Hugh ag Ann Tudor Cefn Gwlad

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-The 2016 lambing season

-is at its height...

-..here in the Ystwyth Valley.

-I'm visiting Tynberllan Farm

-in Llanilar...

-..the home of a dear neighbour

-and friend...

-..and 1,600 cross-bred sheep

-that are currently lambing.

-This is a real family farm.

-Huw and Ann and their daughters,

-Sara and Lowri, live here.

-They also have local lads

-working on the farm.

-Let's go and meet them.

-February 2016

-Lambing has reached a peak,

-and things are quieter now.

-But this is just a short break

-before the next batch arrives.

-There's still plenty to do.

-It's now the middle of February.

-When will lambing come to an end?

-At the end of March.

-The younger ewes will start lambing

-in early March.

-Lambing will carry on

-until late March.

-There'll be very few left

-by early April.

-Do you have a system

-of lambing the older ewes first?

-Yes, that's my aim -

-the older ewes lamb first.

-The second lot

-includes younger ewes...

-..and ewes that weren't in such

-good condition in the autumn.

-At this time of the year...

-..it's adrenalin

-that keeps you going!

-You're tired, but you must

-keep going - you have no choice.

-This is our harvest.

-You'd be the first to admit

-that you have excellent staff.

-They know their job

-and they get on with it.

-I don't have to tell them anything,

-they know what they need to do.

-During lambing, the weather

-is the most critical factor.

-It's much easier

-if the weather is in your favour.

-At times, we've had to keep lambs

-indoors for several days.

-Turning them out too early

-can kill them.

-Lambs grow stronger if you

-keep them inside for a few days.

-It's amazing.

-The lambing shed

-is next to the pens.

-Dylan is busy pulling lambs,

-from dawn until dusk.

-Fostering lambs among other ewes

-is a fairly common challenge.

-What are you going to do?

-Does the lamb need fostering?

-Does the lamb need fostering?

-

-Yes, that's right.

-This ewe's giving birth to a single

-lamb and she has plenty of milk.

-The lamb's mother

-isn't producing enough milk.

-Do me a favour, Dai - hold the lamb

-while I see to the ewe.

-She's a whopper of a sheep.

-Are its feet stuck?

-Its head keeps going back.

-It's stuck fast.

-It's stuck fast.

-

-This won't take long.

-The trouble is, your hands go numb.

-It's alive, anyway.

-It's alive, anyway.

-

-It's coming, now.

-You're rubbing fluid

-all over the lamb.

-Is this method generally successful?

-Sometimes, the fostered lamb

-is that much larger...

-..and the smaller lamb suffers.

-It should be fine.

-This is a young ewe -

-she'll probably accept it.

-She has plenty of milk.

-It's important to rub

-the lambs' necks together.

-Fingers crossed,

-she'll accept the lamb.

-Yes.

-I'll take the newborn lamb through

-to the pens for five or ten minutes.

-It'll give her time

-to accept the other lamb...

-..then we'll put both together.

-It takes time to feed all the sheep

-at Tynberllan.

-Once a day, they're given

-a half-ration of concentrates.

-The other half of the concentrates

-is mixed with silage.

-This year, we have 250 triplets -

-last year, we had over 300.

-I never turn sheep outside

-with three lambs.

-The best thing to do

-is to foster lambs with other ewes.

-It's a lot of work.

-You have to make sure the

-fostering ewe accepts the lamb...

-..and that she has plenty of milk.

-Sometimes, ewes with twins

-fail to produce enough milk.

-Fostering lambs is hard work.

-You shear the ewes

-at Christmas, do you?

-We shear once a year.

-The first lot were sheared

-in December...

-..the second lot

-in early January.

-They look happy enough.

-The ewes are healthier after

-shearing and bringing them in.

-Unsheared ewes

-seem to find it too hot.

-After shearing, they're healthier.

-The weather is favourable...

-..so it isn't long before the lambs

-get to see the big, wide world.

