0:00:30 > 0:00:34Fields of sheep, as far as the eye can see.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Cattle chewing the cud in lush pastures.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43While pigs shelter from the sun in a real des-res.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Livestock farming has shaped much of the British countryside.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Not only do they influence the surroundings,
0:00:56 > 0:01:00but the animals I keep are also an important part of my livelihood.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03These wonderful rolling Cotswold hills were once covered in forest
0:01:03 > 0:01:07that was cleared and then grazed for centuries.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Even these dry-stone walls were an important feature,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12but they're also a boundary and keep the sheep in.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23In today's Farm Animal Special of Countryfile,
0:01:23 > 0:01:27I'll be busy on my farm, giving some of my livestock a thorough MOT.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Come on, then, girls!
0:01:31 > 0:01:36We're also revisiting some of the team's favourite encounters with animals, big and small.
0:01:42 > 0:01:47Back home in County Durham, the whole of Matt's family are helping out with lambing.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49Does it look like I've got green chicken pox?
0:01:49 > 0:01:52It does look like you've got green chicken pox, yes!
0:01:53 > 0:01:56While Julia joins some goats at the dentist.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00DRILLING That's not a good noise, wherever you hear it!
0:02:02 > 0:02:06And Ellie's in Lincolnshire, with a local favourite.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08Come on, girls.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Oooh! Come back!
0:02:10 > 0:02:14- They don't like it when you get in the way of their breakfast! - No, well, quite. Who does?
0:02:26 > 0:02:31On my farm, the work never stops, even in the summer months.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Today, we've got quite a big job, rounding up a flock of sheep.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50We've got 190 ewes and about 350 lambs.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52We've got to get them across the road and into the pens
0:02:52 > 0:02:57and sort the lambs out from the ewes and some of the lambs will be going to market.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01I've got Mike, my livestock manager, and his assistant, Dave, to help out.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04So hopefully, we'll make light work of it.
0:03:04 > 0:03:05Here, Pearl.
0:03:07 > 0:03:08Good girl.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14Good girl! Good girl!
0:03:15 > 0:03:16By!
0:03:20 > 0:03:22We've got three Border Collies,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25my dog Pearl down there,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27and then we've got Millie that we use in the yard,
0:03:27 > 0:03:31she's got a bit of Kelpie in her. And Mike's other Border Collie that's run off round there.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35There's quite a lot of hollows and dips in this field,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38so we just need to check that we've got them all.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Don't want to leave any behind.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42HE WHISTLES
0:03:42 > 0:03:45- Good girl! - WHISTLES
0:03:45 > 0:03:47It's actually a pleasure being out on a day like today,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49working with the dogs. I just love it.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51Even though it's hard work, it's great fun.
0:03:53 > 0:03:54HE WHISTLES
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Neither the dogs or the sheep like running round too much when it gets hot,
0:03:57 > 0:04:02so we're starting quite early in the morning, before the sun gets up too high.
0:04:03 > 0:04:04HE WHISTLES
0:04:09 > 0:04:12These lambs were all born in March, April time.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15And this is the first time that we've got them in the pens
0:04:15 > 0:04:19to weigh them to see if they're fit and ready to go to market.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20There should be about 20 or 30.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23It's quite exciting, really, because it's payback time,
0:04:23 > 0:04:25this is when we start earning some money from our sheep!
0:04:25 > 0:04:26Come on, then!
0:04:35 > 0:04:37Good girl. Bring them on!
0:04:38 > 0:04:42We'll also be going through the ewes and doing an overall health check
0:04:42 > 0:04:45and taking out any old ewes that are past their day,
0:04:45 > 0:04:47and they'll also go to market for mutton.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Bring them on, Pearl. Good girl. Good girl.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02Right, now we've got them in, we can start to sort the ewes from the lambs.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05It's really quite exciting at this time of year,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08because you find out how well the lambs have done through the growing season
0:05:08 > 0:05:10and work out what the crop is like.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13You've got your ewe lambs that we're keeping round for next year,
0:05:13 > 0:05:16and then the lambs that are going for market, for meat.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19And it's busy and hot work and quite hard.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22But nothing really compares to lambing.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Back in the spring, Matt went home to County Durham.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31Joining him amongst the moors and rugged hillsides were his family,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34not for the peace and quiet, but to get stuck in!
0:05:38 > 0:05:40It's lambing time on our family farm.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43So this weekend, we're all back to help out.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51Bright and early, we're all out feeding the new mums.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53My wife Nicola is here with our two children, Luke and Molly.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Come on, sheep!
0:05:55 > 0:05:56Come and get it!
0:05:58 > 0:06:00My mum runs a flock of pedigree Hampshire Downs,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04they're the most northerly flock of organic Hampshires in the country.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Mum's been lambing for just over a month, and they're still popping out! SHEEP BLEATS
0:06:08 > 0:06:10We have a very expectant mum here.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13- Early signs...- Waters have gone.
0:06:13 > 0:06:14- We need to pen her up, don't we? - Yeah.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26We'll just give her this pen, just so that the little lambs
0:06:26 > 0:06:29aren't really in danger of being trampled or anything like that.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32It also stops them from wandering too far.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37But there's always one adventurous soul keen to explore!
0:06:39 > 0:06:40Come on, Number 41!
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Back you go.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48My little ones love to help out,
0:06:48 > 0:06:50even if Molly can't quite reach the hayrack.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56The newborns need numbering and I'm about to let Luke loose with a marker spray.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00- Woah!- I know, it's amazing, isn't it? Go for it.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Good.
0:07:02 > 0:07:03That's it.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08Good! That's it. Just put the little bottom on because you didn't quite see that.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Great. That's a number four. Perfect.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18- Now you know how it feels. All right? Do you want to do it for real? - Yeah!
0:07:20 > 0:07:24That's it. And then a line along the bottom. That's it, good.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26And then one... that's it, all the way down.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Good. That's perfect! Good.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35You've got quite a lot of it on your cheek!
0:07:35 > 0:07:36HE LAUGHS
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Does it look like I've got green chicken pox?
0:07:41 > 0:07:44It does look like you've got green chicken pox, yes!
0:07:44 > 0:07:48I don't think the other spectators are as impressed as me!
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Up at the farmhouse, my dad is starting the next round of feeding.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57You may be wondering why we have an outdoor freezer in the garden.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01Well, this, believe it or not, is where me dad keeps all his bird seed.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06We've got such a variety just because of all the different species of birds that we have.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10So all the different seeds are tailored to each of the birds.
0:08:10 > 0:08:15We've got nuts here, just general peanuts, various different sunflower seeds as well.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20And these are like thistle seeds, so naturally in the wild,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24goldfinches would pop down and take the little seeds off the seed heads.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28But we've got bucket-loads of that as well and, um, yeah.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Let me show you the next stage, because it gets more impressive!
