they're used to him, they'll be more relaxed going on there.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11One of the key members of the Scott team is 73-year-old
0:31:11 > 0:31:15bull expert Jimmy Laing, who John's known for many years
0:31:15 > 0:31:18and came to work with him three years ago.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21Jimmy helped me showing cattle when I was 17, 18,
0:31:21 > 0:31:24so it's great to get him back.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28Hopefully he'll be here for quite a while and be able to get my son...
0:31:28 > 0:31:29my kids going.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37John's bulls are Beef Shorthorns,
0:31:37 > 0:31:41an old breed from northeast England, whose meat has become
0:31:41 > 0:31:45increasingly popular as the fashion swings back to native breeds.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49I'll just move into the side here and Jimmy can go up.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54A wee bit worried about the weather. Hopefully it won't hold us up
0:31:54 > 0:31:57too much, but I would have thought four hours to Stirling.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02Further south,
0:32:02 > 0:32:07bull breeder Martin is also about to set off for the Stirling bull sales.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Help with those...
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Brother Darren and dad Stevie are going with him,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15but he's one crucial team member short.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17Well, Mel, she usually comes down with me,
0:32:17 > 0:32:18but she's busy with work, so,
0:32:18 > 0:32:20my brother Darren, he's coming down.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23- COW MOOS - So it'll be a boys' day...
0:32:23 > 0:32:26the boys' days for a couple of days.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29Martin's also hoping to sell four bulls.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33- You can do it.- His are Limousin, imported from France in the 1970s
0:32:33 > 0:32:36and now the most popular beef breed in the UK.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41These sales are the lifeblood of the farm
0:32:41 > 0:32:45and they need to make up for their poor performance last time.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48That is three. Now bidding 3.8, 3.8, 3.8...
0:32:48 > 0:32:52At the previous sale in Stirling, in the run-up to Christmas...
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Are we all done now at 4,000?
0:32:54 > 0:32:58..Martin failed to sell three out of his four bulls.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00You can see there, just, there's no atmosphere.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02- There's no buzz.- £3,000...
0:33:02 > 0:33:04I'm very sorry about today.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08Well, that's just depressing, that, really.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10The sale has just not been a good sale.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13It's not the best day but I'm coming home with two young bulls
0:33:13 > 0:33:16that I'll keep till February - better than nothing, I suppose.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21The best feeling would be coming home with an empty lorry.
0:33:21 > 0:33:22Hopefully, a better time of year,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24a bit more money going about in the farming community,
0:33:24 > 0:33:26and hopefully we'll get them sold,
0:33:26 > 0:33:30but I've got a far better feel this time, February, compared to October,
0:33:30 > 0:33:32so fingers crossed.
0:33:43 > 0:33:50Down the road, a few hours later, John's on the outskirts of Stirling.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52He's also banking on a good sale.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55So, in terms of our year, this is a fairly...
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Well, it's a fairly big four days for us. Erm...
0:33:58 > 0:34:00It's our main bull sale.
0:34:00 > 0:34:01We don't go to many bull sales.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05We sell a lot of bulls off the farm but, as far as the sales go,
0:34:05 > 0:34:07this is the big breed sale.
0:34:07 > 0:34:11Hopefully it'll be a big payday. It's a lot of cost coming down here.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15We'd be hoping to average least 5,000 for the four bulls we've got.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18This sale should be especially well-attended
0:34:18 > 0:34:22because Princess Anne will be visiting the event on the first day.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Yeah, me and Princess Anne, we're like that. Good buddies.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28No, I really enjoyed speaking to her
0:34:28 > 0:34:32and spending time with her at the... at the World Trials in September.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34When we had them on the farm, she visited.
0:34:34 > 0:34:38A real depth of knowledge about farming and, erm,
0:34:38 > 0:34:40yeah, a lot of time for her.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46The Stirling sales are the most prestigious cattle auctions
0:34:46 > 0:34:50in the UK and attract buyers from around the country.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53Held three times a year,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56six of the most popular breeds will be put up for sale.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01Our four bulls will be tied up here,
0:35:01 > 0:35:06and Ian from Upsall, Ian and Gerald, their bull will be here,
0:35:06 > 0:35:09so what I need to do is make sure that my straw's higher than theirs,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12so that my bulls look bigger than his.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14See?