-This load consists of 16 ewes

-and 32 lambs.

-It's all hands on deck.

-Ann Tudor, Huw's wife,

-is in charge of marking.

-Ann, you're marking.

-I can never hit the right spot.

-There's always

-some complaint or other!

-It should be in the middle.

-It would help

-if you hold the lamb straight!

-That's close enough!

-Are you vaccinating against orf?

-Are you vaccinating against orf?

-

-Yes.

-We have two main bugbears

-during lambing - orf and joint ill.

-If we don't vaccinate the lambs

-during the first few days...

-..they'll be infected with orf

-within ten days.

-Orf causes painful blistering

-around a lamb's mouth...

-..and it can also lead to lesions

-on ewes' udders...

-..and consequently,

-the ewes won't let the lambs suckle.

-Lambs that can't feed won't survive.

-That's right.

-The lambs are Texels, are they?

-The lambs are Texels, are they?

-

-Yes, these are Texels.

-I've also used Suffolks, but

-Texel lambs are slightly tougher.

-They're a bit sharper, too.

-They want to survive.

-They want to survive.

-

-Yes, more so than Suffolk lambs.

-I notice you use iodine

-on the umbilicus.

-Yes, I don't know if you noticed...

-..but we apply iodine

-as soon as they're born.

-We apply iodine again

-when we put them in pens.

-We're told that the joint ill bug

-enters via the umbilicus...

-..though some people say

-it can enter via the tonsils...

-..picked up from a dirty udder.

-I'm not sure.

-Some people think lambing

-is a wonderful thing.

-But it's a lot of hard work.

-But it's a lot of hard work.

-

-Yes.

-When we built this shed,

-30 years ago, one farmer told me...

-.."If your grandfather knew,

-he'd be turning in his grave."

-But the sight of these fine lambs

-would have him up and about again!

-Owen is transporting the new mothers

-and lambs to the field.

-The lambs don't know where they are,

-they've never been outside before.

-But it won't take long

-for them to get used to it.

-Come by.

-Lie down.

-Stay there.

-Lie down.

-How long will it take for ewes

-and lambs to find each other?

-I give them five minutes

-to sort themselves out.

-I check to make sure

-the ewes have two lambs each.

-Those two are ready to go already.

-They stop bleating

-as they sort themselves out.

-We do this every time.

-We can't risk ewes moving away

-without their lambs.

-Are you about halfway

-through lambing?

-No, I wouldn't say that.

-Ask Dylan - he's the 'shepherdess'.

-He's the accountant?

-Yes, he's in charge.

-But this is all we need - sunshine!

-Yes, outdoors.

-Sunshine benefits all creatures.

-And good grass.

-That's all a sheep needs

-to feel at home.

-That's a job and a half, Ann.

-Yes, but they like hay.

-They come inside

-after feeding on silage...

-..and it's amazing

-how much hay they eat.

-But feeding and watering take time.

-Yes, you have to keep on top of it.

-It's part of the job.

-The next storm

-is gathering, isn't it.

-Yes, things are quieter

-at the moment.

-You're on the community council.

-Yes, and this year,

-I'm the chairman.

-Out meetings

-tend to be rather sharp.

-We have plenty of things to do.

-It can be...

-We're a good group.

-Dylan, who works here,

-is one of our newer councillors.

-We're a good bunch.

-We make an effort.

-We complain to the county council

-about potholes and so on.

-Sadly, we don't get

-much of a response.

-You and Huw have been keen members

-of Llanilar Young Farmers' Club.

-That must count for something.

-Yes, that's right.

-Huw and I have gained a lot

-from being members.

-The year we got married,

-I was a YFC queen.

-There's so much to gain,

-it's priceless.

-Our daughters have been members

-of the Young Farmers' Club.

-Sara, Gwenno and Lowri have competed

-at the Royal Welsh Show.

-We try to help out

-with judging and other duties.

-Two years ago,

-the family lost Gwenno...

-..the youngest daughter...

-..in a terrible road accident,

-near Llanrhystud.