0:08:33 > 0:08:37And here we are at the live aviary.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40Basically, we've set up this bird activity centre,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42right opposite the kitchen window.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46So why feed all these birds and then not see them?
0:08:46 > 0:08:48I've counted over 20 different species out here.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52- Right.- Different types.- Look, do you want to... I tell you what, I'll pour that in there.
0:08:54 > 0:08:55That's it.
0:08:57 > 0:08:58Really good.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02That's it. Good lad.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Go and grab that.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Can you manage?
0:09:08 > 0:09:09Go on, have a go.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11'As well as the rarer species of birds,
0:09:11 > 0:09:13'pheasants also pay a visit to the bird buffet.'
0:09:13 > 0:09:16We've put a load of wheat in the top.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19The pheasant comes underneath, with its beak.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Give it a little tap with your foot again, Luke.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26That's it, Luke. And it all pops out.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28How many pheasants did you say we had here the other day?
0:09:28 > 0:09:3020. All at one time.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33We've turned into bird farmers! Look at this!
0:09:33 > 0:09:37- This is a daily occurrence for me dad!- It is, yeah!
0:09:38 > 0:09:42All ideal for a super view whilst doing the washing-up.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46Or even a spot of kitchen-window photography.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49We don't normally...
0:09:49 > 0:09:51We don't normally climb into the sink!
0:09:51 > 0:09:52HE LAUGHS
0:09:52 > 0:09:55This is how we do it when cameras are here!
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Well, now the birds have had their fill,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03it's time to get back to the sheep.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05The ewe from earlier still hasn't given birth.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08She finally did a few hours later.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10The film crew have gone.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14This ewe is now minutes away from giving birth, if not seconds.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Thankfully I've got this little handi-cam
0:10:16 > 0:10:19so we can give you an idea of what happens from here.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21There we go. That's not a big lamb.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23I don't know what all that fuss was about.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Thankfully, her twins were fighting fit,
0:10:32 > 0:10:36but there's always a few weaker ones, like this one,
0:10:36 > 0:10:37that need a helping hand.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41There we go. You are a little thing, aren't you? Hmm?
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Yeah, you're thirsty. All right.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Feeding time at the Baker zoo.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48Wow. He's hungry, isn't he?
0:10:48 > 0:10:50That's it, sweetheart. Good girl.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52LAMB BLEATS
0:11:00 > 0:11:03Over the border from County Durham,
0:11:03 > 0:11:05to another county famous for its sheep.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07But when Katie visited Cumbria,
0:11:07 > 0:11:09it was to see another kind of farming,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12and business is booming for a new brood of farmers.
0:11:14 > 0:11:1914.5 million eggs come through this packing plant every year,
0:11:19 > 0:11:23and most of them come from farms that are less than 30 miles away.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26It's a huge, high-tech operation, but in this story,
0:11:26 > 0:11:30it's not the egg, but the chicken that comes first.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36That's because all the eggs come from free-range chickens.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39But just what does it take to be free range?
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Well, these beauties must be free to roam with at least an acre
0:11:42 > 0:11:44for every 800 hens.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Like these girls in here.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50There aren't any cages, just water, food,
0:11:50 > 0:11:54and a lot of room to move around.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Now, it might look a little bit packed,
0:11:56 > 0:11:59but they do have the option to go outside.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01They just don't always choose to do that,
0:12:01 > 0:12:05and that's because of nurture rather than nature.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08The chicken is a descendent of the red jungle fowl,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11originally from north-east India and southern China.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15They're happiest in the protective cover the jungle provides.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17So, that's where these come in.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20- Should I hold the tree? - I'll hold it.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25So here we are essentially trying to create a jungle, is that right?
0:12:25 > 0:12:29Well, not exactly a jungle but yes, it's the principle of a jungle.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31And why are you doing that?
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Well, it's too improve the welfare of the hens, really,
0:12:33 > 0:12:37to try and de-stress them a little bit.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Have you found any results yet?
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Have you found that these chickens
0:12:41 > 0:12:43are enjoying having more trees to roam around?
0:12:43 > 0:12:46That doesn't seem to be a lot of feather pecking going on,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50which is a sign that they are not stressed
0:12:50 > 0:12:52and that they're quite contented and generally happy.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Feather pecking is when they peck each other.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57They peck the feathers out of each other, yes.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59That's not something we've got a problem with.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04This isn't just a scheme dreamt up by Patricia.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Free-range egg producers right across Cumbria
0:13:07 > 0:13:10are planting trees to provide happier habitats for their hens,
0:13:10 > 0:13:14and it's backed up by scientists and big egg buyers too.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Joy Clackon is a farmer and a scientist.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Her research is part of a nationwide study
0:13:22 > 0:13:25backed by one of the biggest purchasers of free-range eggs,
0:13:25 > 0:13:26McDonald's.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Our research found that they feel at home in this environment.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33It provides everything they need, the shade, the shelter,
0:13:33 > 0:13:37the protection, and as you can see, the birds just absolutely love it
0:13:37 > 0:13:40and express so much natural behaviour.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42Is it not, sorry to sound a bit cynical,
0:13:42 > 0:13:43a PR exercise for McDonald's?
0:13:43 > 0:13:45Not at all, no.
0:13:45 > 0:13:52For us, it's about proving that commitment to improving animal welfare,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55working in collaboration with our suppliers and their producers.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01The egg explosion in Cumbria is a triumph that came from adversity.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06The county was one of the worst hit by the outbreak of foot and mouth.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12It forced many livestock farmers, like Patricia, into a rethink.
0:14:12 > 0:14:16We decided we needed to think about other options
0:14:16 > 0:14:19so that we didn't have all of our eggs in one basket,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24and we decided to look into another...means of farming
0:14:24 > 0:14:27- and this is what we decided on. - So how many hens do you have now?
0:14:27 > 0:14:31- 10,500.- And you started with?
0:14:31 > 0:14:324,000 the first year,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36and we liked it so much that we decided to expand.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Once collected, the eggs from Patricia
0:14:38 > 0:14:43and 37 other farms from all over Cumbria come through here.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48It's a high-tech operation,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50and owner Dave Brass is giving me a guided tour.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53This is where the eggs have just come in.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55This machine takes a picture of all the eggs.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57It also senses which way around the egg is,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00because we want to put all the eggs into the egg box point down.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Do any eggs ever break in all of this?
0:15:02 > 0:15:05It's going very fast, this machine.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08In half a million eggs a day, we lose maybe a couple of dozen.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Next piece of equipment is a crack detector.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14There's lots of little hammers in there,
0:15:14 > 0:15:18and they hit the eggshell very gently and listen to the echo.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22Now, the computer knows where every faulty egg is and every good egg is.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25This is the bee's knees, state-of-the-art machinery.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28We're using car-building robots to put eggs in boxes.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31If all eggs in this country were produced in a free-range way,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34would there be enough eggs for the whole country?