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Tricks of the trade.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19You always have initial worries that the bulls aren't big enough,
0:35:19 > 0:35:20or aren't heavy enough.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23And they're not... Our bulls this year aren't huge,
0:35:23 > 0:35:26but they're quite well put together. They're quite well made. Erm...
0:35:26 > 0:35:28Look, see? I'm going to get in trouble,
0:35:28 > 0:35:31cos if he sees me standing on a fork, I'll get in trouble.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34All right. Oh, aye. You're in trouble, aye.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36The straw is not as good as I thought.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39The straw that's here is quite good.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41COW MOOS
0:35:43 > 0:35:47Martin and the Irvine clan have arrived with their precious cargo,
0:35:47 > 0:35:49but they're running behind schedule.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54The first 50 miles was slow, with snow and everything like that,
0:35:54 > 0:35:57but we made it, so we've got the pen all set up and ready,
0:35:57 > 0:35:59so now we're going to take the bulls out, a quick wash,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02and get them into their pen and settled down.
0:36:03 > 0:36:07Both Martin and John need to get their bulls looking their best
0:36:07 > 0:36:09because, before they can put them up for sale, they've got to
0:36:09 > 0:36:14get them through an inspection of vets and judges known as the panel.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17What they're looking for is they'll start off with teeth,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21eyes and testicles, so they measure the size of the testicles,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23and then there'll be a locomotion test after that.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26So, I've checked the teeth, I've checked the testicles,
0:36:26 > 0:36:28and the locomotion, I'm happy with, so, today,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31we feel quite confident but you never know.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34You always worry about it, cos you never really know on the day.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39The measures ensure defects aren't passed on.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42COW MOOS FIERCELY
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Bulls that don't make the grade get a red dot
0:36:47 > 0:36:49and can't take part in the sale.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54If they do fail, it's a real kicking, really,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57cos a bull that could be worth £3,000, £4,000, £5,000,
0:36:57 > 0:36:59well, if you can't sell the bull, pretty much,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02you're losing that buying chance.
0:37:02 > 0:37:07The most valuable of Martin's four bulls is 21-month-old Imperial,
0:37:07 > 0:37:11who failed to make his reserve at the last Stirling sale.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14I'm looking to average at least £4,000.
0:37:14 > 0:37:15The bulls are worth more than that,
0:37:15 > 0:37:18but, at the very least, I'd take about £4,000 a head.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24John also has his favourites.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27We've got Gunslinger, General,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Great Glen, and the Godfather.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33Godfather's the favourite.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36So, erm, yeah, Godfather and Great Glen are my favourites.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Yeah, they're the best bulls, I think,
0:37:38 > 0:37:43but, this bull here, Gunslinger, he might surprise us, too, though.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47And John's hoping his secret weapon could give him the edge.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Jimmy's just giving the bulls a wee bit of brush-up before we go.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53Jimmy is what's know as the Bull Whisperer. He's...
0:37:53 > 0:37:56He's legendary,
0:37:56 > 0:38:00and has, oh, decades of experience behind him, and...
0:38:01 > 0:38:02Yeah, he's excellent -
0:38:02 > 0:38:05- really, really good. - COW SQUEALS
0:38:05 > 0:38:11I've been coming to the Perth and Stirling bull sale since 1937...
0:38:13 > 0:38:16..so I'm giving my age away now.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20I'm putting a wee shine on him,
0:38:20 > 0:38:23just to bring his hair up to standard.
0:38:23 > 0:38:24What is this stuff?
0:38:24 > 0:38:26Oh, it's a secret.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28COW MOOS
0:38:30 > 0:38:32Jimmy knows John almost as well as his bulls.
0:38:34 > 0:38:39Oh, since he was a boy, maybe, you know.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44I always thought he was a snob, like, you know.
0:38:44 > 0:38:45But, no, he's improved.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49Have I matured better, Jimmy, have I?
0:38:49 > 0:38:51- Aye, you're improving with age.- Aye.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56You're getting the hang of this, too.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59If you stick at it a wee while longer, you'll really perfect this.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03It's time to face the panel.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09John's putting his favourites through first.
