0:00:30 > 0:00:33The Cairngorms, a landscape like no other,
0:00:33 > 0:00:37where winter comes early, as the wild weather takes hold.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45So, of course, it's the perfect time to go in search of wildlife
0:00:45 > 0:00:47up the top of that, Beinn a' Bhuird.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49Now, it may not look that menacing from here,
0:00:49 > 0:00:53but I'm told at the top, conditions can be some of the harshest
0:00:53 > 0:00:56and most inhospitable in Britain.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Wish me luck.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Helen is coming nose to beak with one of Scotland's most
0:01:01 > 0:01:03awe-inspiring creatures.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Oh, hello, Myra, my good friend.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12Tom's looking at what it takes to feed a nation hooked on chicken.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Have an informed knowledge of what you're buying.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20And if you are happy with this, then this is what you buy.
0:01:20 > 0:01:21And Adam's out,
0:01:21 > 0:01:26making sure his rams are doing their bit to ensure some new arrivals.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28These rams have got so much work to do.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31They'll be the dads of all of the lambs that these ewes are now
0:01:31 > 0:01:33carrying, that will be born in the spring.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52Scotland's mighty Cairngorms, a landscape both beautiful and brutal.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56Britain's last bastion of wilderness.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03At this time of year, it's transformed into one
0:02:03 > 0:02:06of the coldest and windiest places in Britain.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10The last few days has seen the first snowfall of the year and there was a
0:02:10 > 0:02:13fresh dusting last night, so there's a discernible chill in the air.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22I've come to Mar Lodge, a 72-acre estate managed by the National Trust
0:02:22 > 0:02:26for Scotland, to witness a landscape on the very cusp of winter.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30But as well as the rhythm of the changing seasons,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33another transformation is taking place here.
0:02:33 > 0:02:34A more gradual one.
0:02:39 > 0:02:45This is Caledonian pine forest, one of the rarest habitats in Britain.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Here, it's making a comeback.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50When John visited five years ago,
0:02:50 > 0:02:52this landscape looked very different.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56- They've just about grazed it bare, the heather here.- It is. Yeah.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59The deer pressure here has been very high.
0:02:59 > 0:03:01Old trees had been dying for decades,
0:03:01 > 0:03:03with no new trees to replace them.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06And the root of the problem was one of Scotland's
0:03:06 > 0:03:09most recognisable species.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Red deer.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14David Frew has been in charge of an ambitious project,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18run by the National Trust for Scotland, to turn things around.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21So it wasn't just man going around, cutting down trees.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23It was deer as well that were doing the damage.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Yeah, herbivores' grazing impacts really.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29The moment any of these young trees were popping out through
0:03:29 > 0:03:31the heather, there were so many deer, that the deer were
0:03:31 > 0:03:35coming along and nipping the trees out, just eating everything.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37So we needed to deal with that problem.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39There are no natural predators for deer,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42so that means we have to go out and cull them.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46- Now, you weren't without your critics.- Yeah.- In the early days.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49- Yeah.- What were they saying? What were the main criticisms?
0:03:49 > 0:03:52Deer are considered a very important commercial resource in this
0:03:52 > 0:03:54- part of the world.- Of course.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Commercial stocking plays a big part in the local economy here.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00But it was never about getting rid of all the deer,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03it was just bringing the deer numbers down,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06so that you still have that commercial resource there, there
0:04:06 > 0:04:09are still plenty of deer on Mar Lodge estate
0:04:09 > 0:04:13and all round about us, but it's just finding that happy medium, it's
0:04:13 > 0:04:16finding the balance where all these trees can get away
0:04:16 > 0:04:18and there's still plenty of deer out there.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25Caledonian pine forest provides habitat for some rare and celebrated
0:04:25 > 0:04:32species, including red squirrel, black grouse, and capercaillie.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36The success of this ambitious conservation project is
0:04:36 > 0:04:39one of the reasons Mar Lodge has recently been designated
0:04:39 > 0:04:42a National Nature Reserve, the largest in Britain.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46Almost from day one, one of the objectives,
0:04:46 > 0:04:49if you like, was to become a National Nature Reserve.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51There's been a lot of challenges along the way,
0:04:51 > 0:04:55but 22 years later, we're there. It doesn't end here, though.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59That's kind of one of the things that's quite important to realise.
0:04:59 > 0:05:00Our vision for the estate
0:05:00 > 0:05:03and the woodland in particular is a 200-year vision.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07- We'll all be long gone by the time it really comes to fruition.- Wow!
0:05:07 > 0:05:10So it's an ongoing project, it's ongoing work.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12We'll be at this for a long, long time.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15But to have the recognition that we've at least started
0:05:15 > 0:05:17the process is really great.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23But what good is a pristine landscape if no-one can enjoy it?
0:05:23 > 0:05:27To fulfil its role as a National Nature Reserve, Mar Lodge
0:05:27 > 0:05:29needs to be open for all to appreciate.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34In practical terms, this means a vast network of bridges
0:05:34 > 0:05:36and footpaths.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41In a rugged and remote environment like this, nothing is simple.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45Even a task like repairing a footpath is quite a challenge.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Today, timber from the estate's own plantations is
0:05:51 > 0:05:53needed for shoring up footpath edges.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Paul Bolton is one of the site's rangers.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00He has an ingenious engineering solution to get
0:06:00 > 0:06:02the logs to the right location.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05- So these are your logs for the footpath.- That's right. Yeah.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08- Uh-huh.- But what is this? - So this is our log chute.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11This is our way of sorting the problem of getting
0:06:11 > 0:06:13the logs down to where the footpath is.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15We're just about to send more down, if you'd like to have a go.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18I would love to get involved. How are we getting them on?
0:06:18 > 0:06:20- Using the timber tongs. - Excellent. OK.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22So you've got a team waiting at the bottom.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24So, there's a team waiting at the bottom,
0:06:24 > 0:06:26who are going to sort these out when they get down.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29They'll wait till we send a few down and then they'll come in
0:06:29 > 0:06:30- and move them.- Got you.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34- And just give it a little shove to start it off.- Give it a shove?
0:06:34 > 0:06:36- Get it down this flat bit. - Ready? Timber!
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- That works a treat! - Aye, we're really pleased.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50It saves so much hassle of trying to carry them up and down.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Down at the receiving end, the logs are going into position.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04Why do you need to do this?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Because there is a footpath going along there, I can see it,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09people can follow it. Why go this extra mile?
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Yeah, I think Mar Lodge attracts a lot of different people.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14People who don't come to the countryside as often,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17so we sort of want to offer something for everyone.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Right, so some people come here and go Munro bagging,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23others might prefer a gentle stroll by the river and this is for them.