0:15:34 > 0:15:38In theory, yes, but you've got to remember that free-range takes land,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and an area the size of Dorset would be required for all of that.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44So it's fitting that within with the rest of agriculture the UK.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49While the egg-packing technology may be thoroughly modern,
0:15:49 > 0:15:51it's thanks to ancient Asian ancestors
0:15:51 > 0:15:53that the egg producers of Cumbria
0:15:53 > 0:15:56are giving their hens a free-range future.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Today on the farm, we're rounding up all our ewes and lambs
0:16:09 > 0:16:11for the first time this year.
0:16:13 > 0:16:14Now we've got them in,
0:16:14 > 0:16:16we sort them out to decide which ones we're keeping
0:16:16 > 0:16:19and which ones are going to market. Come on, girls.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28We're just emptying a pen
0:16:28 > 0:16:31so that they've got a pen to sort the lambs out into.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35They finished being dependent on their mothers,
0:16:35 > 0:16:38and now they enter the big wide world of living on their own.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Go on, then. Steady, steady.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53As they come into the scales, they have an electronic chip
0:16:53 > 0:16:57in their ear, and it can identify the lamb on the computer,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00knows when it was born and how quickly it's been growing things,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02and it also gives us its live weight now,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04and this lamb is 40 kilos,
0:17:04 > 0:17:08which is perfect for going to market, for going for the table.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10We then also feel its back,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13make sure it's got a good meat coverage.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17This one's ready to go. It's all right, Mike, isn't it?
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Give it a red dot. It'll be gone tomorrow morning.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Only those of 40 kilos or over will be sold.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29So this little lamb is only 29 kilos.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30Got another couple of months to go.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40Big lamb.
0:17:42 > 0:17:43What's that's? 40...
0:17:43 > 0:17:47- 54.- 44. Very good.- 54.- 54? Whopper!
0:17:47 > 0:17:48It's ready to go.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50LAMBS BLEAT
0:17:53 > 0:17:55As well as sifting through the lambs,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58we're also separating off some ewes before they cause us any problems.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00With the ewes,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03on top of the information we've got from the electronic tags,
0:18:03 > 0:18:06finding out if they've had any problems during the year,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08we also need to physically check them.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10We check udders to make sure they've had no mastitis.
0:18:10 > 0:18:15Trying to feel for lumps or any infection. Feels fine.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17And then they also need to have good teeth
0:18:17 > 0:18:19so that they can graze on for another year
0:18:19 > 0:18:22to keep themselves in good condition during pregnancy
0:18:22 > 0:18:24and to rear lambs next spring.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28They say that 10% of your flock is 90% of your hassle,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31so I want to clear out any ewes that are causing any problems,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34and that hopefully will improve the quality of my flock
0:18:34 > 0:18:36and the amount of work we have to do with them.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38If she was a cull, she would go for mutton,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41and the lambs go for meat for the table too,
0:18:41 > 0:18:45and really, modern-day sheep production is all about meat.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47It's a shame their wool isn't worth more.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54It's been a source of frustration for me for years.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56Thankfully, things have improved,
0:18:56 > 0:18:58but sometimes the cost of shearing each sheep
0:18:58 > 0:19:01is still more than the price you get for the wool.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03That's just not sustainable.
0:19:03 > 0:19:08So a while back, I decided to get a British wool suit made,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11using some fleece from my own sheep.
0:19:13 > 0:19:14Get out of it, dog.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20(LAUGHS) Great help you are.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25Job done. Now, on with my mission.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30Right. Time to get the ball rolling.
0:19:30 > 0:19:31I've smartened myself up,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35and now I'm going to take this wool to a pretty special place.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39This farm boy is off to the heady heights of the big city.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43I'm going to see how good old British wool like mine can be transformed
0:19:43 > 0:19:47into a top class suit, and where better than Savile Row?
0:19:49 > 0:19:53It's exciting to be in the most famous street of tailors in the world,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57some of whom are as passionate about British wool as I am.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Patrick Grant is the youngest governor on Savile Row.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07His firm has made suits for royalty, Winston Churchill,
0:20:07 > 0:20:09and even Frank Sinatra.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Like me, he's a champion of British wool.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19- Hello, Patrick.- Good morning, Adam. How are you?- Very well, thank you.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Weather all right for you? Make you feel at home.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Thank you very much for inviting me along.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26This is wool straight off the sheep's back,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29and I just brought you a little selection.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33Here we are. This is Romney wool in its raw state.
0:20:33 > 0:20:37Dangle and all. A bit of muck and rubbish on there.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41- Quite a commercial breed.- Quite fine, actually.- Reasonably fine wool.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43I've got quite a lot of those.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45Now, one of my favourite breeds
0:20:45 > 0:20:49is the castle milk moorit, which is a very rare breed.
0:20:49 > 0:20:55You can't produce beautiful browns in these shades using chemical dyes,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58and some of these rarer breeds
0:20:58 > 0:21:01produce such beautiful, natural colours,
0:21:01 > 0:21:04that the cloths that you produce are just wonderful to wear.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Increasingly now, there's a small section of the market
0:21:07 > 0:21:11that's getting into the idea of producing British cloths
0:21:11 > 0:21:14from British wools, which is a really important breakthrough.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19I'm intrigued to see what kind of cloth can be made
0:21:19 > 0:21:21from this wonderful resource.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26- You're fitting people with suits all the time.- Yeah.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28What should we be looking for?
0:21:28 > 0:21:31I think the thing, especially with tweeds and British wools,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34you're looking for something with a soft handle that you enjoy wearing.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Clothes from Savile Row are expensive.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40You want it to last 20, 25 years.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43You want a cloth that's reasonably robust in handle.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46Something that just grabs your eye that you're going to want to wear.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Something that works with the clothes you wear on a daily basis.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Just something that you like the look of. These are wonderful.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54I would choose any of these.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- I suppose the first thing... - Get you measured up.- Great.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Now I need to take some of my raw fleeces
0:22:05 > 0:22:07to a specialist in spinning British wool,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09to find out if it's good enough to make a suit.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18I'm here to meet Sue Blacker, and I'm showing her my Jacob wool,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20with its distinct colours. I hope she likes it.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26What we have here is weaving yarn.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31It's on cones, ready for them to pull it off in the mills.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35- This is quite fine. - It is, isn't it? Very fine.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Now I'm wondering how much Jacob wool Sue needs
0:22:40 > 0:22:42to make enough yarn for a suit.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47So ten sheep, about 12 cones, and we're there. Sounds easy.