-She was 18 years old.

-Her funeral took place

-on her 19th birthday.

-This is a memorial

-to a tragic event in the family.

-You visit frequently -

-it's close to your home.

-Yes, we do.

-We come here... it depends.

-I come here occasionally, so do you.

-Sara visits

-on her way home from work.

-We don't plan to come,

-but the need arises, at times.

-It's part of your life.

-It's part of your weekly calendar.

-Recently, she would have celebrated

-her 21st birthday.

-A group of girls visited,

-and we all had a drink.

-We asked the vicar for permission,

-and we raised our glasses to her.

-I'm sure she's with us in spirit.

-I often think,

-when we're busy with lambing...

-..Gwenno would be there with me.

-We had our arguments.

-We had frequent arguments!

-But that's the way she was.

-But that's the way she was.

-

-That's the way you wanted her to be.

-We have the sweetest memories

-of her.

-And I know that she did so much more

-within her short life...

-..than many have done

-within a long timescale.

-She put as much as she could

-into living her life.

-Sometimes, we had to shout at her.

-She made you wonder, at times.

-But she enjoyed her life.

-It's such a shame,

-but that's the way things are.

-As someone said at the time...

-..the people whom we love

-are only on loan to us...

-..and sometimes,

-they are taken from us prematurely.

-.

-Subtitles

-Subtitles

-

-Subtitles

-Nant Hafod hill farm looks down

-on Llyn Clywedog in Powys.

-It's located about 40 miles

-from Tynberllan.

-Huw and his brother, Richard,

-run the farm as a joint enterprise.

-Was this the home

-of your forefathers?

-Yes - my great-great-grandfather

-came here in the 1880s...

-..from Rhos y Garreg and Bwlch.

-His father had been a gamekeeper

-on the estate.

-He suffered a shooting accident,

-and as compensation...

-..his four sons were each given

-a farm on the estate.

-My great-great-grandfather

-came here in 1888...

-..and my great-grandfather had the

-opportunity to buy the farm in 1919.

-According to rumour, the estate

-had gambling debts of 40,000...

-..and 20,000 acres of land

-had to be sold.

-How far does your land extend?

-Up to the top, over there.

-As you can see,

-Pumlumon is behind us.

-The source of the River Severn

-isn't far from here.

-Gareth has been a shepherd here

-for many years.

-This isn't a place

-for someone straight from college.

-You need a man who knows the area.

-Yes, someone who knows the farm.

-Gareth has worked here since '76.

-He worked for my uncle,

-before Richard and I took over.

-Uncle John gave us the opportunity

-to buy the place.

-We've been running the farm

-since '94.

-Gareth stayed with us.

-He's doing a good job -

-he knows his sheep.

-He knows the farm better than we do,

-because he's worked here so long.

-This is his life.

-And you help him with the sheep?

-Yes, though he manages lambing

-on his own.

-But for tasks such as shearing,

-marking and clipping...

-..we come to give him a hand.

-He also uses a horse to get around.

-Yes, he's a keen horseman.

-In summer, he uses a horse

-to get around.

-It's not something he can do

-at this time of year...

-..you can't carry sheep on a horse.

-He uses a John Deere.

-He uses a John Deere.

-

-John Wayne can manage it!

-Back at home in Tynberllan,

-lambing continues.

-Sara Tudor, one of the twins,

-is busy once again.

-Here you are.

-It's a lot of water to carry.

-Yes, all considered.

-On top of feeding.

-You're having to carry

-hay and water.

-Yes, it's hard work.

-But it keeps us fit,

-walking up and down the rows.

-Tell me about yourself.

-What are you studying?

-I work full-time

-at IBERS in Gogerddan.

-I've also started

-doing my Masters degree.

-All things considered,

-I'm kept busy!

-And lambing!

-Lowri is your twin.

-She's out in America.

-She's out in America.

-

-She's enjoying herself in America.

-And she's working,

-looking after three children.

-She's making the most of her time.