0:07:23 > 0:07:24This is for them.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Yes, so it's trying to have a bit of something for everyone.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30There's plenty still to do,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33but this is the start of work that will enable many more people
0:07:33 > 0:07:36to enjoy this, our newest National Nature Reserve.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Now, 50 years ago, chicken wasn't as cheap
0:07:46 > 0:07:49and readily available as it is now.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51In fact, today, it's the UK's most popular meat,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55so what does it take to feed a nation addicted to chicken?
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Tom's been finding out.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07Tasty, versatile, generally good for you, and certainly cheap.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09It's no wonder we Brits love chicken.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13And it comes in so many forms. In a burger.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Mm, with some pasta.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18Maybe a salad.
0:08:18 > 0:08:19Some fajitas.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23Or you could even try a cheeky chicken nugget at home.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28Chicken now outsells pork, lamb and beef combined.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30Now then, where am I going to start?
0:08:30 > 0:08:34That popularity means we need a lot of what are called
0:08:34 > 0:08:37broiler chickens, birds that are reared just for meat.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40It's expected that in 2017, the number
0:08:40 > 0:08:44we consume will have topped 1 billion for the first time.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46That's 2.7 million every day.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52So, while many in farming struggle with unpredictable prices, changing
0:08:52 > 0:08:57demands, or bad weather, chicken meat production is really booming.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59But it's not without some challenges.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04Headline news has reflected concerns about hygiene standards in the
0:09:04 > 0:09:08industry, along with questions about the American practice
0:09:08 > 0:09:10of chlorinated chicken.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13And then there are the ever-present concerns about animal welfare.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18How did we get to this point, when, 50 years ago,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20chicken was a rare treat?
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Today, an oven-ready bird can cost less than a pint of beer
0:09:23 > 0:09:26and there are more chickens than people in the UK.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Well, to satisfy that demand, we need places like this.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39A shed, which is home to 28,000 birds.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Farmer Clare Bragg says breeding birds indoors makes for ideal
0:09:43 > 0:09:47living conditions and this makes it a more reliable income than
0:09:47 > 0:09:49other livestock.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52So, Clare, what is it you like about this kind of farming?
0:09:52 > 0:09:55It's a wonderful way of actually rearing chicken.
0:09:55 > 0:09:56We're not weather dependent.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59We can keep the temperature right, the humidity right,
0:09:59 > 0:10:03we can give them exactly what they want, in controlled conditions.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05And have we seen many farmers flocking,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08if you pardon the pun, to this kind of farming?
0:10:08 > 0:10:12Bad pun, but, yes, we have.
0:10:12 > 0:10:17What we're tending to find is that the existing farmers are actually
0:10:17 > 0:10:21perhaps getting a little bit bigger, rather than new entrants coming in.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25At 22 days old, they've yet to grow their adult feathers.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28They're halfway through their life here.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30But they're already phenomenal meat machines,
0:10:30 > 0:10:35gaining 70g in weight a day, the equivalent of a chicken burger.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37When I first walked in, I thought, wow, that's pretty full.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40You know, I can't see much of the ground,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42it's not quite carpeted, but nearly.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44But these chickens are going to grow,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46so it's going to get more densely packed in here, isn't it?
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Yes, it will do. But there's always room for them to move. Always.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52So when we walk through the houses, when we check them,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55cos we come in four times a day to check that everything is
0:10:55 > 0:10:58running correctly for them, there is always room for them to move.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02You look around the house today, does it look like they're suffering?
0:11:02 > 0:11:04There's a lovely noise going on here.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07They're happy, they can get to food, they can get to water.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- They're getting everything that they need here.- Mm.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13It's not just the birds that are growing fast.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16Chicken processing has become big business
0:11:16 > 0:11:21and now directly employs 37,000 people in the UK.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Cargill's in Herefordshire runs 18 hours a day, slaughtering
0:11:24 > 0:11:28and processing both free-range and intensive chickens.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31And we're about to show you inside in detail.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34Agricultural director John Reid says animal welfare is
0:11:34 > 0:11:38important from the moment the live birds arrive.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41The air is quite dark, to keep those birds calm.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45We want to get the birds into the factory as quick as we can,
0:11:45 > 0:11:47so they spend as little time on the lorries.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Once they're on the line,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53we take them through what we call our controlled atmosphere stunner,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55where the birds go into a chamber
0:11:55 > 0:11:58and the oxygen is slowly reduced, which allows the bird to
0:11:58 > 0:12:02gently go to sleep, from which they don't recover.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07After the birds' carcasses have been plucked and gutted,
0:12:07 > 0:12:11they're washed and steam-cleaned.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15Then, they're sent here.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19A series of refrigerators that are truly mind-boggling.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21The scale is enormous.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25A staggering 23,000 birds go in and out of this place every hour.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29That's most of the chickens I saw earlier in Clare's
0:12:29 > 0:12:32shed in just 60 minutes.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35The birds come from the chiller, as whole birds,
0:12:35 > 0:12:40we cut them up into the front and the back half of the chicken.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43The front half comes down a deboning line and we take the fillet
0:12:43 > 0:12:46and the inner fillet off the breast.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51The breast fillets come down, further down this line,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54to a point where they are weighed.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58And they go into our robotic packers.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01But can they keep up standards when operating on this scale?
0:13:03 > 0:13:09I think we should make it very clear that large scale is actually
0:13:09 > 0:13:11the same process as small scale.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14The principles about how we grow our birds and how we process them
0:13:14 > 0:13:16are actually the same.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20And that does mean that we need to make sure we've got every focus.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23And we have focus around our bird welfare, about food safety,
0:13:23 > 0:13:26to ensure our customers are OK, and actually the health
0:13:26 > 0:13:29and safety of all our people who work in the factory as well.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34I'm extremely proud that in my lifetime,
0:13:34 > 0:13:40we have seen chicken go from being that occasional meal to today,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43every other meat meal is chicken.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48What we're able to do is produce safe, nutritious, affordable
0:13:48 > 0:13:51and available to all consumers.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54So, should we look at the rise of the broiler chicken as a
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Great British success story?
0:13:57 > 0:13:59It may not come as a great surprise that chicken production
0:13:59 > 0:14:02on this scale does have some critics
0:14:02 > 0:14:04and I'll be hearing from some of them later.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20HELEN: The Cairngorms National Park.
0:14:24 > 0:14:25The largest in the UK.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29And the heart of the Highlands.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38The west side of the park is popular with visitors who enjoy
0:14:38 > 0:14:41the snowy slopes, but here on the east side,
0:14:41 > 0:14:43you'll find the highest public road in Britain
0:14:43 > 0:14:46and to get the best out of it, you need a set of wheels.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55This 90-mile route passes through
0:14:55 > 0:14:58some of the most spectacular landscapes Scotland has to offer.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Originally an 18th century military route, this steep,
0:15:02 > 0:15:06winding and wild road has long been popular with thrill-seekers
0:15:06 > 0:15:08on both two wheels and four.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15But now, there are some new points of interest along this old road.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23Pete Crane, the head of visitor services here, has been
0:15:23 > 0:15:27instrumental in bringing new art installations to the highway.