0:22:47 > 0:22:48Well, quite easy.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51It's taken 2,000 years to get there in technical terms.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57I'm taking some of Sue's yarn to the weaver's workshop.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01It needs to go somewhere that really appreciates the natural colours
0:23:01 > 0:23:03and textures of British wool.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06That's the challenge for designer Rosemary Boone.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Hi, Rosemary. Now, I've got some of these yarns for you,
0:23:10 > 0:23:14and goodness knows whether you can make a suit from it, but...
0:23:14 > 0:23:16- What do you think?- That feels great. It's lovely.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Very, very strong. Brilliant. We can certainly weave some of that.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22- Yeah?- Yes.- Great.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24I've got no idea how much we need or what the process is,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26but you've got some lovely cloths here.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28It depends what you're wanting to leave.
0:23:28 > 0:23:34For a suit length, you probably need 3.5 metres, about four kilos,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36so we'll see how much we've got.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39We've recently woven a few British wools
0:23:39 > 0:23:42into fabrics for Paris and Milan exhibitions,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44and they were very popular.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Rosemary thinks we're in business.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51That's not bad. That's nearly enough. That's fine.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Your wool ends up here,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58and then every single end of the wool needs to be drawn by Allison,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00depending on what design you're after.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03If you're after herringbone or Prince of Wales,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05it's a different set of pulls.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07So this'll happen to my wool.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11These fibres will get drawn through Allison to make up the pattern.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13- Incredible, isn't it? Very labour-intensive.- It is, yeah.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17People forget that. It's a very time-consuming process.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Keep up the good work, Allison. My wool is coming your way.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23This small weaving company, with all its tradition,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26is now led by entrepreneur Deborah Meaden,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29because she shares my passion for wool.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31I stepped across the threshold.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34I smelled it, I heard the sound and I loved it.
0:24:34 > 0:24:39But my business side was able to come absolutely bang on together
0:24:39 > 0:24:42with my heart, because it's a good business
0:24:42 > 0:24:46and it's in a fabulous industry. It's just great to work in.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48At one time, the nation was built on wool, wasn't it?
0:24:48 > 0:24:51It was such a valuable product, and if we can pull that back...
0:24:51 > 0:24:55I don't think that we'll ever dominate the world with wool again.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Actually, we don't have the space. We can't.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02But what we can do is find our place in that market,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05and we are not fulfilling that at the moment.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06We've kind of walked away, we've said,
0:25:06 > 0:25:11"Well, we don't do wool any more." Actually, we do. We should.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15- And we should do it and we do do it well.- Brilliant.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Well, I'm very excited about you weaving some of my wool here,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21and then eventually, might end up as a suit.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23So we should get it off the ground.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Should, absolutely. You're in good hands.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Later on, we'll discover how my mission and my suit turned out.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36And also still to come on Countryfile...
0:25:36 > 0:25:39- Oh, my Lord!- ..Julia meets the goats at the cutting edge of science.
0:25:39 > 0:25:40Straight for it.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43- That's it. - THEY LAUGH
0:25:43 > 0:25:46Jules is surrounded by some unusual big beasts...
0:25:46 > 0:25:50- Watch that one behind you. - Thank you very much, yes!
0:25:50 > 0:25:53..and we'll have the Countryfile weather forecast for the bank holiday
0:25:53 > 0:25:55and the week ahead.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05Lincolnshire is famed for its crop-filled fields
0:26:05 > 0:26:07and it's big skies.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13When Ellie visited, it was to find out about another claim to fame -
0:26:13 > 0:26:16its proud tradition of pig-rearing.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23About 100 years ago, most families around here
0:26:23 > 0:26:25would have had a pig or two in the backyard.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29They fed on scraps, so they were pretty easy and cheap to keep
0:26:29 > 0:26:32and when it came to the eating, you could use every single bit.
0:26:32 > 0:26:37But Lincolnshire's most famous pork product is of course a sausage.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43The renowned Lincolnshire sausage has been produced here
0:26:43 > 0:26:45for well over 100 years.
0:26:45 > 0:26:46Not on a commercial scale,
0:26:46 > 0:26:50but as good old-fashioned home-made grub to feed the family.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Terry and Jane Tomlinson
0:26:52 > 0:26:55are working to keep that artisan tradition alive.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02- Are they hungry ladies?- Yes.
0:27:02 > 0:27:03THEY OINK
0:27:03 > 0:27:04Come on, girls.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Ooh, stand back.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12- They don't like it when you get in the way of their breakfast. - No, well quite. Who does?
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Let's be honest.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18Their pig farm may be a tad larger than the old-style family setup,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20but they're staying true to the free-range tradition.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23The pigs live entirely outdoors,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26sheltering and sleeping in these huts.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28And this is to keep it all nice and dry, really.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Keep it all dry, so they clean their feet before they go into the huts.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34So what breed are these, Terry, these pigs?
0:27:34 > 0:27:36The pigs we have here, they're duroc cross landrace.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38That's why you get the different colours.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Why have you chosen those breeds?
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Well, the duroc because it's a very, very hardy animal,
0:27:43 > 0:27:48fantastic mothers and the eating quality is brilliant as well.
0:27:52 > 0:27:53Their 72 sows have two litters a year,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57so the farm has a constant flow of pigs of all ages.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Look how small they are!
0:28:01 > 0:28:04These guys here are about a fortnight old.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07They like to come out and do a little bit of exploring.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09But we like to keep them in,
0:28:09 > 0:28:11initially for about the first fortnight.
0:28:11 > 0:28:16If they're let out altogether, you get a lot of cross-suckling,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19so the big boys get all the milk and little ones get pushed out.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24The farm produces 700 kilos of sausages a week,
0:28:24 > 0:28:26which they sell at market.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28- Hi, Jane.- Hello, Ellie.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Jane is obsessed with keeping the tradition
0:28:32 > 0:28:35of real Lincolnshire sausages alive.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38So much so that for the last seven years, she's been backing a campaign
0:28:38 > 0:28:41to get them protected status under European law.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45The PGI status is to protect
0:28:45 > 0:28:49the geographical indication of our Lincolnshire sausages,
0:28:49 > 0:28:51which means they can only be made in Lincolnshire
0:28:51 > 0:28:54and also, to protect the specification.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58- They're made like this, they're natural skins.- Mm-hm.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00They're course open texture,
0:29:00 > 0:29:02so they're not overly minced.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04Why does it matter to YOU to get PGI status?
0:29:04 > 0:29:06It's all part of our heritage
0:29:06 > 0:29:08and it stays within the county for generations to come.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12I'm going to leave Jane and Terry to it now,
0:29:12 > 0:29:15because I'm off to make a Lincolnshire sausage the old-fashioned way
0:29:15 > 0:29:16with a woman who's so passionate,
0:29:16 > 0:29:19she's written a whole book about them.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Every family in Lincolnshire
0:29:23 > 0:29:25has its own closely-guarded sausage recipe
0:29:25 > 0:29:28handed down through the generations.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32But I've found a lady who's prepared to divulge her family secrets.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34Local chef, Rachel Green.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Go on then, how do we do it?