0:39:09 > 0:39:10He takes Godfather...
0:39:10 > 0:39:13COW MOOS
0:39:13 > 0:39:15..and Jimmy and Great Glen.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20This is a fairly nervous part of the process.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23It's... Aye, it's not a pleasant experience, this part of things.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25It's quite a relief once you've been through.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27- HE CLICKS HIS LIPS - Come on.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29I'm a fairly driven sort of person.
0:39:29 > 0:39:30I'm quite competitive.
0:39:30 > 0:39:35I do like to be winning when I'm taking part in things.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38Farming well and farming profitably is very important to me.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40COW MOOS
0:39:40 > 0:39:43We just want to get better at it and make a better job all the time,
0:39:43 > 0:39:46and, you know, sell quality livestock
0:39:46 > 0:39:48and a quality product to other people.
0:39:48 > 0:39:49It's all freshly cut.
0:39:49 > 0:39:51He's got a fair price, the guy who's following me.
0:39:51 > 0:39:52That's fine. Thank you.
0:39:54 > 0:39:59Both Godfather and Great Glen get the all-clear.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Through the inspection, the first two bulls are through.
0:40:02 > 0:40:03We're halfway there, yeah, so we'll...
0:40:03 > 0:40:06go and get these guys tied up and, erm, yeah.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08HE CLICKS HIS LIPS
0:40:10 > 0:40:13- Come, come. - For Martin and his Limousin,
0:40:13 > 0:40:15the ordeal is just beginning.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19He's also keen to get his favourite, Imperial, through first.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23Brother Darren takes Imperial,
0:40:23 > 0:40:26while Martin leads another bull called Ivanhoe.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28They should pass no problem,
0:40:28 > 0:40:30but you never really know so you always have that kind of worry.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32They don't want to chuck out anybody,
0:40:32 > 0:40:36cos it's not a nice feeling to do, but they are there to do a job.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42Imperial is through the first stage
0:40:42 > 0:40:46and is sent to the locomotion test while Martin supervises Ivanhoe.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Yeah, that was perfect. No problems there.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58I think that's the worst bit - that's the bit I can't really judge.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02But, by the time Martin and Ivanhoe arrive at the locomotion test,
0:41:02 > 0:41:06it's clear something's gone wrong with his star, Imperial.
0:41:09 > 0:41:14He's failed the locomotion test, and has been given a red dot.
0:41:14 > 0:41:15Is it that bad?
0:41:15 > 0:41:18Lame, back left.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20You think so?
0:41:20 > 0:41:22A six-hour journey down the road, we were held up a bit.
0:41:22 > 0:41:26Martin argues the long journey has just made Imperial stiff.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28I wouldn't have said he was that bad.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Lame's lame, though.
0:41:30 > 0:41:31Is he that bad, Steve?
0:41:31 > 0:41:33- Is he that bad?- He wasn't.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35Second time round he was worse.
0:41:39 > 0:41:44Despite Martin's protests, the judge's decision remains.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46Imperial is out of the sale.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51I can't show him, I can't sell him.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53They're saying he's slightly lame.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56There's nae enough to put him out to my mind's eye, to be honest.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59There's a couple of people mentioned already there was nothing
0:41:59 > 0:42:02wrong with that bull enough to chuck him out.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05For the extra time of the journey that's been added on,
0:42:05 > 0:42:09extra time on the lorry standing, doesn't help the job maybe.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Selling him is going to be a problem but...
0:42:13 > 0:42:15That's just the joys, like.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22Across the hall, John's having better luck with his Shorthorns.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25His third bull, General, has passed.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28Good lad, good lad, on a wee bit, on a wee bit.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30And he's just got Gunslinger left to go.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32Good lad.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Many dots so far?
0:42:35 > 0:42:36How many reds so far?
0:42:38 > 0:42:41Oh, oh, can somebody hold this?
0:42:41 > 0:42:42Hold that.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44The judges have spotted a problem.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49Virtually no right testicle at all.