0:15:29 > 0:15:33It looks incredible. It's really, really cool, isn't it?
0:15:33 > 0:15:34I'm really glad you like it.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38It is a stunning view, isn't it? It's just amazing.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41- What are we actually looking at? - Well, down there is the River Erne,
0:15:41 > 0:15:44and that goes right up into the centre of the Cairngorms, into
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Loch Erne, which is located on the other side of Cairngorm Mountain.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51- So right into the middle. - Why is this here?
0:15:51 > 0:15:54It's one of three installations along the route to encourage
0:15:54 > 0:15:58people to stop and enjoy this tremendous view.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00It's a reason for them to get out of their car and walk up here
0:16:00 > 0:16:04and experience the National Park. We want people to slow down,
0:16:04 > 0:16:06we want the Snow Roads to become the slow roads.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08So you've basically rebranded the roads
0:16:08 > 0:16:12- and kind of christened them the Snow Roads?- Yeah, absolutely.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16This route has been used for 50 years by vintage car drivers,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19motorcyclists and increasingly, by road cyclists.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22We're just giving it a name and giving a reason to come and stop.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Because you can't enjoy this part of the Cairngorms,
0:16:25 > 0:16:27if you don't come by road, can you?
0:16:27 > 0:16:30No, there's no railway link here. So it is a road experience.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33And encouraging people to enjoy... Well, you can see it.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Enjoy this wonderful landscape and it's really photogenic.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40It's a way of, you know, showing off your trip to the Cairngorms.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49It's easy to think that you've got to go to the other side
0:16:49 > 0:16:52of the world to get views half as good as this.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56But you really don't. I mean, they're on our doorstep.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01The Snow Roads are also home to another kind of art,
0:17:01 > 0:17:05one which has an environmental benefit.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08Photo posts have been installed across the Cairngorms,
0:17:08 > 0:17:12so anyone can collect scenes from all seasons.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14And it's not as absurd as it looks.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22But this project isn't just about beauty, there's an ecological
0:17:22 > 0:17:26purpose as well, and it's all possible through Citizen Science.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Hayley Wiswell is the ecology
0:17:32 > 0:17:34adviser for the Cairngorms National Park.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39So, Hayley, this is one of the all-important photo posts.
0:17:39 > 0:17:40Yeah, that's right, yeah.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44So the posts are a way for anybody to get involved with this
0:17:44 > 0:17:46project to take photographs
0:17:46 > 0:17:48because we don't have the resources to go out
0:17:48 > 0:17:51and capture all the photographs ourselves,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54so we need volunteer help, we need the public to come and help us.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56You literally just pop your phone in here.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Yeah, so the bracket is specially designed,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01so that you can put your camera, your phone, your tablet,
0:18:01 > 0:18:05- and that allows us to capture the same image over time.- Right.
0:18:05 > 0:18:06That's really important.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09How useful is the data that you're getting from these cameras?
0:18:09 > 0:18:11So the data's really valuable
0:18:11 > 0:18:14because it's a visual record of change over time
0:18:14 > 0:18:16and that's all kinds of different change,
0:18:16 > 0:18:20whether it's short-term change like, say, a river
0:18:20 > 0:18:22swelling during a flood or longer term change,
0:18:22 > 0:18:26looking at how a new woodland is growing over time.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28But also sort of seasonal temporal changes.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32So as well as getting something that presumably is very beautiful
0:18:32 > 0:18:34and interesting, it's very, very useful as well.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37We hope that it might give people a different perspective
0:18:37 > 0:18:39on the landscapes and maybe help people to
0:18:39 > 0:18:42visualise how landscapes might look in the future.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Hang on a minute. Look! It's a red squirrel!
0:18:48 > 0:18:51OK, we haven't been lucky enough to see any real red squirrels today,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53but if you want to look at one for the whole of December,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56then get your hands on a Countryfile calendar.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Here's John with all the details.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03It costs £9.50, including UK delivery.
0:19:05 > 0:19:06You can go to our website,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09where you'll find a link to the order page.
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Or you can phone the order line on:
0:19:16 > 0:19:22Standard geographic charges will apply to both landlines and mobiles.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26If you prefer to order by post, then send your name, address,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29and a cheque to:
0:19:37 > 0:19:40And please make your cheques payable to:
0:19:40 > 0:19:44A minimum of £4.50 from the sale of each calendar
0:19:44 > 0:19:47will be donated to BBC Children In Need.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Now, a while ago, Anita visited the nearby Montrose basin,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07a paradise for all kinds of birdlife.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14But it's not just flocks that are flourishing here.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17There's another more surprising creature
0:20:17 > 0:20:19that's thriving in this environment.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Look familiar? It's the Highland pony.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33Not the first thing you'd expect to find in a coastal lagoon.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36But these ponies aren't on a seaside holiday.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39They're actually hard at work, keeping back the weeds.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44And playing a vital role in maintaining the landscape.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Ranger Anna Cheshire was responsible for first bringing them to the site.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56Anna, birds, yes, but you wouldn't expect to necessarily find
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Highland ponies here. What are they doing?
0:20:59 > 0:21:01Well, we brought Highland ponies on site to help us
0:21:01 > 0:21:03with our conservation project.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05So they're here to graze an area of salt marsh marsh for us.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08Right, which is what we're walking on now. Explain what all of this is.
0:21:08 > 0:21:09That's right.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12This area is called the Salt Pans, so it's an area of salt marsh that
0:21:12 > 0:21:16was traditionally used to extract salt for the salmon export industry.
0:21:16 > 0:21:20- Right.- So these areas of pools that you can see all would have been
0:21:20 > 0:21:23flooded at high tide and then the water evaporated and the salt
0:21:23 > 0:21:26that was left would have been used again to pack the fish.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28So, why is it important to have the ponies here now?
0:21:28 > 0:21:31Well, this site is also really important for waders
0:21:31 > 0:21:34and quite a lot of ducks use it as well.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38The ponies are perfect for controlling the vegetation
0:21:38 > 0:21:41and keeping the habitat in top condition for the birds that
0:21:41 > 0:21:44make their home here. And why do the ponies work?
0:21:44 > 0:21:47Well, we've tried other sorts of animals grazing the site,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49we've had sheep and we've had cattle,
0:21:49 > 0:21:53but we found that the cattle and the sheep didn't really eat enough.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Ponies have a different sort of digestive system
0:21:56 > 0:21:59and so they'll quite happily graze away at all manner of things,
0:21:59 > 0:22:00but they're also quite choosy,
0:22:00 > 0:22:04so they'll eat different things at different times of the year,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07- which means that you get a variation in the sward height.- Right.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09So that helps all the different small mammals
0:22:09 > 0:22:12and invertebrates that want to live in the area.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Right. Well, we're talking about them.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17They can obviously hear that we're talking about them.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21- I think they can.- Shall we go and meet them?- I think we should.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23OK. What are their names?
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Well, this one at the front is Rosebud and behind her,
0:22:26 > 0:22:27we've got Inga.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30- Inga and Rosebud.- Inga and Rosebud, yeah.- Hello, ladies.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Hello. Are you coming?
0:22:35 > 0:22:37To ensure even grazing,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Anna routinely moves the ponies from one area to another,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43which means we're going to get our feet wet.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Ah, the famous mud!
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Right.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50- How are your boots, Anna? - Lovely boots!
0:22:50 > 0:22:53- Not got a hole in them, have they? - No, no. No holes at all.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Chilled. Totally chilled out.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08- She is. She's having a doze. - We are going to leave you.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Job done, we leave them to it.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12Hopefully, we can find a less muddy route back.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Using ponies to graze the Salt Pans isn't just
0:23:22 > 0:23:26beneficial for the birdlife here, it could also mean a lifeline
0:23:26 > 0:23:29for the ponies themselves, whose numbers are dwindling.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Virginia Osbourne of the Highland Pony Society helps to preserve
0:23:34 > 0:23:36and promote this historic breed.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38These beautiful creatures, what's their history?
0:23:38 > 0:23:41So, the history of the Highland pony is they are one of the two
0:23:41 > 0:23:46native breeds of ponies to the Highlands and islands of Scotland.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49So they have been around for hundreds of years and over that
0:23:49 > 0:23:51time, they have evolved to the Scottish climate
0:23:51 > 0:23:53and they're very hardy ponies
0:23:53 > 0:23:57because it's a very often changeable and harsh climate in Scotland.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59And what jobs would they be used for?
0:23:59 > 0:24:02They were really the working pony on the crofts
0:24:02 > 0:24:03and farms across Scotland
0:24:03 > 0:24:07and they were also used for the deer stalking and still are today,
0:24:07 > 0:24:11and they've also been used for purposes like hauling timber
0:24:11 > 0:24:13and even whisky smuggling.
0:24:13 > 0:24:14Whisky smuggling?
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Handy!
0:24:19 > 0:24:21What's the concern for this breed?
0:24:21 > 0:24:23The ponies are listed as a rare breed
0:24:23 > 0:24:27and you have to have an incentive to go on keeping
0:24:27 > 0:24:31and breeding the ponies and conservation work like this
0:24:31 > 0:24:35opens up another avenue and it raises the profile of the ponies,
0:24:35 > 0:24:36which is super.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40It is fantastic that they are contributing to the important
0:24:40 > 0:24:42work that the Wildlife Trust are doing here.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48So these traditional Scottish workhorses or work ponies have found
0:24:48 > 0:24:52a new job to do, swapping whisky smuggling for benefitting birdlife.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54And all they have to do is eat.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Time for me to wash off my wellies and leave them
0:24:58 > 0:25:00to their salt marsh feast.
0:25:07 > 0:25:08This year, for the first time,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11we'll consume 1 billion chickens in the UK.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14But is this cheap meat a farming success story
0:25:14 > 0:25:17or a cause for concern? Here's Tom.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Here in the Herefordshire countryside,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24a flock of chickens head out for the morning on Rod Mee's farm.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26It's lovely to see them,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29but they look a bit unconvinced on this chilly morning.
0:25:29 > 0:25:31- They do indeed.- Quite literally,
0:25:31 > 0:25:34they are having their feathers ruffled by this wind, aren't they?
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Yeah.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40This is how many of us might imagine our chicken meat is grown.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Organic and free-range birds, spending much of their day outdoors.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48It's the other end of the spectrum from the large barns we saw earlier.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Tell me, what do you like about this kind of farming?
0:25:52 > 0:25:56Because it's much closer to nature.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Birds come out, they run around in the nettles,
0:25:59 > 0:26:03they run around in the grass, they like the shade in the apple trees,
0:26:03 > 0:26:07they use their legs, they use their breast, they use their muscles.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10- And that is where the taste comes from.- And presumably,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13they're eating a slightly greater variety of things as well.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17- Oh, undoubtedly. Yes.- Insects and grubs.- Worms.- Yeah.- Grass.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18Nettles.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21We've got nettles growing here that we'd normally probably have
0:26:21 > 0:26:24taken out, but they like it.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27They like to go rummaging about in there.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29And this is what they do naturally.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33These birds take 70 days to reach full weight,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36nearly twice as long as intensively reared poultry.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42But chickens that live like this really are the exception.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46Fewer than 5% of our broiler chickens are either
0:26:46 > 0:26:48free-range or organic.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51And there's a big difference in the price.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55A two-kilo broiler raised like this could cost anything from seven
0:26:55 > 0:26:57to £17.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Whereas an intensively reared chicken can be as little as £2.25.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05And that's a big difference,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08if you're thinking about your Sunday lunch.
0:27:08 > 0:27:09On you go.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Our love of cheap and nutritious chicken
0:27:14 > 0:27:17has made poultry farming big business.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20But for some, it's not just about pounds and pence.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22There's another price to be paid.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27Phil Brooke is from Compassion In World Farming.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29How does this compare, in your view, to the
0:27:29 > 0:27:31way most of our chicken meat is produced?
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Well, in the standard sheds,
0:27:34 > 0:27:37we have a problem of barren environments, not enough to do.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42We have the problem of not enough space, they get really crowded.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44And even if they did have that space,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46they probably wouldn't be able to use it
0:27:46 > 0:27:47because we've bred them
0:27:47 > 0:27:50to grow faster than is good for their health.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53The animals don't have such a good life, you get a proportion of them
0:27:53 > 0:27:58that have levels of lameness, you get problems with ammonia burns.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01This is caused by animals lying in their own droppings.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04But do you think it's plausible to feed the nation, or indeed
0:28:04 > 0:28:08the world on the chicken meat that it demands, from systems like this?
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Well, the answer is we could produce a lot of chicken from systems
0:28:11 > 0:28:14like this. We would want to waste less.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17We would probably want to eat less meat but better meat,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20as part of a process which keeps animals properly.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22But that would be better for our health.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24That would be going in the direction that the health people
0:28:24 > 0:28:27- are saying we should do. - And what about the price?
0:28:27 > 0:28:30Because chicken from somewhere like this is much,
0:28:30 > 0:28:33much more expensive than from a broiler shed.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37So isn't what you're demanding going to put up the price of chicken?
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Cheap chicken comes at all sorts of other prices.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43You end up having to use more antibiotics.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Cheap chicken for the consumer means rural poverty
0:28:46 > 0:28:49because you're putting less money into the rural community.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52But the industry is worth over £4 billion to the UK's economy
0:28:52 > 0:28:54each year.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58And while outdoor farms tend to use fewer antibiotics than indoor ones,
0:28:58 > 0:29:01the mortality rate outside can be higher.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Intensive farmers say they've tackled many of the
0:29:04 > 0:29:06welfare criticisms and today,
0:29:06 > 0:29:10the UK has some of the highest standards in the world.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Farmer Clare Bragg, who I met earlier, says even when the
0:29:13 > 0:29:18flock numbers tens of thousands, welfare is a top priority.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21This looks to me like the sort of definition of
0:29:21 > 0:29:24intensive production, which helps keep the cost of food down.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28- Are you happy with that trade-off? - Me, personally, yes.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31Because I believe that the welfare of these birds is not compromised.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34- I actually think that they are... - Not at all?
0:29:34 > 0:29:37They wouldn't be happier with more space or more fresh air or
0:29:37 > 0:29:39access to daylight?
0:29:39 > 0:29:42- Well, they have daylight coming in anyway.- Mm-hm.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45We've got to be careful that we don't humanise animals.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48We can't ask them the question. We don't know the answer.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51So what we can do is provide them for the temperatures,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55for the conditions, that we believe is correct for them.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00She says controlling their living space has greatly helped
0:30:00 > 0:30:04reduce foot burn from ammonia and lameness across the industry.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07And she's proud of her part in it.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09We're very lucky in this country that as a consumer,
0:30:09 > 0:30:13you have the choice.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16And I believe, first of all buy British,
0:30:16 > 0:30:20and then secondly, have an informed knowledge of what you're buying.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23And if you are happy with this, then this is what you buy.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27How to feed the world is a huge debate
0:30:27 > 0:30:30and this type of farming is one answer.
0:30:30 > 0:30:35Cheap chicken is a volume business, requiring greater compromises to the
0:30:35 > 0:30:40birds' natural behaviour than you'd find in a place like this.
0:30:40 > 0:30:46But affordable protein is a key part of our national diet.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49In the end, you pays your money and takes your choice.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59I'm at Mar Lodge estate in the Cairngorms,
0:30:59 > 0:31:01our newest National Nature Reserve.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07Towering over this vast estate are 15 Munros,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Scotland's tallest mountains.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15As winter approaches,
0:31:15 > 0:31:18these mountains in the Cairngorms plateau beyond are turned
0:31:18 > 0:31:23from a walker's paradise into an inhospitable and ominous place.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27You have to be made of tough stuff to live here, or even just to visit.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29Wind speeds can reach 170mph
0:31:29 > 0:31:34and the temperature can remain below zero for weeks on end.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Many birds fly south when the weather turns, but I'm searching
0:31:43 > 0:31:48for a species so hardy, it stays on these mountaintops all winter.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51The ptarmigan.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54At this time of year, in anticipation of snow, they begin
0:31:54 > 0:31:59a spectacular transformation from mottled brown to the purest white.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04Finding them is not for the faint-hearted.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08I need to off-road and then trek to the top of Beinn a' Bhuird,
0:32:08 > 0:32:10one of the tallest mountains around.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15- Hi, Shyla.- Hi, Joe. - Great to see you. How are you doing?
0:32:19 > 0:32:21My guide is ecologist Shyla Rowe.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24She's been working in these mountains for 15 years.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Why are we going to this particular Munro?
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Because of its shape and as a result,
0:32:36 > 0:32:38the habitat that it supports there.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41So Beinn a' Bhuird has a nice combination of some rocks,
0:32:41 > 0:32:44where they can get camouflage, but it also has large expanses
0:32:44 > 0:32:48of areas that have plants that are suitable for them to eat.
0:32:48 > 0:32:53We can see when we look up, the clouds are racing past and so we're
0:32:53 > 0:32:56expecting a bit of wind-chill when we get up there to higher altitude,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59but they will still remain on the top of the mountains.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02They don't really descend to the shelter of the woodlands
0:33:02 > 0:33:05or anything like that. They're truly a mountaintop bird.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12This is remote territory. Almost an hour of being jostled in a 4x4...
0:33:12 > 0:33:15- OK?- Yeah, let's go.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17..followed by a strenuous two-hour climb.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32At 800m, we emerge on to the shoulder of the mountain.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35It seems barren, but Shyla is spotting signs that we're now
0:33:35 > 0:33:37entering ptarmigan territory.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42This plant here is called crowberry
0:33:42 > 0:33:45and it doesn't actually look that appetising,
0:33:45 > 0:33:48but ptarmigan will eat the shoots and the leaves
0:33:48 > 0:33:52and then in the summer time, this plant produces a lovely berry.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03The closer we get to the top of Beinn a' Bhuird,
0:34:03 > 0:34:05the tougher the conditions become.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09Even walking is difficult in this wild wind.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12It's hard to believe that anything would choose to live up here.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18So the summit is just ahead of us. Is that right? We can see there?
0:34:18 > 0:34:21Yeah, we can see it just up here, yeah, that's where we're heading.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23But I think most likely in this strong wind, we're going
0:34:23 > 0:34:27to find them on the side of the hill where it's a bit more sheltered.
0:34:29 > 0:34:30At this time of year,
0:34:30 > 0:34:34the ptarmigan are midway through their colour transition,
0:34:34 > 0:34:36making it hard to distinguish bird from boulder.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41Ah, Joe, there's one there. Can you see it? About 20 metres from us.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45- Just his head.- Just his head. You can see a little black eye stripe.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49- He's sitting there in the grass, in the rocks.- That's fantastic!
0:34:49 > 0:34:53- He's seen us, hasn't he? He's moving now.- He's moving his head, yeah.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56- They blend in with these boulders so well.- Oh, yeah.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58Their camouflage is perfect, really.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01And they can be so difficult to spot.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04- That's a great view now.- That's wonderful! What was he doing here?
0:35:04 > 0:35:07This is the one place we didn't expect to find him,
0:35:07 > 0:35:08right in the headwind.
0:35:08 > 0:35:12I'm afraid I don't really have a good explanation for that.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17But wildlife always surprises you. I guess that's one thing.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23I thought one ptarmigan was a lucky spot,
0:35:23 > 0:35:27but we soon spy more, sheltering among a field of boulders.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33- Just here. Here. Look.- Just here. - See the head.- Yeah.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36- They are beautifully plump, aren't they?- Yeah.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39They've got a lovely rounded body and those legs...
0:35:39 > 0:35:42They've got feathers on their feet, which keep their legs
0:35:42 > 0:35:46and feet warm and also feathers which extend down on to their beak.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49And in the snow, they'll create little hollows in the snow also,
0:35:49 > 0:35:53to try and create a wee sort of shelter almost for themselves.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57And what about their numbers? How healthy is the ptarmigan population?
0:35:57 > 0:36:01The ptarmigan population currently is considered to be quite healthy.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04Here in the Cairngorms, we have a few thousand pairs, probably,
0:36:04 > 0:36:07but they are one of the birds that potentially
0:36:07 > 0:36:09is at risk from climate change effects.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13The distribution of their food plants could change,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16in response to climate change.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20And also, the trigger for their colour change is daylight and could
0:36:20 > 0:36:23start to get in a position where they end up actually being white,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26but there not actually being any snow on the ground,
0:36:26 > 0:36:29so they become much more visible to predators.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32As we stand here, we are getting absolutely battered,
0:36:32 > 0:36:34it must be 40mph winds, absolutely freezing,
0:36:34 > 0:36:36you get that kind of ache in your face.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39- Yeah, numb face.- They've barely batted an eyelid, have they?
0:36:39 > 0:36:43I know, they're just walking around, feeding, as if it was any other day.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46And we are just struggling to survive, aren't we?
0:36:51 > 0:36:55As humans, we're reaching our limits in these conditions.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59It's bitterly cold, windy, and about to get dark.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02We beat a retreat back to the safety of the glen,
0:37:02 > 0:37:05leaving the ptarmigan to their mountain home.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08But the extreme conditions of this environment have given me
0:37:08 > 0:37:13a new-found respect for these exceptionally tough little birds.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Temperatures are cooling, winter is on its way.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25- Good girl.- And down on his farm,
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Adam's clearing the decks for the year ahead.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30Lie down, lie down.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38We produce about 500 lambs for the table every year
0:37:38 > 0:37:40and this group is what's left.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42There's about 120 in here. At this time of year,
0:37:42 > 0:37:45the grass has stopped growing cos the weather's got cold.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48And I really need to preserve it for my pregnant ewes to eat over
0:37:48 > 0:37:51the winter months. I don't want to have to start feeding them
0:37:51 > 0:37:54expensive sheep pellets. Bring them on, good girl, come by.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57And so what I'm doing is getting this flock in to draw out
0:37:57 > 0:37:59the lambs that are ready to go.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02And hopefully, looking at them, there's quite a lot.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04Lie down. Look back.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06Good girl.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11We lamb in two batches, so we can get a good spread on prices.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14Our February lambs have all been sold,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17but there are a few stragglers in our second batch.
0:38:21 > 0:38:22Right, that's them in.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Just got to get them sorted now.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29I'm hoping there might be a few late developers,
0:38:29 > 0:38:30who will now make the grade.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35We're weighing them.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37We're hoping to get them to around 44 kilos,
0:38:37 > 0:38:41so that we can reach around £70-75 per lamb.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44But now, the price per kilo has lifted a bit,
0:38:44 > 0:38:47so we can afford to get slightly lighter lambs,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50so I'm going to start looking for ones that are 42 kilos.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53So this lamb is heavy enough and is feeling fit enough,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55so it can now go.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Yeah, that's another one.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09It's great. It's brilliant to be able to react to the marketplace.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12When the prices go up, we've got lambs to sell,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15it's really good news, particularly at this time of year cos
0:39:15 > 0:39:17we're relieving the pressure off that grass.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19These lambs are going to start running out of grub soon.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21So it's good to get them gone.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27So this lamb is obviously too small, he's too light,
0:39:27 > 0:39:30he's a bit boney, he might have been born a little bit later, could have
0:39:30 > 0:39:32been a triplet, his mother might not have had enough milk,
0:39:32 > 0:39:35might have had something wrong with it during its life,
0:39:35 > 0:39:37so that'll go as what's known as a store lamb.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40That gets sold to other farmers who have got more grass or some
0:39:40 > 0:39:44turnips to graze the animals on, and so that will move off our farm
0:39:44 > 0:39:46to leave the grass for the pregnant ewes.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48So, you're going in there, mate.
0:39:52 > 0:39:53Oh, this one's a bit better.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56He's ready to go now. So that can go now.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59But those store lambs will be ready for the market in sort
0:39:59 > 0:40:01of February, March time.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07Store lambs go for less money. But we'll need to sell them.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10As come next February, March time, we'll be well into lambing,
0:40:10 > 0:40:14and the pregnant ewes will need as much grass as they can eat.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Which reminds me, I need to pop over to the other side of the farm
0:40:19 > 0:40:21to check how my rams are performing.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33These are my breeding females. Away!
0:40:33 > 0:40:36And I'm just catching them up in this pen
0:40:36 > 0:40:38to check the harnesses on the rams.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41That'll do! That'll do! That'll do! Behind! Behind! Behind!
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Right, I'm just going to catch one of these Romney rams.
0:40:46 > 0:40:47Because they're working so hard,
0:40:47 > 0:40:50they're chasing the ewes around, checking to see
0:40:50 > 0:40:52whether they're in season or not,
0:40:52 > 0:40:55and if they are, they'll mate with them and hopefully get them pregnant.
0:40:55 > 0:40:57They tend to lose quite a lot of weight,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00and we check their harnesses to make sure that
0:41:00 > 0:41:02they're not getting too loose as they lose weight,
0:41:02 > 0:41:04because you don't want these rubbing.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07So, I can just feel the strapping there.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10You see, that's quite loose now, so I'll just tighten it up a bit.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15I'll just tip him up and check his crayon.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17- HE GROANS - Slow down, boy.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20So, we change the colour of the crayon on his chest
0:41:20 > 0:41:23so we can see who he's mated with when.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26So we've got our lambing dates right.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28And, at the moment, he's on purple.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31And he's got plenty of colour left in there.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33So that should do him well.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36These rams have got so much work to do.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39They'll be the dads of all of the lambs that these ewes are
0:41:39 > 0:41:41now carrying that will be born in the spring.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Once his job is done here, mating with these ewes,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47with his mate here, the rams then just end up in the field
0:41:47 > 0:41:50for the rest of the year, having a lovely time eating grass.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52So, you're done. Just your buddy to track.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Go on, then, buddy.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00Breeding is a big part of life with all our animals
0:42:00 > 0:42:01here on the farm.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Cattle have a much longer gestation period than sheep,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09so can afford to suckle their young for longer.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12The calves get a great head start in life.
0:42:12 > 0:42:13All the grass they can eat
0:42:13 > 0:42:15and a steady supply of their mother's milk.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19The cow here with the forward-pointing horns is called Illy.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22And she gave birth very early in the year, to twins.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25And it's not that common for cattle to give birth to twins, but
0:42:25 > 0:42:27because the Gloucester has got so much milk,
0:42:27 > 0:42:29she's managed to rear them very well.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31She gave birth to two male calves. We call them Billy and Willy.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34So, we've got Illy, Billy and Willy. I think that's great.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36Mike comes up with all the names, our livestock manager!
0:42:36 > 0:42:39And now Illy is pregnant again, to Dougie, the bull here.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42We need to give her a bit of rest, so we're going to wean
0:42:42 > 0:42:43the calves off her, take them away
0:42:43 > 0:42:45and put them in the sheds in a day or two's time.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Right, they're all looking good on here.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52There's still plenty of grass for them to go at.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Pigs don't rely on grass to keep them going.
0:42:58 > 0:43:02It's one of the reasons they can give birth all year round.
0:43:02 > 0:43:03Whatever the weather.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Sheep and cows are herbivores. They can basically just live off grass.
0:43:11 > 0:43:15And they've got four stomachs to process that grass.
0:43:15 > 0:43:17And in here, we've got a pig.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19Now, they're omnivores, they'll eat anything.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22And they are monogastric - they've only got one stomach.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24Oi, cheeky, stop biting me!
0:43:24 > 0:43:27So they will graze grass and dig up roots and those sorts of things,
0:43:27 > 0:43:30but to help them to grow, what they need is a high-protein diet
0:43:30 > 0:43:33that's full of vitamins and minerals, like these pig nuts here.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36And a sow like this will eat about four kilos a day, particularly
0:43:36 > 0:43:38when she's feeding piglets.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41And this Gloucestershire Old Spots sow
0:43:41 > 0:43:43has had six piglets. They've just over a week old.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46Bit disappointing, really. I would have hoped she'd have 10 or 11.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49But I have got a Tamworth sow that's due to give birth
0:43:49 > 0:43:50any time soon.
0:43:52 > 0:43:54So I'd better go check on her.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56Despite being domesticated,
0:43:56 > 0:43:59farm animals still show behaviour that links them
0:43:59 > 0:44:01back to their wild ancestors.
0:44:01 > 0:44:05Learning to read this behaviour is something you pick up over time.
0:44:05 > 0:44:06This is our Tamworth sow.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09When a pig gives birth, it's known as farrowing.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11She's showing all the classic signs.
0:44:11 > 0:44:13She's nesting with the straw, pulling it with her feet,
0:44:13 > 0:44:16picking up lumps of it in her mouth.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19Just like a wild pig would do in the forest. They'd gather leaves
0:44:19 > 0:44:20and bits of grass to make a nest
0:44:20 > 0:44:23before they lie down and start to give birth.
0:44:24 > 0:44:26Now, when are you going to give birth, missus?
0:44:33 > 0:44:35The nights are now really drawing in.
0:44:35 > 0:44:40But with new lambs, new calves and hopefully piglets on the way,
0:44:40 > 0:44:43I'm already looking forward to next spring.
0:44:58 > 0:45:02Scotland is a wild place.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04Bursting with wildlife.
0:45:06 > 0:45:10And the most celebrated are known as the Big Five:
0:45:10 > 0:45:11The red deer...
0:45:13 > 0:45:16..the otter...
0:45:16 > 0:45:18the harbour seal...
0:45:18 > 0:45:20the red squirrel...
0:45:20 > 0:45:22and the golden eagle,
0:45:22 > 0:45:25the most elusive and magnificent of them all.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31Now, if you're lucky, you might catch a distant glimpse of an eagle
0:45:31 > 0:45:33in flight across the Cairngorms,
0:45:33 > 0:45:36but, of course, the luck would be out of the question.
0:45:36 > 0:45:38Or would it?
0:45:38 > 0:45:43I'm meeting expert falconers Barry Blyther and Roxanne Peggie,
0:45:43 > 0:45:46at their favourite training ground, the private Dalmeny Estate.
0:45:46 > 0:45:50They've brought along some eagles keen to join in the chat.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53Oh, my word! Barry, Roxanne, I don't know where to begin with these
0:45:53 > 0:45:55magnificent creatures!
0:45:55 > 0:45:57They're huge!
0:45:57 > 0:46:00Well, they're Scotland's - oh, the UK, in fact -
0:46:00 > 0:46:01our only two species of eagle.
0:46:01 > 0:46:03White-tailed being the largest species of the two.
0:46:03 > 0:46:06And here's Stanley, a male golden eagle, still a big lump.
0:46:06 > 0:46:10But the fact their numbers are strong is a massive success story,
0:46:10 > 0:46:12because we nearly lost them all together from the UK.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15Absolutely. The golden eagle didn't disappear altogether at any time,
0:46:15 > 0:46:18but their numbers were horrifically low,
0:46:18 > 0:46:21and it's taken an awful lot of good work, good education, by a lot
0:46:21 > 0:46:24of good people, to get the numbers back to where they are today.
0:46:26 > 0:46:30There are now more than 400 breeding pairs of golden eagles in Scotland.
0:46:31 > 0:46:35An even rarer sight is the white-tailed, or sea, eagle.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38White-tails tend to live out at the coast,
0:46:38 > 0:46:40whereas golden eagles tend to live more inland.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42White-tails do well in the sea cliffs,
0:46:42 > 0:46:45and have a larger wing in proportion to their body weight,
0:46:45 > 0:46:48so they're super buoyant, able to take advantage of the wind hitting
0:46:48 > 0:46:51the sea cliffs to hunt out of the water.
0:46:51 > 0:46:56I know we've touched on how the numbers of eagles were scarily low,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59- but even more so for the white-tailed eagle, right?- Exactly.
0:46:59 > 0:47:02We did actually lose white-tails altogether in Scotland.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05The last one was shot in Shetland in 1918.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08From there, we went without them for quite a long time in the UK,
0:47:08 > 0:47:12until 1975, when the first reintroduction programme took place.
0:47:12 > 0:47:14It's gone tremendously well.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17We recently reached a milestone in 2015, where the
0:47:17 > 0:47:20hundredth chick fledged in Scotland.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23The reintroduced white-tailed eagles are being carefully
0:47:23 > 0:47:24monitored by the RSPB,
0:47:24 > 0:47:27to make sure numbers remain strong.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30When is the best time to see these birds in action?
0:47:30 > 0:47:32Where is the best place to find them?
0:47:32 > 0:47:36Well, all year round, you can see white-tailed eagles in Scotland.
0:47:36 > 0:47:39They are resident here, they don't migrate away terribly much.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41There's one or two birds that do move,
0:47:41 > 0:47:43but largely they are here all the time.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46The largest concentration of birds in Scotland is on Mull.
0:47:46 > 0:47:49I know you guys work with eagles everyday, see eagles everyday,
0:47:49 > 0:47:53but what's it like when you see wild eagles flying around?
0:47:53 > 0:47:56- Do you still get excited?- It's just the most amazing thing ever.
0:47:56 > 0:48:00We fly these birds because we get to be up close bird-watchers
0:48:00 > 0:48:01for a few hours each day.
0:48:01 > 0:48:03But when you come out here and see the real thing,
0:48:03 > 0:48:06the wild bird doing its thing in its own territory,
0:48:06 > 0:48:10knowing that they were that close to being gone and there's hardly any now, it's amazing.