0:29:37 > 0:29:40You need some coarsely-ground shoulder,
0:29:40 > 0:29:43rusk, or it could be breadcrumbs if you want to use breadcrumbs.
0:29:43 > 0:29:44And I've got sage,
0:29:44 > 0:29:47lots of, because that's really what Lincolnshire sausages are all about.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51- Is this your secret family recipe? - Well, it is, actually.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53It's from my great-great-grandmother,
0:29:53 > 0:29:57so there's one ingredient people generally don't put into Lincolnshire sausages
0:29:57 > 0:30:00- and that is going to be freshly ground nutmeg.- Ooh!
0:30:00 > 0:30:03- Something a little bit different. - Quite a bit?- Yes, quite a bit.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06I remember as a little girl,
0:30:06 > 0:30:09you'd have pig parts... we kept pigs obviously
0:30:09 > 0:30:11and we'd make sausages and I'd make them with my grandmother
0:30:11 > 0:30:14and the head would be there and the trotters there
0:30:14 > 0:30:17and you know, it would be a real family thing.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19I think making the sausages was always a really fun bit for me,
0:30:19 > 0:30:22because I could relate to that as a little girl. Get passionate with it.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25You've got to really work hard at it, actually.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28- Work hard.- Harder, Ellie, harder. - Come on. Put your back in to it.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Do you want to stuff a bit in, then, first?
0:30:34 > 0:30:36The skins are made of pig intestines,
0:30:36 > 0:30:39so the end product is entirely natural.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41I'm doing Lincolnshire a very bad service here!
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Do you know why they were called bangers?
0:30:43 > 0:30:45- Because of the way I made them.- No!
0:30:45 > 0:30:47No, after the Second World War,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49they used to put a lot more water in,
0:30:49 > 0:30:51so the moment you cooked them, they'd explode.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53Here we go.
0:30:53 > 0:30:54Brace yourselves.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59- You've just got a bit of air in them. - Bit of air!?
0:30:59 > 0:31:02- Bit of air in the bottom.- Oh, dear! I'm so sorry, Lincolnshire.- No, no.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Thankfully, I don't have to eat my handiwork.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Rachel's got some of her own, ready and waiting.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10The best thing in the world,
0:31:10 > 0:31:13a really good Lincolnshire sausage, before the dogs get it.
0:31:15 > 0:31:16Mmm!
0:31:16 > 0:31:19You can take that texture really well and lots of sage.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22- Mmm, really good. Thank you very much.- My pleasure.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33Peek-a-boo.
0:31:33 > 0:31:34There's a good little girl.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41Today, the sun may be shining, but combine that with the rain we had
0:31:41 > 0:31:46earlier in the summer and you have the perfect conditions for insects.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49And they can be more than just an irritation.
0:31:53 > 0:31:58I'm putting a chemical on the backs of my white parks here
0:31:58 > 0:32:03to protect them against biting lice and flies
0:32:03 > 0:32:04that can cause them harm.
0:32:04 > 0:32:09Just have to put on a bit of waterproof clothing.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12And some gloves.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16And the flies can affect them in various ways.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19It can give them summer mastitis,
0:32:19 > 0:32:21which affects the udder
0:32:21 > 0:32:25and can cause an infection and also the flies get around their eyes
0:32:25 > 0:32:27and can cause a thing called New Forest disease or pinkeye,
0:32:27 > 0:32:30when they get an infection inside the eye.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33And one thing I'm hoping it will also do
0:32:33 > 0:32:37is protect them partly against a horrible new disease
0:32:37 > 0:32:40that we've got in this country called Schmallenberg.
0:32:41 > 0:32:47So far, upwards of 275 farms have been infected by Schmallenberg.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50It causes calves and lambs born from infected mothers
0:32:50 > 0:32:53to have birth defects.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56It's thought to have been brought over by infected midges
0:32:56 > 0:32:59blown across the Channel.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01And that's not the only disease to bother us.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09We lost some cows and some bulls to TB,
0:33:09 > 0:33:13but thankfully, we're now starting to rebuild the herd.
0:33:20 > 0:33:21This fly protection,
0:33:21 > 0:33:24it's just a small dribble down their backs
0:33:24 > 0:33:27and a little bit on their heads, but it works over the whole body
0:33:27 > 0:33:30and will last about eight weeks.
0:33:30 > 0:33:35And it's now that the flies really start to trouble these cattle.
0:33:35 > 0:33:36There you go.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42There's currently no vaccine or cure for Schmallenberg,
0:33:42 > 0:33:45so the chemical treatment is the best I can do.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49I love my white parks and old-fashioned breeds.
0:33:49 > 0:33:53But there are other magnificent cattle on some British farms.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Jules visited Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03where there's a farm with a different breed of beast in their fields.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Now, at first glance, this farm is pretty much like any other.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16Ploughed fields, rolling hills, hedgerows, animals grazing.
0:34:16 > 0:34:21It's exactly what you'd expect to find anywhere in the county.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25Except these are water buffalo.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29This is the largest herd in the UK.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34And dairy manager Nigel Arrowsmith looks after these curious beasts.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36Here we are in the heart of Hampshire,
0:34:36 > 0:34:41surrounded by... How many water buffalo have we got here?
0:34:41 > 0:34:44In this field, there's about 160.
0:34:44 > 0:34:45How is it to look after them?
0:34:45 > 0:34:48Do you husband them the same as you would beef cattle?
0:34:48 > 0:34:51Well, these are all milking cows in here.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53From a stockmanship point of view,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56- they're absolutely easy to look after.- Are they?
0:34:56 > 0:34:58They're incredibly curious creatures, aren't they?
0:34:58 > 0:35:01Yes, they react to people really well.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03Some would say that they're quite,
0:35:03 > 0:35:05sort of intimidating with these horns and so forth,
0:35:05 > 0:35:08but they are all quite relaxed, aren't they?
0:35:08 > 0:35:09Yes, watch that one behind you.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13Yes, thank you very much, yes! I'm looking all over the place now.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16They do, they respond to people really, really well.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18Now, what's the big difference though?
0:35:18 > 0:35:22Because we'd associate them with big pools of water and wallowing in mud.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25Do they do that here or are they just grazing normally?
0:35:25 > 0:35:27They absolutely love wallowing.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29If there's any puddles about,
0:35:29 > 0:35:33they'll build it into a swimming pool-sized hole and wallow in that.
0:35:33 > 0:35:38They do it because in the summer, it's their way of losing heat.
0:35:38 > 0:35:40You've obviously got a great deal of affection for them, Nigel.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42I love them.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44I loved working with dairy cows for 40-odd years,
0:35:44 > 0:35:46but these are just so refreshing.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50And the water buffalo aren't the only thing
0:35:50 > 0:35:52that sets this farm apart.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55COMMENTATOR: Jody Scheckter wins...