0:42:49 > 0:42:50You can feel where it is.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Nah, nah. OK.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57Fair enough. That one's out.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04Gunslinger has failed the inspection.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12That's like the long walk of shame.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17All the way back with a red dot.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25One of the testicles, just isn't right and, er,
0:43:25 > 0:43:28hindsight I probably should have found that at home.
0:43:28 > 0:43:30Have a feel, Jim.
0:43:30 > 0:43:33No, it's not there. It's not there.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35It's not there.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38I never even noticed it when I was washing, certainly.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41I'll just phone Stevie White and get him out here.
0:43:44 > 0:43:45That's the bull sales for you.
0:43:45 > 0:43:49That's the second time it's happened to us in what, probably, 15 years selling?
0:43:51 > 0:43:55Erm, delighted that you guys are here to capture the moment.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57Erm...
0:43:57 > 0:43:59Bollocks.
0:44:07 > 0:44:12It's been a long and disappointing day for both John and Martin.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14- How are you getting on?- All right.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16How are you getting on, John?
0:44:16 > 0:44:19On the same circuit for years, they meet to swap notes.
0:44:19 > 0:44:23- Get through the panel OK? - No. No, one out.
0:44:23 > 0:44:24I had one of them, as well.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27I was out of synch, cos I went through the first one,
0:44:27 > 0:44:29no, just complete negligence...
0:44:29 > 0:44:31- I never seen that.- Didn't.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33- And I just got this.- Yeah.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37- Oh, no. Anyway, he said one of them's shrunk away up.- I see it.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40And how we hadn't noticed that at home I don't know.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43It can happen, it could have been stood on.
0:44:43 > 0:44:48It could be an injury that's happened in the last couple of days and it's just happened but,
0:44:48 > 0:44:52the bull spent all this time and money on, he's lost a lot of money. He'll lose money on that bull now.
0:44:56 > 0:44:57Oh, well, good luck.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59And you, hope all goes well.
0:44:59 > 0:45:01- See you tomorrow.- Yep, will do.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03All John and Martin can do is hope
0:45:03 > 0:45:06they'll have better luck at the sale.
0:45:11 > 0:45:15On the Isle of Lewis, the bad weather is finally easing.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24Ex-barristers turned crofters, Sandy and Ali,
0:45:24 > 0:45:26have recovered from their recent battering
0:45:26 > 0:45:30and are taking advantage of the good conditions to move some sheep.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35I'm going to the island of Chearstaidh.
0:45:35 > 0:45:39This is where they're going to spend the next bit of their life.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42Sandy's resuscitated their battered horsebox
0:45:42 > 0:45:45and is already putting it to good use.
0:45:45 > 0:45:47We had to put that back on its wheels
0:45:47 > 0:45:51and do some repairs after the... after the last storm.
0:45:51 > 0:45:56It's all OK now, it's a bit more battered than it was.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59But it'll be OK.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02We're not in any beauty competition.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05Right, come on, boys.
0:46:05 > 0:46:09Their job today is to ship 18 of their castrated male lambs, now
0:46:09 > 0:46:14nine months old, to the uninhabited island of Chearstaidh to graze.
0:46:16 > 0:46:20These male sheep are the bread and butter of Sandy's meat cooperative business...
0:46:20 > 0:46:22In you go, boys.
0:46:22 > 0:46:26..that he set up to bring in money and entice people to become crofters.
0:46:26 > 0:46:28There we go.
0:46:28 > 0:46:32When these lambs are two years old, they'll be sent to the abattoir and
0:46:32 > 0:46:35the mutton sold to Sandy's customers across the UK on the internet.
0:46:35 > 0:46:37First step on the journey.
0:46:37 > 0:46:42Crofting, the practice of rearing livestock on a smallholding
0:46:42 > 0:46:46with rights to graze on common land and where much of the work is
0:46:46 > 0:46:49shared by the community, is a dying way of life.
0:46:49 > 0:46:54We just have one last chance possibly,
0:46:54 > 0:46:58to turn it all around, by persuading all our fellow citizens,
0:46:58 > 0:47:03to give up eating inferior meat and to eat our very good meat.
0:47:04 > 0:47:07Having got his prized lambs to the shore, he's now got to get them
0:47:07 > 0:47:10over to Chearstaidh
0:47:10 > 0:47:13on his not-so-trusty boat, Seadog.
0:47:15 > 0:47:16OK?
0:47:16 > 0:47:19In the autumn, Sandy tried...
0:47:21 > 0:47:24..and failed to launch Seadog
0:47:24 > 0:47:27when her engine wouldn't start.
0:47:27 > 0:47:28Well, that's a nuisance.
0:47:32 > 0:47:37Now Seadog is back to fight another day, with a reconditioned engine.
0:47:37 > 0:47:41But with a trailer load of semi-wild juvenile lambs to wrangle,
0:47:41 > 0:47:45there's no guarantee this job will go smoothly either.
0:47:45 > 0:47:49To bolster his chances, the ever resourceful Sandy has
0:47:49 > 0:47:53come prepared with makeshift barriers to direct the sheep.
0:47:57 > 0:47:59Bugger!
0:48:09 > 0:48:13As soon as the barriers are up, the rain comes down,
0:48:13 > 0:48:18and the lambs aren't taking kindly to being pushed around.
0:48:18 > 0:48:19HE WHISTLES
0:48:26 > 0:48:29With Ali's help, they're finally all aboard...
0:48:30 > 0:48:35..and off they head to Chearstaidh, a 30-minute motor across the bay.
0:48:38 > 0:48:42The island, just a third of a square mile, will be
0:48:42 > 0:48:44the lambs' home or the next eight months.
0:48:46 > 0:48:48You boys are going ashore now just nice and gently
0:48:48 > 0:48:51so there's no slithering and falling in the sea.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54We'll just start them off, and with luck they'll all just
0:48:54 > 0:48:56jump gently out.
0:48:56 > 0:48:59But the sheep are less willing to cooperate.
0:49:02 > 0:49:04Go on, boys.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07Pick your way up the shore, boys.
0:49:08 > 0:49:10It's getting a bit crowded there.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15Go on, boys, up you go.
0:49:15 > 0:49:21Once on the island, the lambs' only job will be to gorge on the grass and heather.
0:49:21 > 0:49:24Good job. Lots of good food here.
0:49:24 > 0:49:28They haven't had anything as good as this for months.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31By the time they come off, they'll be twice the size.
0:49:31 > 0:49:34But we've got a gale coming.
0:49:34 > 0:49:38It's only going to go downhill from here, but what a lovely morning.
0:49:38 > 0:49:39A lovely morning.
0:49:40 > 0:49:44So we'd better...set off home and get the boat all snug,
0:49:44 > 0:49:47and...then time for breakfast.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53The next time Sandy will see these sheep will be in the autumn,
0:49:53 > 0:49:57when he'll return to transfer them to a bigger island
0:49:57 > 0:50:00for a final year of grazing before they're sent for slaughter.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14On the mainland in Stirling,
0:50:14 > 0:50:17it's the day of the big bull sale for Martin and John.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23Today, there's a large crowd as Princess Anne,
0:50:23 > 0:50:26patron of the Beef Shorthorn Society,
0:50:26 > 0:50:28is here on an official visit.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33But having both had a bull thrown out by the panel...
0:50:33 > 0:50:35Do a bit of farming yourself?
0:50:35 > 0:50:39..John and Martin are too busy trying to talk up their remaining bulls
0:50:39 > 0:50:43to prospective buyers before the sale, to notice.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46He was at the Highland Show, he won one of the summer shows up north.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48They each have three bulls left.
0:50:48 > 0:50:53If they're to make money today, they have to sell at least two.
0:50:56 > 0:51:00I would have said there's probably half a dozen people been back
0:51:00 > 0:51:02and forward a few times so
0:51:02 > 0:51:05you can't count your chickens, you know, you've got to wait and see.
0:51:05 > 0:51:07He's a lovely bull.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10It's nice to get a good bit of interest that makes you feel
0:51:10 > 0:51:14quite positive about things and builds expectations too,
0:51:14 > 0:51:16but you've got to be careful of that cos they can get dashed.
0:51:16 > 0:51:18How are you getting on?
0:51:18 > 0:51:21For Martin, who depends on these sales to
0:51:21 > 0:51:25bring in most of the farm's income, success today is crucial.
0:51:25 > 0:51:28You want to sell them, we need to sell them, we had a bad go in October.
0:51:28 > 0:51:32We're needing a good bull. This is the first sale of the year, so we want to have a good start
0:51:32 > 0:51:35and they're good bulls, they're something special.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38Some people just like to be left alone and see things but
0:51:38 > 0:51:43some people will ask, "What's the mother like, what's things like?"
0:51:43 > 0:51:46So you've just to be clever and sneaky about it and kind of...
0:51:48 > 0:51:49..sales patter really.
0:51:49 > 0:51:51You don't want to push them away
0:51:51 > 0:51:54but you don't want to nae push them neither.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58Martin's remaining bulls, Inforcer, Ivanhoe and Ice,
0:51:58 > 0:52:01are generating a lot of interest.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03There's plenty of people around, a bit of buzz, it feels good.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05You'll feel a buzz.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08The lines are full of potential buyers so
0:52:08 > 0:52:10just got to fish them all in.
0:52:19 > 0:52:232pm and the auction is under way.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28Each of the breeds has an allotted sale time
0:52:28 > 0:52:31and the Shorthorn section is in full flow.
0:52:34 > 0:52:36For the last four decades,
0:52:36 > 0:52:40continental breeds have dominated the market.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43But with native breeds making a comeback,
0:52:43 > 0:52:45Shorthorn prices have been rising.
0:52:49 > 0:52:54John's set a reserve price of £5,000 on his three Shorthorn bulls
0:52:54 > 0:52:57but he's hoping his favourite will go for more.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00Godfather's up first.
0:53:00 > 0:53:01If we get...
0:53:01 > 0:53:04Kind of hoping for 8,000 plus maybe,
0:53:04 > 0:53:08so I'll study the trade just now and see how it goes.
0:53:08 > 0:53:10Godfather's first in the ring.
0:53:12 > 0:53:141,500 bid...
0:53:14 > 0:53:18As is the tradition at pedigree sales, bidding is in guineas.
0:53:18 > 0:53:22One guinea is one pound and five pence.
0:53:22 > 0:53:245,000... 5,500. 6,000...
0:53:26 > 0:53:29The bids pass the reserve
0:53:29 > 0:53:31and keep going.
0:53:31 > 0:53:33Ten...
0:53:35 > 0:53:38He's away this time at 10,000 guineas.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42Godfather has been sold for 10,000 guineas,
0:53:42 > 0:53:45£10,500.
0:53:45 > 0:53:47I'm happy with that.
0:53:47 > 0:53:51That's the first time I've seen you smile in four days now.
0:53:51 > 0:53:5310,000. I was always going to be happy with that sort of price.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56Better get round the other side cos there's another bull to go soon.
0:53:58 > 0:54:00And it seems John's on a lucky streak.
0:54:00 > 0:54:02Five...
0:54:06 > 0:54:09Great Glen goes for 7,500 guineas.
0:54:10 > 0:54:13You played a binder in the end, well done, thank you.
0:54:13 > 0:54:15And General...
0:54:15 > 0:54:164,000.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19..sells for 4,000.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24After auction fees, John will make over £21,000.
0:54:24 > 0:54:27Delighted with the trade.
0:54:27 > 0:54:29Came looking for a total of 24.
0:54:29 > 0:54:31We're not going to be far away from that, so to do that with one
0:54:31 > 0:54:35bull out of the equation and not going through the ring is good.
0:54:35 > 0:54:38Yeah, pretty happy, so...
0:54:40 > 0:54:41A very good sale.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45Yeah. Very pleased.
0:54:46 > 0:54:48Yeah, it's sad to see them go.
0:54:48 > 0:54:51But, at the same time, it's a new phase in their lives,
0:54:51 > 0:54:52they're off to new homes.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55They've got some exciting time to look forward to,
0:54:55 > 0:54:57that's what they're there for, serving cows.
0:54:57 > 0:54:59A lifetime of sex and eating.
0:55:01 > 0:55:03What's not to be happy about?
0:55:05 > 0:55:10Two hours later and the continental Limousin section begins.
0:55:12 > 0:55:17Martin and the team are getting the three bulls ready to step into the ring.
0:55:17 > 0:55:19His most promising talent is Inforcer.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24I've put a reserve of four a head, and hopefully they'll go past that
0:55:24 > 0:55:26and at the very worst 4,000 a head.
0:55:26 > 0:55:29They should be all right, there's good interest.
0:55:29 > 0:55:31You never know till you go in there.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33I'm kind of nervous now.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37But the sale is two hours behind schedule
0:55:37 > 0:55:40and since Princess Anne has left, so has much of the crowd.
0:55:40 > 0:55:43It's nae very busy in here. There's not a lot of bodies here, is there?
0:55:43 > 0:55:452,200...
0:55:45 > 0:55:472,200...
0:55:47 > 0:55:50First in the ring is Inforcer.
0:55:51 > 0:55:544,500... 4,800...
0:55:54 > 0:55:55The bids are promising.
0:55:55 > 0:55:57I'll take my time for you.
0:55:57 > 0:55:595,000 guineas.
0:55:59 > 0:56:005,000-guinea bid.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02Are we all done? 5,000.
0:56:02 > 0:56:04It's a good result.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08Inforcer's sold for 5,000 guineas.
0:56:08 > 0:56:10£5,500.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14Happy enough with that.
0:56:14 > 0:56:175,000, just above average, we'll work away with that.
0:56:17 > 0:56:21One down, three to go.
0:56:24 > 0:56:25Next, is Ivanhoe
0:56:25 > 0:56:28with a reserve price of 3,000 guineas.
0:56:28 > 0:56:31Who's going to get me started here?
0:56:31 > 0:56:325,000, 4... 3...
0:56:32 > 0:56:342,000 guineas...
0:56:34 > 0:56:38After a slow start, the prices climb.
0:56:38 > 0:56:403,000...
0:56:40 > 0:56:41What do you think?
0:56:41 > 0:56:43He'll grow to a monster.
0:56:43 > 0:56:453,500. 3,800.
0:56:45 > 0:56:483,800!
0:56:48 > 0:56:52Ivanhoe is sold for 3,800 guineas.
0:56:53 > 0:56:56I'm happy now.
0:56:56 > 0:57:00Last is Ice, also with a reserve of 3,000.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02Look at the shape here, 2,800.
0:57:02 > 0:57:052,800. 2,800.
0:57:06 > 0:57:08But the bidding stalls...
0:57:08 > 0:57:122,800. I'll take my time here.
0:57:12 > 0:57:142,800.
0:57:14 > 0:57:17- Well, we're rather short here. - Yeah, another.
0:57:17 > 0:57:19Ice hasn't made his reserve.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21OK, boys, thank you very much.
0:57:25 > 0:57:29Martin will have to take him home and try to sell him at another sale.
0:57:32 > 0:57:34On the day, two away, I'm happy enough with that.
0:57:34 > 0:57:36Better than it was in October.
0:57:36 > 0:57:38Some money into the bank, I suppose.
0:57:38 > 0:57:40Like I say, I'd like to average four,
0:57:40 > 0:57:43so there's a bull at five and a bull at 3,800. I'll take that.
0:57:43 > 0:57:45On a bad day we'll take it.
0:57:45 > 0:57:48It's not the result he hoped for but at least he's walking away
0:57:48 > 0:57:52with nearly £9,000 for his farm.
0:57:57 > 0:57:58Next time -
0:57:58 > 0:58:01there's a dramatic start to the lambing season for John.
0:58:01 > 0:58:05It's going to be a bit of a struggle to get the lambs out naturally.
0:58:05 > 0:58:07I think it'll be a Caesarean.
0:58:07 > 0:58:09One, two, three.
0:58:09 > 0:58:11Yours it is.
0:58:11 > 0:58:14- Ready for another one?- Yes.
0:58:14 > 0:58:18..Martin and dad Stevie
0:58:18 > 0:58:21get into a flap building a windbreak for their lambs...
0:58:21 > 0:58:23Stupid things!
0:58:23 > 0:58:27..and George takes some clients out deerstalking.
0:58:28 > 0:58:30Yeah, perfect.