0:48:10 > 0:48:11It's an enormous thrill.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14Once the birds were out flying high, Barry and Roxanne
0:48:14 > 0:48:17had no way of observing their behaviour.
0:48:17 > 0:48:21So they came up with an ingenious solution - Eagle-cam.
0:48:21 > 0:48:25A small camera attached to their backs.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28These birds are, of course, most at home in the air,
0:48:28 > 0:48:30so it's time to get them up and away.
0:48:43 > 0:48:45Hello, lovely.
0:48:54 > 0:48:57It is an all-encompassing lifestyle.
0:48:57 > 0:49:00Seven days a week, dark till dark, every day of the year.
0:49:01 > 0:49:03But the rewards that are earned from working with
0:49:03 > 0:49:05a bird like this far outweigh the hard work.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50Working with eagles specifically appeals to me
0:49:50 > 0:49:52so much because they're so intelligent.
0:49:52 > 0:49:54You can see that she's up on the soar, sometimes hundreds and
0:49:54 > 0:49:56hundreds of feet away,
0:49:56 > 0:49:59and yet she still chooses to come back to us.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03The satisfaction of having trained her to do that is
0:50:03 > 0:50:06amazing, from my point of view, and I'll never lose the joy of it.
0:50:13 > 0:50:16Oh, hello, Myra, my good friend!
0:50:17 > 0:50:21I'm so excited right now. What a total privilege.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24Right, here is the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead.
0:51:09 > 0:51:11We're in the Cairngorms.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14And while Helen's been getting a bird's eye view,
0:51:14 > 0:51:17my feet have been firmly on the ground,
0:51:17 > 0:51:19exploring Mar Lodge Estate.
0:51:19 > 0:51:2172,000 acres of mountain,
0:51:21 > 0:51:25moorland and restored Caledonian pine forest.
0:51:25 > 0:51:29It has recently been made Britain's largest national nature reserve.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35The nature reserve status isn't just a reward for the exceptional
0:51:35 > 0:51:37conservation work going on here.
0:51:37 > 0:51:40It's also in recognition of the great work Mar Lodge
0:51:40 > 0:51:43does in making this landscape accessible to all.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45Visitors from far and wide.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48And those a little closer to home.
0:51:52 > 0:51:57The local primary school may have just 33 pupils.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00But when it comes to conservation, what they lack in numbers,
0:52:00 > 0:52:02they make up for in enthusiasm.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06They visit Mar Lodge every week, to learn about nature
0:52:06 > 0:52:09and what it takes to manage an estate of this size.
0:52:11 > 0:52:14So, what we're going to do is, we'll have one group digging the hole.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16We're going to put the post in.
0:52:16 > 0:52:18Then we'll get stones and we'll pack the stones round it,
0:52:18 > 0:52:21to keep it nice and secure and stop it from falling over.
0:52:27 > 0:52:32Kim Neilson is the ranger who runs the outreach education programme.
0:52:32 > 0:52:33- Hi, guys, how's it going?- Good.
0:52:33 > 0:52:36Good? So, what's happening, Kim?
0:52:36 > 0:52:39So, today we're putting in this way marker, which will be
0:52:39 > 0:52:43the first post in our new trails, around the Linn of Dee.
0:52:43 > 0:52:46- And we have some willing diggers, do we?- We have some willing diggers.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48Feeling strong? Yes?
0:52:48 > 0:52:51So, remember, push your spades in and then, yeah, tip it like that.
0:52:52 > 0:52:56- So, all tip at the same time and you might get that square out.- Two, one.
0:52:56 > 0:52:59Look at that. And then you can use your hands to pull it out.
0:52:59 > 0:53:04- And Kim, the vision here on the estate is a very long-term one.- Yes.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06So, these are potentially your future rangers, keeping the legacy,
0:53:06 > 0:53:10- keeping the vision going.- Yeah, well, that's why I like to hope that some of them will maybe...
0:53:10 > 0:53:14they'll definitely have a lifelong appreciation of the countryside.
0:53:14 > 0:53:18And I think the kids are so lucky because this is their home.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26- Look at that. - Now we're getting somewhere.
0:53:26 > 0:53:30Wow, look at this! That is a monster. Oh, my goodness.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Right, let's put some stones down here, shall we?
0:53:33 > 0:53:36Goodness me. Who carried that up the hill?
0:53:36 > 0:53:37Well, I carried it for half the hill.
0:53:37 > 0:53:39You carried half the hill?
0:53:40 > 0:53:44The children's marker will signpost visitors to Mar Lodge's
0:53:44 > 0:53:47most famous attraction, the Linn of Dee.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50- Right, do we think that's ready? - Yeah.- Deep enough?- Yeah.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53- Come on, then, Kim, let's see.- Let's try with the post. Right, Esme.
0:53:55 > 0:53:57- Facing the right way?- Yeah.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01What sort of things have you learned from coming out here with school?
0:54:01 > 0:54:03More about the environment.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06How, like, trees get planted and...
0:54:06 > 0:54:08that sort of stuff.
0:54:08 > 0:54:10THEY CHATTER
0:54:12 > 0:54:15Maybe we can grab a few handfuls of pine needles.
0:54:15 > 0:54:19Sprinkle them round, make it look a bit more natural.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21That looks brilliant, well done, guys.
0:54:21 > 0:54:22It's going to be here forevermore.
0:54:22 > 0:54:26- All the visitors will come past and see your way marker.- Woohoo!
0:54:26 > 0:54:29I've been invited to a celebration marking the success of everything
0:54:29 > 0:54:33that's been achieved on the estate over the last two decades.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35Great to see so many of you here,
0:54:35 > 0:54:38and it has been a privilege to go round the estate
0:54:38 > 0:54:40to witness the amazing work being done here.
0:54:40 > 0:54:44For trees, for people, for wildlife. Long may it continue.
0:54:44 > 0:54:47And to mark the occasion, the unveiling!
0:54:47 > 0:54:49CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:54:53 > 0:54:55BAGPIPES SOUND
0:55:10 > 0:55:13Finally, it's time for me to grab a venison burger and maybe see
0:55:13 > 0:55:15if there's a wee dram around.
0:55:15 > 0:55:17And that's all we've got time for this week in the Cairngorms.
0:55:17 > 0:55:19Next week, we're on the Cleveland Way,
0:55:19 > 0:55:22where Helen and Sean are meeting people who adopted their
0:55:22 > 0:55:25very own stretch of one of the UK's most scenic trails.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27But for now, goodbye.
0:55:27 > 0:55:30And Helen, I bet you wish you were here for this, eh? Ooh!
0:55:30 > 0:55:33Now, you strike me as the kind of girl who'd enjoy a venison burger.
0:55:33 > 0:55:36Joe, make sure you save one for us. Goodbye.