0:35:55 > 0:35:59Back in the 1970s, Jody was a Formula 1 driver,
0:35:59 > 0:36:01becoming world champion in 1979.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07Since then, he's swapped the race track for a 2,500 acre farm.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13The life of a farmer is a far cry from the fast lane of motor racing.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15How did it all start for you?
0:36:15 > 0:36:17Well, I've always been a foodie
0:36:17 > 0:36:23and I've always done a lot of exercise and been keen on health
0:36:23 > 0:36:27and so I said OK, I'll produce the best and healthiest food for myself and my family.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29It's not just a hobby, is it?
0:36:29 > 0:36:34Well, I had to try and understand how it could become sustainable
0:36:34 > 0:36:37and you needed some volume and that's why it got bigger and bigger really.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Why am I organic? Because I believe that's the way
0:36:39 > 0:36:42you produce the best, healthiest food.
0:36:42 > 0:36:43FORMULA 1 THEME TUNE
0:36:43 > 0:36:45Come on, then!
0:36:46 > 0:36:49Back at the dairy, they're gearing up for milking time.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Over 1,000 buffalo have to be milked twice a day.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04Compared with a standard dairy cow,
0:37:04 > 0:37:08water buffalo produce two-thirds less milk
0:37:08 > 0:37:09at around 2,000 litres a year.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14Milking is now well under way, but of course the big question is,
0:37:14 > 0:37:16what do they do with all of this milk?
0:37:16 > 0:37:19Well, here, they're one of the few places in Britain
0:37:19 > 0:37:24that set about the task of trying to make a classic Italian cheese.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30The on-farm dairy produces 69 tonnes of mozzarella a year
0:37:30 > 0:37:31from its buffalo herd.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35They're one of the first serious producers in the UK
0:37:35 > 0:37:39and as you expect on this farm, that means getting in an expert.
0:37:39 > 0:37:44Italian Thomas Vallenzano has been making mozzarella for years.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48This curd, we use for making mozzarella.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52Do you know, it almost looks like mozzarella now, doesn't it?
0:37:52 > 0:37:55First, the curd is separated from the whey.
0:37:55 > 0:37:59We have the curd, just the curd for stretching
0:37:59 > 0:38:01and wash up in the stretching machine.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07And once it's been melted and stretched,
0:38:07 > 0:38:09its into the moulds.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11So, this is the finished product?
0:38:11 > 0:38:14The mozzarella, we take the salt in this section.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17It's then cooled in salt water and finito.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20I'm not just saying this... That is absolutely delicious.
0:38:20 > 0:38:21Isn't it?
0:38:22 > 0:38:24I'm just going to keep eating.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26HE LAUGHS
0:38:26 > 0:38:27On the salad, it's fantastic.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37Well, if an Italian is helping to make the cheese,
0:38:37 > 0:38:40it's only right you get another one in to try it.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Top chef Aldo Zilli loves mozzarella. But British?
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Well, we're about to find out what he thinks.
0:38:46 > 0:38:51There you go, look. A nice plateful of buffalo mozzarella.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55Buffalo mozzarella, in Italy, it's still a little bit of a luxury.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58People eat it on a Sunday when they're round a table
0:38:58 > 0:39:00and they want something a little bit special.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03Otherwise they'll have the cow's milk mozzarella.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07Mozzarella, it's a staple part of the Italian diet.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10Absolutely and buffalo mozzarella, you don't cut it with a knife,
0:39:10 > 0:39:12you just break it with your fingers. Look at that.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14I'll serve it with this wonderful mixture
0:39:14 > 0:39:17of roasted tomatoes and some red onion.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20- Look at this.- You're just letting it breathe, aren't you?
0:39:20 > 0:39:22Just beautiful food at its best.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26- Couple of tomatoes, colours, basil on top.- Yes.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30Extra virgin olive oil and there's your lunch...
0:39:30 > 0:39:32If you've ever seen one.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38And it's only fair the boss gets to taste it too.
0:39:38 > 0:39:43I want you to try this with the tomatoes on it, see what you think.
0:39:45 > 0:39:46Mamma mia!
0:39:49 > 0:39:51That is lovely.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54You just brought me back 30 years.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56And I'm growing up in my farm again.
0:39:56 > 0:39:57- It's good.- It's amazing.
0:39:57 > 0:40:03Is it as good as Italian buffalo mozzarella or better?
0:40:03 > 0:40:06- If nothing else, it's as good. - It is fabulous, isn't it?
0:40:06 > 0:40:08I would be very happy to serve this in my restaurant.
0:40:08 > 0:40:10There you have it.
0:40:10 > 0:40:14English buffalo mozzarella, approved by an Italian.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29All my animals spend much of their time on their feet.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33If you don't keep an eye on things, it can lead to bigger trouble
0:40:33 > 0:40:35further down the line.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38We've just got a farrier in to foot-trim our baby donkeys
0:40:38 > 0:40:40that were born on the farm.
0:40:40 > 0:40:44- Hi, Glen.- Hi.- I'll just hold its head for you. How are they behaving?
0:40:44 > 0:40:47- Yeah, not too bad. They're doing all right.- Oh...
0:40:48 > 0:40:51There's a good baby. COCKEREL CROWS
0:40:51 > 0:40:53Do you do many donkeys?
0:40:53 > 0:40:56Um, yeah, quite a few, mainly yours.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59We do a few elsewhere but not too many. More horses.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01And are they different to horses?
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Yeah, they've got more sort of upright feet and...
0:41:04 > 0:41:08yeah, their soles don't exfoliate, so you've got to do that for them.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11- Right. It's quite a skill, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13These are two baby donkeys that we've sold,
0:41:13 > 0:41:17so just giving them a bit of an MOT, trimming their feet up.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20And I'll give them a bit of a brush to get rid of their winter coat,
0:41:20 > 0:41:23they're looking a bit moth-eaten, before they go to their new home.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25And trimming feet of equines,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28horses and donkeys is a fairly regular occurrence, so you have
0:41:28 > 0:41:32to keep on top of it, and we employ a professional farrier to do it.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36- Yeah, that's fine. Cheers, Alan.- All right, see you later.- See you soon.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40'It's not just donkeys that need a pedicure today.'
0:41:44 > 0:41:47With all the wet weather we had back in the early summer,
0:41:47 > 0:41:50my golden Guernsey goats have really been having problems
0:41:50 > 0:41:52with their feet.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55If I just put this down, I should be able to catch them.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57There.
0:41:57 > 0:42:01I bought these nannies a few years ago and they're lovely and friendly
0:42:01 > 0:42:04and quiet... They don't like being tipped up much.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06There you go.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12And then they've got clees, they're called. So, two toes.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16So I'm just trimming the toenail back...
0:42:16 > 0:42:19so that there's no infection.