-Have you been to visit her?

-I flew out on Boxing Day and spent

-a week there over the new year.

-It was completely fab.

-I had a really good time.

-Do you hope to do much travelling,

-and visit other countries?

-Lowri's due to finish work

-at the end of May.

-She'll be taking a month off

-to travel.

-I hope to join her in June

-for two or three weeks.

-We'll be visiting

-the West Coast of America.

-You've been helping with lambing

-since you were a child.

-Yes - we didn't have much choice!

-It's something we had to do.

-But the work is good,

-and if they're busy, I like to help.

-Is this the next batch to lamb?

-Yes, I'll move them

-to the lower shed in ten days' time.

-This is the second batch.

-Younger ewes and thinner ewes...

-..that weren't fit for breeding

-as part of the first batch.

-You have them on a grazing system

-similar to the one used for cows.

-Does it work well?

-Yes, the system works well.

-How does this work -

-is it a wooden floor?

-No, the floor is made of steel -

-steel tread plate.

-The sheep stand directly on it.

-It took some trial and error

-before we found a solution.

-We tried plates

-that were half the length...

-..but the sheep

-could push those forward.

-Now, they stand on top of the

-barriers, so they can't move them.

-We can move the barriers two

-or three inches in the evening...

-..and then move them back -

-we just push them.

-Of course, the important thing

-is what's in front of the barrier.

-Yes, absolutely.

-This silage is quite good.

-This silage is quite good.

-

-You could cancel your cornflakes!

-I often think of these sheep

-as dairy cows.

-If they don't produce milk,

-they can't raise lambs.

-These days, you're better off

-sticking with sheep.

-During the busiest times, 200 lambs

-are born every day at Tynberllan.

-Keeping detailed records

-is of the utmost importance.

-Is this the important book?

-Yes, this is the book.

-We make a note of all the sheep

-brought in from the shed.

-The lambs are given treatment,

-and a record is made.

-Here's a record of the first day.

-It's slow at the beginning,

-then we see an increase.

-Detailed notes are made of twins,

-triplets and singletons.

-The man who works nights for us

-fills it in too...

-..and he gets his information

-from what we record during the day.

-Here, he can check whether a sheep

-has problems with her udder.

-If triplets are born and one of them

-dies, we make a note...

-..so he isn't left wondering

-what happened to that lamb.

-These appear rather old-fashioned.

-They're salt blocks.

-Yes, they're salt blocks, but they

-also contain selenium and cobalt.

-The sheep have access to them

-when they come into the shed.

-The nutrients

-help strengthen the uterus.

-Of all these sheep,

-only two have needed stitching.

-That's thanks to these blocks.

-We've had a few problems,

-among ewes with twins.

-It's a difficult problem.

-Sheep with uterine problems

-aren't worth keeping.

-The same problem will recur

-the following year.

-Lambing becomes very difficult.

-Ann, I'm looking at the graffiti

-on the wall.

-What's that about?

-That's been done by the students

-we've had over the years...

-..helping with lambing.

-One of them started writing

-on the wall.

-Since then, everyone who's been here

-has signed their name.

-Lots of local children, too.

-The girls' school friends

-all wanted to sign their names.

-That's what it's about.

-And the teddy bear

-watches over everyone!

-Ted was bought as a gift for Gwenno

-by her friends, Miriam and Huw.

-Ted arrived,

-but then we lost Gwenno.

-Ted was left sitting in Llanrhystud

-for a while...

-..but we had to bring him home.

-Now, he's a regular fixture when

-we're lambing and making silage.

-I think Ted could even have

-his own Facebook page!

-Yes, Ted's corner is an

-important spot in the lambing shed.

-There's still a lot of work ahead

-for the crew.

-But you can be certain

-of one thing...

-..work is a pleasure for this crew.

-Dai hasn't done anything, yet!

-I could do with more tea!

-This stool is creaking!

-Iechyd da, and a happy new year!

-S4C subtitles by Trosol Cyf.

-.