0:42:19 > 0:42:23And one bit of toe can become very overgrown
0:42:23 > 0:42:26and you can get infection in between.
0:42:26 > 0:42:27So I'll just trim this back.
0:42:34 > 0:42:39There you go. Hello, mate. I won't be tipping you up to do your feet!
0:42:39 > 0:42:42And then I just put on a little bit of this antiseptic spray
0:42:42 > 0:42:44that stops any infection.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47And with all the different animals we've got on the farm,
0:42:47 > 0:42:51looking after them takes up a huge amount of time and effort.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Sadly not everybody takes as much care with their livestock.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58When Julia was in Kent,
0:42:58 > 0:43:02she went to Buttercups Goat Sanctuary near Maidstone.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06It's home to about 150 abused and abandoned animals,
0:43:06 > 0:43:10but they don't just give the goats much-needed TLC.
0:43:10 > 0:43:14It's also a place that's changing opinion about how smart
0:43:14 > 0:43:15these animals actually are.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17Take a look at this.
0:43:17 > 0:43:20This video was taken here last summer.
0:43:20 > 0:43:23It shows an experiment to test goat intelligence.
0:43:23 > 0:43:28The animal has worked out how to get food out of a sealed box.
0:43:28 > 0:43:32Doctor Elodie Briefer from Queen Mary University London
0:43:32 > 0:43:36ran that test. She's running the same test again today.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39And it looks like this lot know what's going on.
0:43:39 > 0:43:44Now, Elodie, we saw in the film the goats operating
0:43:44 > 0:43:48this piece of machinery. Explain exactly what you've designed here.
0:43:48 > 0:43:51So we've designed a complicated, two-step process
0:43:51 > 0:43:54where they have to pull that out
0:43:54 > 0:43:57and then pull it up, and then the pasta comes.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00So what's the point of testing again, six months later?
0:44:00 > 0:44:03To see if they have the long-term memory of this task.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06- So you're going to put the same goats through the test?- Yeah.
0:44:07 > 0:44:10The goat we're after is called Willow.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12It's been a few months since she did the test.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16Will she still remember how to open the box? Let's find out.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21- Here we go.- She's really motivated.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25- Definitely motivated. Right. - Let's go...
0:44:25 > 0:44:27Straight... Oh, my lord, look at that!
0:44:29 > 0:44:32- Straight for it.- That's it. THEY LAUGH
0:44:32 > 0:44:36'It's the speed with which Willow solved the puzzle
0:44:36 > 0:44:38'that's evidence she remembered.'
0:44:38 > 0:44:42So this proves they have a memory, proves they're very intelligent.
0:44:42 > 0:44:45- Yeah, absolutely.- Look.
0:44:45 > 0:44:48She will destroy the box if we leave.
0:44:48 > 0:44:51- I think next we should try a crossword(!)- Yeah!
0:44:51 > 0:44:55So why do we need to know how smart goats are?
0:44:55 > 0:44:59It informs us in terms of at least being able to show people
0:44:59 > 0:45:03that the animals show quite complex behaviours
0:45:03 > 0:45:06and they are intelligent animals, so if you want to keep goats,
0:45:06 > 0:45:10you should really give them the best possible welfare that you can.
0:45:10 > 0:45:13A basic thing is goats should never be kept on their own,
0:45:13 > 0:45:17they should always be kept in a group or at least a pair.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21So showing how complicated their behaviours can be
0:45:21 > 0:45:24- actually helps inform people. - And the handling and the treatment.
0:45:24 > 0:45:25Yes, exactly.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28It's something they pay heed to here at Buttercups.
0:45:28 > 0:45:32All these animals are rescues and they get the best of attention.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35- What are you up to, Gillian? - I'm leg-scratching Bobby.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38Leg-scratching, is this an official duty?
0:45:38 > 0:45:43Not exactly, no, but one that he likes and enjoys anyway! Don't you?
0:45:43 > 0:45:45All right, can I have a go now? Thank you.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48Oh. Ooh, right a bit, yeah, lovely.
0:45:48 > 0:45:51Volunteers staff the sanctuary but there are regular visits
0:45:51 > 0:45:56from the vet. Today he's got his dentist's hat on.
0:45:56 > 0:45:57- Hiya, Heather.- Hiya.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59It's like standing in line for the doctor, isn't it?
0:45:59 > 0:46:03- Yes, trying to close his ears. - Aw, don't worry, it won't hurt!
0:46:05 > 0:46:08- Look at all that stuff coming out of there.- The stuff comes out...
0:46:08 > 0:46:12They don't mind that too much. And then I'll have a good look inside.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15I can see a nasty point in there which I'm going to rasp off
0:46:15 > 0:46:18with a little power tool. I don't know if the camera can get in there.
0:46:18 > 0:46:21Have a look, Steve, get in here. Get in there!
0:46:21 > 0:46:23Right at the back, can you see a sort of needle
0:46:23 > 0:46:26sticking down from the upper jaw, the back teeth there?
0:46:26 > 0:46:30- Yeah, I think so.- Yeah, there we go. - We'll just try and buzz that down.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33- DRILL WHIRS - Wow!
0:46:33 > 0:46:35That's not a good noise wherever you hear it.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38- Poor Hattie's hiding. - Oh, look at this.
0:46:38 > 0:46:42We've got Hattie, who's next in line, not looking forward to it!
0:46:42 > 0:46:44Not looking forward to it.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47'Buttercups has been going for over 20 years.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50'Let's meet the man behind it.' How many have you got here now, Bob?
0:46:50 > 0:46:52We've got about 140 in the sanctuary
0:46:52 > 0:46:55and about another 95 in foster homes around the county.
0:46:55 > 0:47:00We take them from as far afield as Cornwall and the Midlands and...
0:47:00 > 0:47:03And what are the reasons that people abandon them?
0:47:03 > 0:47:07So variable, I could tell you so many different forms of cruelty,
0:47:07 > 0:47:10but also not only cruelty but where they've been abandoned
0:47:10 > 0:47:14or people who of course can't manage them any more.
0:47:14 > 0:47:16Now we know that goats go bonkers for food.
0:47:16 > 0:47:19I hope Matt's prepared for a feeding frenzy.
0:47:20 > 0:47:24- Hiya.- Hello, lovely. - How are you doing?- I'm very well.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26- Have you missed me?- I have, yes.
0:47:26 > 0:47:29Good day with the goats? Stay where you are, you don't need to move.
0:47:29 > 0:47:31- I've got something for you. Bob? - Yes?
0:47:31 > 0:47:33Um...
0:47:33 > 0:47:37I just think that, you know, really...
0:47:37 > 0:47:39- you should do a little job for me. - OK.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42So if you can just help me out, cos I've been doing it all day.
0:47:42 > 0:47:46This is Bob. Here you go, big boy. So, what I need you to do...
0:47:46 > 0:47:48- I'm sensing a stitch-up.- I'm tired!
0:47:48 > 0:47:50I've been doing this all day, I'm exhausted.
0:47:50 > 0:47:51It's been goats, goats and more goats.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54Go on, sprinkle away and I'll tell you when to stop.
0:47:54 > 0:47:57- Am I just having to sprinkle, yeah? - Over there and head to the...
0:47:57 > 0:48:02- Where they can see it. Have fun. - Yep. Not too much, not too much.
0:48:02 > 0:48:05- One, two, three...- Come on then! - Come on then! Come on then!
0:48:05 > 0:48:09Come on then! Come on then! Go, go, go, go!
0:48:09 > 0:48:11THEY LAUGH
0:48:11 > 0:48:13What a beautiful sight!
0:48:13 > 0:48:16Come on then, girls. Get that down your chops!
0:48:16 > 0:48:17Girls and boys!
0:48:27 > 0:48:29In a few moments, you can find out
0:48:29 > 0:48:32how my crusade to champion British wool turned out.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35But first, let's go to the Countryfile weather forecast
0:48:35 > 0:48:36for the week ahead.
0:50:50 > 0:50:57.
0:51:17 > 0:51:18In this edition of Countryfile,
0:51:18 > 0:51:21we're looking back at some favourite farm visits
0:51:21 > 0:51:25and celebrating how the livestock we farm has shaped our countryside.
0:51:25 > 0:51:27Hello, lovely.
0:51:31 > 0:51:36I have about 1,500 sheep on my farm, and back in 2010 I went on a crusade.
0:51:36 > 0:51:40I wanted to help breathe new life into the British wool industry.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48I've got an array of different breeds on my farm,
0:51:48 > 0:51:51therefore all sorts of different wool types,
0:51:51 > 0:51:53and over the last few years I've been getting on average
0:51:53 > 0:51:57about £1.50 a fleece, which doesn't even cover the cost of shearing.
0:52:00 > 0:52:03I find it absolutely infuriating.
0:52:03 > 0:52:07I've always been concerned about the value of British wool to our farmers.
0:52:09 > 0:52:12I've been on a mission to find out why we don't make more of our wool.
0:52:12 > 0:52:17I just can't imagine why it isn't just getting snapped up
0:52:17 > 0:52:19to make fantastic clothing.
0:52:20 > 0:52:23So, I left the serene surrounds of the Cotswold Hills
0:52:23 > 0:52:25for the hustle and bustle of the big city.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28The idea - to make a suit from British wool.
0:52:29 > 0:52:32And today my crusade comes to a woolly climax.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37And Patrick has arrived with my new suit.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40- Patrick.- Good morning, Adam.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42- How are you?- Very well indeed. - Lovely to see you.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45- Well, lovely to be here. - I'm sorry about the muddy farmyard.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47Well, it's a little different to the usual Savile Row delivery,
0:52:47 > 0:52:49but it's a pleasure to be here.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52I've got a changing room in here, something you're quite used to.
0:52:52 > 0:52:55I thought we'd get into one of our stables here.
0:52:56 > 0:52:58- What do you reckon?- Fabulous!
0:52:58 > 0:52:59HE LAUGHS
0:52:59 > 0:53:02And the chickens are here to help tie your tie, are they?
0:53:02 > 0:53:03They are, yeah.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06I'm really looking forward to putting it on.
0:53:06 > 0:53:08So, if you'll excuse me...
0:53:20 > 0:53:22Now for the second piece, the jacket.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28Wow, look at that.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30- That is lovely. - Fantastic.
0:53:30 > 0:53:32- What do you think?- Really fantastic.
0:53:32 > 0:53:34It's a very, very handsome-looking cloth.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37I mean, I think the colour's fantastic, it looks light,
0:53:37 > 0:53:43I think people have this perception of British cloths being very heavy, but...
0:53:43 > 0:53:45It's smooth, it's soft, it's comfortable, I really like it.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49- You're a new man.- I am, I'm very proud of that, thank you so much.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51You're the smartest farmer in Gloucestershire.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53What we're going to do now is show it off.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55Let's go.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58Oh, look out, ducks.
0:53:59 > 0:54:03And where better to do that than my local town of Stow-on-the-Wold.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06This place was built on the wool trade.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Hundreds of years ago, as many as 20,000 sheep would have been
0:54:08 > 0:54:12brought to market here from all over the Cotswolds.
0:54:12 > 0:54:15I've invited everyone involved in the process of making the suit.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20- What do you reckon?- That's great.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23Well, everybody's done a wonderful job.
0:54:23 > 0:54:25- What was the wool like to work with? - It was easy.
0:54:25 > 0:54:29To be honest, it was good. It ran very smoothly through.
0:54:29 > 0:54:32- And making the cloth? - They loved it, they all loved making it.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35It took a long time going through the mill, but it's fabulous.
0:54:35 > 0:54:36It's a beautiful colour, isn't it?
0:54:36 > 0:54:39Yeah, I mean, it's testament to what can be done
0:54:39 > 0:54:42when you get great British product and some great British craftspeople
0:54:42 > 0:54:44and get them all together.
0:54:44 > 0:54:48I think it's a fabulous advertisement for the best of British cloth.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52Well, I reckon it's fit for the catwalks of Milan or Paris.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55And even the local paparazzi are out in force, but not just to catch
0:54:55 > 0:55:00a glimpse of my suit, they're here to see the real stars of the show -
0:55:00 > 0:55:05my sheep, who I've brought along in honour of days gone by.
0:55:05 > 0:55:07Supermodels of British wool.
0:55:16 > 0:55:18Well, what could be better?
0:55:18 > 0:55:21A farmer, a spinner, a weaver and a tailor walking sheep
0:55:21 > 0:55:24through Stow-on-the-Wold to champion British wool.
0:55:29 > 0:55:33But not all the sheep are interested in going for a walk.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44This has been a wonderful crusade for me to champion,
0:55:44 > 0:55:46and I can really feel the adrenaline running through me now
0:55:46 > 0:55:48thinking we've achieved something.
0:55:48 > 0:55:51We've got a wonderful suit made from British wool
0:55:51 > 0:55:56from these fantastic animals, and I really hope it makes a difference
0:55:56 > 0:56:00and more people will buy products made from our wool.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22Come on then.
0:56:24 > 0:56:27Well, here it is, and thankfully it still fits.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30And not only that, the price of wool has gone up significantly
0:56:30 > 0:56:33over the last few months, which is great news for the British sheep farmer.
0:56:33 > 0:56:37Well, that's it from Countryfile tonight,
0:56:37 > 0:56:39but there's more tomorrow when Matt, Julia, Ellie, John and I
0:56:39 > 0:56:43head to the Norfolk coast for some fun at the seaside.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46I hope you can join us then. Bye-bye.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd