0:00:26 > 0:00:29These are the flatlands of Cambridgeshire,
0:00:29 > 0:00:34where the countryside is changing before our very eyes.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Well, all of that may look like one massive building site,
0:00:38 > 0:00:41but when it's finished, it should resemble this.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44And the whole area will become the biggest wetland of its type
0:00:44 > 0:00:48in Europe, obviously benefitting all sorts of wildlife,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51- and one special bird in particular. - I bet I know what bird that is.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Elsewhere in Cambridgeshire,
0:00:53 > 0:00:55I'm going to be looking at the secret life of
0:00:55 > 0:00:58a fungus worth more than gold.
0:00:58 > 0:00:59I think I know what that is!
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Also, we'll be catching up with our rural vets on an emergency call-out.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Calved herself, calf is fine,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11and then started to prolapse a bit later.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Steady, girl, steady.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17Tom meets Bill Gates to find out why he thinks Britain is the best place
0:01:17 > 0:01:20to invest in agricultural research.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24So we said, why not take some of the same science of human health
0:01:24 > 0:01:25and work on animals?
0:01:25 > 0:01:28And that's where we found the brilliant work here in Edinburgh.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31And Adam's with a farmer in the New Forest,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34giving his cattle a winter once-over.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37They're a little bit nervous, aren't they, these youngsters?
0:01:37 > 0:01:41This is probably only the second time they've been through the crush.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57It's hard to resist
0:01:57 > 0:02:00the vast expanses and beauty of Cambridgeshire.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05But its appeal is more than skin deep.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Lying beneath is a precious resource.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16This is the biggest sand and gravel quarry in the UK.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23It's located in the Fens, at the heart of the county,
0:02:23 > 0:02:24just north of Cambridge.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31But this is no ordinary quarry.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35It's part of an epic conservation project.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36And when it's finished,
0:02:36 > 0:02:41this will be the largest wetland of its type in Europe.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48The project is a partnership
0:02:48 > 0:02:51between quarry firm Hanson and the RSPB.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Right now, they're just over halfway through the 30-year project.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59When it's done, Ouse Fen will cover the same area
0:02:59 > 0:03:02as about 1,200 football pitches.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14And there's one booming reason for this blooming enormous effort.
0:03:14 > 0:03:15The bittern.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21In the late '90s, there were just 11 males left in the UK.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Experts feared its extinction.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26BITTERN CALLS
0:03:28 > 0:03:31The population is counted by the number of calling males,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35and now there are ten booming bittern on this site alone
0:03:35 > 0:03:38and 165 nationwide.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42These are encouraging figures.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47The man overseeing this success is Matt York from the RSPB.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50It's his job to create the right kind of habitat for the bittern,
0:03:50 > 0:03:52and more besides.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55I mean, obviously, you look around,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58what an incredible habitat for so many different...
0:03:58 > 0:03:59And not just birds, either.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01So many species will be calling this home.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Yeah, well, that's right. As soon as we build this,
0:04:04 > 0:04:05then the species move in.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09We get the bearded tit breeding, marsh harriers breeding,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11we've got 21 species of dragonfly,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13and otters, water voles,
0:04:13 > 0:04:15all the other elements of an ecosystem
0:04:15 > 0:04:18start to move in as soon as you build the habitat.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21And this is what it looks like so far,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24designed down to the smallest degree
0:04:24 > 0:04:27with a paradise for bitterns in mind.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29So, to target bitterns,
0:04:29 > 0:04:32you just have to get as much edge habitat in as you can,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35the area between the reed and the water, which is where they fish,
0:04:35 > 0:04:39and that leads to these sinuous edges to the habitat.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42We're creating this quite attractive landform, really.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45It's attractive to us, but to the bitterns as well.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47It's perfect for them.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49The results are a masterclass
0:04:49 > 0:04:52in meticulous planning and precision engineering.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57But none of it would exist
0:04:57 > 0:05:00without the close partnership with the quarry.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Well, this is the beginning of the nature reserve,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10the stuff that is powering the whole project,
0:05:10 > 0:05:12like the sand, the gravel
0:05:12 > 0:05:14that is used quite literally to build Britain.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18This stuff is going into concrete, into roads, bricks, houses,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21you name it. Right, Mick!
0:05:21 > 0:05:23We're done with that bit, you can have it.
0:05:37 > 0:05:38Last year, the company extracted
0:05:38 > 0:05:41more than a million tonnes of sand and gravel.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45And every last ounce was shifted on, wait for it,
0:05:45 > 0:05:49two and a half miles of conveyor belt.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51But not everything that comes out of the ground
0:05:51 > 0:05:54makes it to the builder's yard. Something this big would end up
0:05:54 > 0:05:56on what's known as the rejects' graveyard.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59And to prove it, let's do a little experiment.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01Keep your eyes peeled.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Our rock is on its way,
0:06:08 > 0:06:11its progress carefully monitored by CCTV cameras.
0:06:13 > 0:06:18And like many others that don't make the grade, they end up here,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21on a massive mound of rocks, but full of hidden treasures.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27This is the remnants of a tusk from a woolly rhinoceros that would have
0:06:27 > 0:06:30lived around here around about 40,000 years ago.
0:06:30 > 0:06:35Hilton Law is the quarry manager, with a side interest in fossils.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38These are belemnites.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40These would have been in the Jurassic ocean
0:06:40 > 0:06:42that would have been here 160 million years ago.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46And they were sea creatures. Looked very similar to squid today.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48- Right.- That's the tail. - And it was just in the rejects pile?
0:06:48 > 0:06:51It would just be sitting in here, covered in clay, maybe.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53It's beautiful, absolutely beautiful.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55This is a mammoth's tooth.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Everybody on the site, I guarantee, will have a mammoth's tooth
0:06:58 > 0:07:00sitting at home on their shelf somewhere.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04Just incredible. Have you found any bird fossils?
0:07:04 > 0:07:05Yes, we have.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09We've found the remains of marsh harrier and bittern.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12So we know that what you're trying to bring back to this area
0:07:12 > 0:07:15- has actually been here before. - Absolutely.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18And only yesterday, I was with the RSPB warden, and I said,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21"Is that a marsh harrier over there?" and she said, "No, it's a bittern."
0:07:21 > 0:07:23And I thought, "Wow, been here ten years,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26"and it's the first time I've seen a bittern," so I was really pleased.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Everybody on the site and involved in this project
0:07:28 > 0:07:31get quite a buzz out of what we're creating here.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37The partnership between heavy industry and wildlife conservation
0:07:37 > 0:07:39is working well here.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Later, I'll be taking to the water
0:07:41 > 0:07:44to add one last vital ingredient
0:07:44 > 0:07:46to this bastion for the bittern.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Now, the UK is home to some of the best-known
0:07:53 > 0:07:56agricultural research centres in the world.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59They're also being used by one of the most famous philanthropists
0:07:59 > 0:08:03on the planet, but are we making enough use of them ourselves?
0:08:03 > 0:08:05Here's Tom.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Britain's farmland.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Varied, productive and constantly changing.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19For years, we've led the way in agricultural innovation.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25The techniques and technology that sprang from Britain's
0:08:25 > 0:08:27agricultural revolution resulted
0:08:27 > 0:08:31in us having some of the most efficient farms in the world.
0:08:34 > 0:08:38Now, our reputation for innovation and scientific advancement
0:08:38 > 0:08:41has attracted one of the richest men on the planet
0:08:41 > 0:08:45to invest right here at the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48I always enjoy coming to Edinburgh, because I feel like I'm at
0:08:48 > 0:08:52the intersection of two vital historical trends.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58Bill Gates, famed for co-founding Microsoft, but nowadays,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01he spends more time focusing on his charity,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08It's a sign of how highly regarded British science is
0:09:08 > 0:09:11that he's invested almost £30 million
0:09:11 > 0:09:14to help improve the livelihoods of farmers
0:09:14 > 0:09:16in sub-Saharan Africa.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27In more familiar surroundings,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30I took him for a walk in the countryside to find out more.
0:09:31 > 0:09:32You look around us here,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34and it feels like quite a long way from Africa.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36So what is it about this place
0:09:36 > 0:09:39that you think is the right place to start with this money?
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Well, Edinburgh has critical mass of great expertise.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48It's got people over at Roslin that did the original work on genetics...
0:09:48 > 0:09:49Famous for Dolly the sheep, of course.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52Exactly. GALVmed, which is here,
0:09:52 > 0:09:57is the leader in these very low-cost vaccines for poor farmers.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00So we've been giving grants for a number of years.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03And that's what it's about for you, finding the right expertise,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06because a foundation like yours really can look across the world,
0:10:06 > 0:10:09can't it, to find the best people to deliver on the ground?
0:10:09 > 0:10:12Exactly. You know, we've spent billions in research,
0:10:12 > 0:10:17but over a billion of our money has come into the UK.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Now, a lot of that's human health,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22but a pretty significant part is our agricultural work.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Whether it's human health or agriculture,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29no-one appreciates the importance of research and development
0:10:29 > 0:10:31more than Bill Gates.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Oh, yeah, the greatest event ever in agriculture
0:10:34 > 0:10:37was the Green Revolution, where they figured out how to make
0:10:37 > 0:10:40some of these cereal crops twice as productive.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42And as diseases come along,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45whether it's for the plants or the animals,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48we have to innovate out in front of that.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51Here in the UK, we know all too well
0:10:51 > 0:10:54about the persistent threat from diseases
0:10:54 > 0:10:58like foot-and-mouth, African swine fever and bluetongue.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01And the threat of further diseases migrating this way
0:11:01 > 0:11:03is a real one, too.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Over the past five years, lumpy skin disease,
0:11:06 > 0:11:10first reported in South Africa, has been on the move.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15And so, one of the vaccines we worked on, lumpy skin disease,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19that disease was down in Africa, but then when it came up into Europe,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22we were able to use this GALVmed-associated vaccine
0:11:22 > 0:11:25and help with that disease.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Well, you mentioned Europe there,
0:11:27 > 0:11:30and although very much the focus of this work is helping people
0:11:30 > 0:11:33in the poorest countries, I mean, at the end,
0:11:33 > 0:11:36some of that work could help us here because some of those diseases
0:11:36 > 0:11:38do make their way into the developed world.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Absolutely - although we're looking at making sure
0:11:42 > 0:11:43it impacts the poorest,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46this research here, it's not just the jobs.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49The insights, whether it's the genetics or the medicine,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53really have global applicability.
0:11:53 > 0:11:54You mentioned the Green Revolution.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Do you think we need sort of another revolution in agriculture?
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Yeah, in fact,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04some people talk about it's the Doubly Green Revolution,
0:12:04 > 0:12:08because we have to think about a low environmental impact as well as
0:12:08 > 0:12:10doubling productivity this time around.
0:12:10 > 0:12:11- Yeah.- But the science is there.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14And why does this interest you?
0:12:14 > 0:12:16You've made a lot of money in another area,
0:12:16 > 0:12:20why have you decided to focus very much on this?
0:12:20 > 0:12:26We soon realised that unless we help these poor farmers have more output,
0:12:26 > 0:12:28they weren't going to get enough to eat.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31They weren't going to be able to send their kids to school.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34And so we said, why not take some of the same science of human health
0:12:34 > 0:12:36and work on animals?
0:12:36 > 0:12:38And that's where we found the brilliant work here in Edinburgh
0:12:38 > 0:12:41and some great partners.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45That's a real thumbs up for scientists here at Roslin.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50So we've got the knowledge,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53we've got the investment and we've got lots of people doing great work.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55So it should all be good news.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58But it's not.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01We've got world-leading science, but at the moment,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03we're not making the most of it.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09A report just out from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
0:13:09 > 0:13:12suggests that we're falling behind some of our competitors
0:13:12 > 0:13:15when it comes to productivity and yield growth.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Also, many labs and farmers say
0:13:17 > 0:13:19there's a bit of a disconnect between the two.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21So what can we do to be sure
0:13:21 > 0:13:24that the best science gets down to the farm?
0:13:24 > 0:13:26That's what I'll be finding out later.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43I've come to Cambridge University Botanic Garden to see a project
0:13:43 > 0:13:47that's shedding new light on the secret underground life
0:13:47 > 0:13:49of the truffle.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55Truffles live in partnership with trees.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58The trees provide the sugars.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02The truffles in the soil provide the nutrients.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04They both need each other.
0:14:06 > 0:14:11Truffles are highly prized, yet we know little about how they grow,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13how their spores are dispersed
0:14:13 > 0:14:17and how they're affected by changes in the environment.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25Professor Ulf Buntgen is hoping to answer some of those questions...
0:14:27 > 0:14:30..with the help of his research assistant, Lucy.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Ulf, there seems to be still such a mystery about truffles.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39Why do we know so little about them?
0:14:39 > 0:14:44The main reason why we still don't know most of the truffle life cycle
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- is because it's occurring hidden below ground.- Yeah.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49Well, why do you do your research
0:14:49 > 0:14:51here at Cambridge University Botanic Garden?
0:14:51 > 0:14:55The Botanic Garden represents perfect research conditions for us.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00There are approximately 2,000 trees growing here,
0:15:00 > 0:15:04and we are particularly interested in understanding the relationship
0:15:04 > 0:15:06between truffle fruiting
0:15:06 > 0:15:09and the role the host plants or trees are playing.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11So it's like your living lab, right here?
0:15:11 > 0:15:14That's correct. It's a perfect open laboratory for us.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16Wonderful. And Lucy's a part of this?
0:15:17 > 0:15:20I would say she is THE essential part, yes.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Fruiting patterns are only detected with a well-trained dog.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26- Shall we see her at work?- I think so, we should go.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27All right, let's do it.
0:15:27 > 0:15:28Lucy, come on, then.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Lucy's a lucky girl.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Apart from guide dogs, she's the only dog allowed in these grounds,
0:15:40 > 0:15:42but then she does have an important job to do.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46Lucy!
0:15:46 > 0:15:50And it's not long before she picks up the all-important scent.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Oh, she's definitely onto something!
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Does she give, like, an indication to you?
0:15:58 > 0:15:59Yeah, you will see it.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Oh, yeah! Was that the sign, the paw?
0:16:01 > 0:16:04Yes. Bravo, bravo, Lucy.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Oh, straight there!
0:16:08 > 0:16:10There it is.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15- Do you know what type that is?- Yes,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18it's a burgundy truffle, it's a Tuber aestivum.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22Burgundy truffles are not as highly prized as the more valuable black
0:16:22 > 0:16:25variety, but they're the main focus of Ulf's research.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27She looks a little bit more lively now.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Yeah, she's onto something.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Lucy is really getting into her stride.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35Yes, so, so, so...
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Aus!
0:16:37 > 0:16:38It's tasty for dogs, too.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Too late, we've been beaten to that one.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Another animal took the whole...
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- So there was just a piece in there and she could smell that tiny piece? - Yeah.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Being eaten is part of the plan.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54The strong smell, the aroma, that's a survival strategy.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58- Yeah.- If the truffle wouldn't be so tasty, it wouldn't be...
0:16:58 > 0:17:00..er, picked out by anyone.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02So then they would eat the truffle,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06and then wherever their poo goes is where the truffle gets to then...
0:17:06 > 0:17:08Exactly.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12That distinctive smell is still working its magic on Lucy.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16- Oh, bravo, bravo! - Ah!
0:17:16 > 0:17:18Yeah. That's a good one, can I have a sniff?
0:17:18 > 0:17:19- Yeah.- I love the smell.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23Oh! You like it, too, don't you, Lucy?
0:17:23 > 0:17:27So do we get to eat this or sell it to a restaurant?
0:17:27 > 0:17:29No, unfortunately not.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32All of these truffles we're going to bring to the laboratory for
0:17:32 > 0:17:34- analysis.- Not for pasta tonight?
0:17:35 > 0:17:38- That's a shame.- Let's go. - All right.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45We are taking a slice from each fruit body.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48And you see each of them are really unique in their own way.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52- Yeah.- So I would even say they are beautiful.- Yeah.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58Later on, we're going to produce very small, thin sections for an archive
0:17:58 > 0:18:00to build up a long-term database.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06What are you learning from your research?
0:18:06 > 0:18:10I mean, our research here improves our understanding about the complexity
0:18:10 > 0:18:12of forest ecosystems.
0:18:12 > 0:18:18How are different truffle species interacting with their host tree partners?
0:18:18 > 0:18:22And with the changes in weather that we're seeing, maybe climate change,
0:18:22 > 0:18:24is that going to have an impact on the truffle?
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Yes, I think so.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30There is an indication for a prolonged growing season,
0:18:30 > 0:18:35so climate change has an effect both on the truffle fruiting period and
0:18:35 > 0:18:41ripening process, as well as on the phenology of the growing season of trees.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45And will we see changes here in Cambridgeshire and across the UK?
0:18:45 > 0:18:46This is difficult to say,
0:18:46 > 0:18:51but what we think is that if temperatures are rising and at the same time
0:18:51 > 0:18:53it's not getting drier,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57this part of the UK will benefit from predicted climate change
0:18:57 > 0:19:00in terms of its truffle production.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02So we may see more truffles on our plate?
0:19:02 > 0:19:04- Possibly, yes.- That would be nice.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15I have never seen a truffle in such detail before.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17And they're absolutely fascinating,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21not just to look at, but also for their role in our ecosystems.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23And with the work being done here,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26we'll soon begin to understand more
0:19:26 > 0:19:28about the secret world of the truffle.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43ADAM: In a series of special films,
0:19:43 > 0:19:47we're spending time with a team of country vets and seeing what it
0:19:47 > 0:19:50takes to look after our livestock in the harshest of seasons.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56The practice is based in Malmesbury in the Cotswolds.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58It's one of the largest in the country,
0:19:58 > 0:20:03with around 40 vets providing care to all creatures great and small.
0:20:03 > 0:20:04Hey!
0:20:06 > 0:20:10We'll track the trials and tribulations through the blood,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12sweat and tears...
0:20:12 > 0:20:14There's something not quite right here today.
0:20:14 > 0:20:16..to see what it takes to be a country vet.
0:20:20 > 0:20:21And just to let you know,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24some of what we're about to show you is not for the faint-hearted.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36Chris from the farm vet team has been called out to an emergency.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40Whilst calving, a cow has pushed out her uterus.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Be warned, some of what you're about to see is pretty graphic.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47It's a genuine emergency that you drop everything and you go.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50So she calved this morning, calved herself?
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Yeah, calved herself, calf is fine,
0:20:52 > 0:20:54and then started to prolapse a bit later.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57- Steady, girl, steady.- It's one of the few calls that, you know,
0:20:57 > 0:21:01you have to get there straightaway because it is obviously an internal
0:21:01 > 0:21:03organ of the cow that's been pushed outside.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09So you can see, she's prolapsed the whole of her uterus out.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Yeah, she looks fairly steady on her feet, doesn't she?
0:21:12 > 0:21:14- Yeah.- So if we can get her to the crush, that would be great.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17- All right.- Let's see, girl. Come on.
0:21:18 > 0:21:19Good girl. The calf is a decent size,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21it wasn't a monster or anything like that?
0:21:21 > 0:21:23- Yeah, it's in there.- OK.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25I could see the calf was there quite happily,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28so with Rob's experience and that, I had no worries about the calf.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32So the priority was to get the cow back together so that she could then
0:21:32 > 0:21:34care for the calf.
0:21:34 > 0:21:39Right, if we could have a couple of buckets of water, please, Rob? Give it a good clean-off.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42So what's happened is she calved this morning.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44And for whatever reason, she's continued to push.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48Sometimes this happens with traumatic calvings or calves that are too big.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50So, as you can imagine, her womb should be inside,
0:21:50 > 0:21:53and it's inverted and come out with the calf.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55So what we need to do now is wash it off,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58give her some pain-relieving injections and some antibiotics.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01We'll give her an epidural, which'll make her feel more comfortable and
0:22:01 > 0:22:04stop her pushing, and then we'll replace it back in and, yeah,
0:22:04 > 0:22:06the job should be a good 'un.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14You've got to get the uterus back in as quickly as you can.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16Like with anything,
0:22:16 > 0:22:17cows with this condition do die.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Good girl, right.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24So essentially, we just feed it back in slowly and gently.
0:22:24 > 0:22:25Good girl.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Good girl.
0:22:29 > 0:22:30It's going back in.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Good girl.
0:22:35 > 0:22:36Come on, no, no, no.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41All right, girl, nearly there. Good girl.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45OK, good.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- Hopefully.- Are you going to stitch her?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50I'm not going to stitch it, no...
0:22:50 > 0:22:52- OK.- Because the thing is, the amount of force she put behind it,
0:22:52 > 0:22:54if she wants to push that out, it's going to come back out,
0:22:54 > 0:22:56and if we stitch it, she'll make a hell of a mess.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02These are the calls which, when they go well,
0:23:02 > 0:23:04are the most satisfying because
0:23:04 > 0:23:06it's a big issue for the cow and for the farmer.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10It gets the adrenaline going, and then once you complete it successfully,
0:23:10 > 0:23:11it's really satisfying.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16That went really nicely. She's a young cow.
0:23:16 > 0:23:17Rob's called us nice and quickly,
0:23:17 > 0:23:19so it's not become too swollen on the outside.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23I'll give her some calcium now, which helps the uterus contract down,
0:23:23 > 0:23:25and also some oxytocin, which does the same.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32It is amazing how calmly they stay there, on the whole.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33I know, she's an absolute star, isn't she?
0:23:33 > 0:23:35- She's been brilliant.- And you think,
0:23:37 > 0:23:42if that was me, I would not be happy.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44OK. It's in there.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Good. Right, if we let her off.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56The most satisfying thing is to see the condition of the cow afterwards,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59you know, walking away, walking out of the crush like she did.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00Good.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04Yes, so just keep an eye on her the next few hours.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06The calf's in there, is he?
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Yeah, do you want to see the calf?
0:24:08 > 0:24:11The infections and the conditions they can cope with, yeah,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14it's incredible. A lot of humans and other species would have no chance
0:24:14 > 0:24:19against things like that. Or would need a lot more intensive care than
0:24:19 > 0:24:20we can do with cows.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25So seeing now, the mother's quite happy to stand there
0:24:25 > 0:24:31and hopefully the calf will get the right end - in a minute! - to get some milk.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35So, you know, we've done our bit for the moment.
0:24:35 > 0:24:40The idea is just to keep an eye and help out later if the calf's still
0:24:40 > 0:24:41not found the milk.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Most of the farm vet's work is with cattle.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56And a few weeks ago, we saw Ben replacing the nose ring
0:24:56 > 0:24:58of the awesome Holy Moley.
0:24:58 > 0:24:59Come on!
0:25:01 > 0:25:02Come on!
0:25:06 > 0:25:09But Ben deals with animals big and small,
0:25:09 > 0:25:11and some clients are a lot closer to home.
0:25:13 > 0:25:14Emma works in the farm vet's office,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18and often calls on the expertise of her colleagues.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21Today, she has a prize chicken with a bad case of diarrhoea.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24So Ben's agreed to give the poorly hen the once-over.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27One of the perks of working here is, of course,
0:25:27 > 0:25:30if I've got any poultry at home that's not very well,
0:25:30 > 0:25:34I can call on about 16 excellent farm vets.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37She just constantly keeps us updated on their health issues.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Which is pretty good for her, I guess, but every now and then,
0:25:41 > 0:25:43she brings one in that's got a bit of a problem.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47Ben, in particular, has taken quite a shine to poultry.
0:25:47 > 0:25:48And hopefully sort them out.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51They usually end up seeing them during their lunch break,
0:25:51 > 0:25:55so I annoy them usually at that time.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57- Did you manage to finish your lunch? - Only just.
0:25:59 > 0:26:00Previous to her bringing the hen in,
0:26:00 > 0:26:05we'd been talking about it in the office and we'd tried a few treatment plans.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09And the main thing that was kicking up in my mind was that it
0:26:09 > 0:26:11was parasitic worms.
0:26:11 > 0:26:12Is she eating and drinking?
0:26:12 > 0:26:15She's picking at food and water.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19She's not, you know, really tucking into her food like normal.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- OK.- But as you can see, she's not looking right.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24A bit off colour, a bit pale.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26Just not looking her chirpy self.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Yeah, she looks a bit off-colour.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32They sort of assume a hunched-up position, which she had.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34And is she normally in with another group?
0:26:34 > 0:26:36She's normally in with another two birds.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39- OK.- But she has been isolated and kept totally separate.
0:26:39 > 0:26:44Yep, and do you give her treatment for external parasites as well?
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Yes. Yep, she has everything.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49OK, so let's just have a little listen to her heart and lungs.
0:26:49 > 0:26:50All right.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Their hearts go like the clappers, and they've got air sacs,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56which can make listening to their lungs a bit interesting.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59OK, so there's no indication of there being any problems going on there.
0:26:59 > 0:27:04So I think the best thing to do would be to take the sample of her
0:27:04 > 0:27:06faeces inside the box that she's left for us, and from that,
0:27:06 > 0:27:09we'll hopefully have a better picture of what's going on.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- Does that sound all right?- Yes, that's lovely, thanks ever so much.
0:27:12 > 0:27:13Right, OK, let's pop her back inside.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Thank you very much.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Good girl. There's a good girl.
0:27:18 > 0:27:19She's away.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24This is always the glamorous side of the job.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27OK. Let's sort that out upstairs.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35And I took that up to the lab and did a quick sort of worm egg count,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38just had a look under the microscope.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42It showed up as totally negative for any types of worm eggs or whatever,
0:27:42 > 0:27:45so it was a tricky one trying to give her a diagnosis.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49Chickens can go from being sort of, "I'm OK,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52"I'm OK," and then suddenly boom, they're right on the floor.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58So trying to interpret symptoms and clinical signs can be a bit challenging.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Next week, we'll find out how this little chicken's doing...
0:28:06 > 0:28:09..and why dentistry is so important for our equine friends.
0:28:11 > 0:28:12Perfect.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25MATT: Earlier, we saw how British agricultural research and innovation
0:28:25 > 0:28:28is attracting investment from around the world.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31But are we making the most of it ourselves?
0:28:31 > 0:28:32Here's Tom.
0:28:36 > 0:28:42In terms of how much food we grow on our farms, the UK is falling behind.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44It's not all bad news.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49The total amount we produce has gone up by 0.9%
0:28:49 > 0:28:50over the past two decades.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57But compare that to 3.2% growth in the USA
0:28:57 > 0:29:01and 3.5% in the Netherlands.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05With a constantly rising global population,
0:29:05 > 0:29:08we need to increase food production.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10Investors from overseas recognise
0:29:10 > 0:29:14that we have relevant experience here in the UK.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17And it's not just anyone investing.
0:29:17 > 0:29:18This is a big name.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20Bill Gates.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24Our foundation is looking for the very best science in the world,
0:29:24 > 0:29:28and we've put over 1 billion into research here in the UK.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31And if he recognises it, why don't we?
0:29:32 > 0:29:34Well, here's the problem.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38Many of the farmers and experts we've spoken to say some of the science
0:29:38 > 0:29:40just isn't getting onto the farm.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47One of the people trying to solve this, Kate Pressland,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50believes it doesn't have to be like that.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52There's lots of research happening,
0:29:52 > 0:29:55so at the academic level they are working with farmers, but not on a,
0:29:55 > 0:29:58you know, a huge scale. Quite necessarily,
0:29:58 > 0:30:00because they have to be so precise.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02But also where you've got companies
0:30:02 > 0:30:04that have their own research networks,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07but because of competitive advantage they might be closed off
0:30:07 > 0:30:09and they're not sharing information outside of that,
0:30:09 > 0:30:10which is understandable.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14But then, on the actual farmer-led, ground-up grassroots research
0:30:14 > 0:30:17we estimate there might be as little as less than 1%,
0:30:17 > 0:30:20simply because the funders aren't able
0:30:20 > 0:30:22to fund that sort of research.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25One of the big things coming the farm's way is Brexit,
0:30:25 > 0:30:28which is going to lead to a change in the trading world,
0:30:28 > 0:30:31probably a change in the subsidy world as well.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34Does this put an extra emphasis on sort of productivity
0:30:34 > 0:30:37and making sure you're farming in the best way possible?
0:30:37 > 0:30:39Productivity, but sustainability at the heart of it,
0:30:39 > 0:30:41because all the farmers that we...
0:30:41 > 0:30:43..that we work with care about the long term.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46I think farmers need to have more tools in the armoury
0:30:46 > 0:30:49to be able to face the challenges that are round the corner.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51But that challenge is only going to be best met
0:30:51 > 0:30:54if you get people together to talk face-to-face,
0:30:54 > 0:30:55it's the best way.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03One of the places where they seem to be getting it right
0:31:03 > 0:31:05is here in Northern Ireland.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute
0:31:11 > 0:31:15prioritise working directly with farmers,
0:31:15 > 0:31:17and Dr Debbie McConnell is showing me
0:31:17 > 0:31:20some of the practical things they're looking at.
0:31:20 > 0:31:21So, what we're doing here
0:31:21 > 0:31:25is measuring how much each animal is eating on a daily basis.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27So by tracking what they actually eat and by tracking
0:31:27 > 0:31:30in our milking parlour how much milk they're producing,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33we can work out how efficient her milk production process is.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35You can see which cow's being greedy.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36I wouldn't want one of these on my plate,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39you'd be able to see how much I was taking in!
0:31:39 > 0:31:44They use cutting-edge technology that can measure every chew,
0:31:44 > 0:31:48and it's used as a good indicator of health and happiness.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52And the hi-tech approach here
0:31:52 > 0:31:55stretches far beyond feeding and chewing
0:31:55 > 0:31:58into a whole new way of seeing.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00They're using thermal imaging.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04Farmers can check the calves' health
0:32:04 > 0:32:06through this monitor using heat detection
0:32:06 > 0:32:09and this thermal imaging can also be used
0:32:09 > 0:32:11to measure weight and pressure.
0:32:11 > 0:32:12I'm using my hand.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18So by seeing how heavily they place each foot on the ground
0:32:18 > 0:32:20- you could tell if one was lame? - Yeah, very much so.
0:32:24 > 0:32:29And more timely, practical ideas like this are really important
0:32:29 > 0:32:32because, despite some fantastic science,
0:32:32 > 0:32:37diseases we know how to eradicate are still causing problems.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41And proven solutions for keeping food fresh
0:32:41 > 0:32:45can take decades before being implemented.
0:32:45 > 0:32:46So what has to change?
0:32:49 > 0:32:51I suppose over the last few decades
0:32:51 > 0:32:53we have seen a reduction in the amount of funding
0:32:53 > 0:32:56for sort of practical, on-farm applied research
0:32:56 > 0:32:59and that's really caused a bit of a disconnect
0:32:59 > 0:33:02between science and actually farming itself.
0:33:02 > 0:33:03So, we are starting to see that change.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Funding mechanisms are coming through
0:33:05 > 0:33:08from government and levy bodies to really support
0:33:08 > 0:33:10more practical applied research.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12And for us as scientists, that's really valuable.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15We can bring farmers right into the start of our research projects,
0:33:15 > 0:33:17help us design them in such a way
0:33:17 > 0:33:20that we're answering the questions that they need answered.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27And one farmer taking advantage of this work is Brian McCracken.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35Here on his farm, they're seeing if the grass really is greener.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39- Afternoon.- Good afternoon, Tom. - Hi, Tom.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42I'm no expert, but if it were me, I'd have a ride-on lawn mower...
0:33:42 > 0:33:43Yes, yes.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46That would be perfect.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49Why is it important for you as a farmer to have this
0:33:49 > 0:33:52sort of intensity of science in your work?
0:33:52 > 0:33:53It just gives us a handle,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56the detail of what is happening on the farm.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58So grass is our biggest asset on this farm,
0:33:58 > 0:34:00and of course for Northern Ireland too,
0:34:00 > 0:34:04but we need to know exactly how much we have, when we're growing it,
0:34:04 > 0:34:08and improve the ways that we do grow it and harvest it.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11Have you already noticed any kind of benefit from this in your profits?
0:34:11 > 0:34:12Yes, absolutely.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15We have found that with our measurements
0:34:15 > 0:34:18and the better grass quality that we offer our cows
0:34:18 > 0:34:20in the grazing cycle
0:34:20 > 0:34:22that it will reflect in higher milk protein,
0:34:22 > 0:34:24thus a higher profitability for me.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30When it comes to mixing science and farming,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33it's not so much that we're getting it wrong
0:34:33 > 0:34:36as we could be doing more and better.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40And it stands to reason that farmers themselves should be shaping that.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44In a hungry and uncertain world,
0:34:44 > 0:34:46the result won't just be good for farmers,
0:34:46 > 0:34:48it'll be good for all of us.
0:34:52 > 0:34:53MATT: Now, here on Countryfile
0:34:53 > 0:34:57we film all sorts of wildlife all over the UK,
0:34:57 > 0:35:00but every so often something special turns up.
0:35:00 > 0:35:01Have a look at this.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Wildlife cameraman Richard Taylor-Jones
0:35:11 > 0:35:13has pretty well seen it all.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20But even he was stunned by what he recently witnessed
0:35:20 > 0:35:22in Pegwell Bay on the Kent coast.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27The other day I came down and got a real shock,
0:35:27 > 0:35:31something that shattered the peace and calm of this place for me.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35And it...it's something that in all my 20 years of filming wildlife
0:35:35 > 0:35:37around the UK I've never, ever seen.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44And in front of me was a mass gathering of huge black birds.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46I was just like, "What on earth am I looking at?"
0:35:46 > 0:35:47I was confused.
0:35:49 > 0:35:50And I got closer and closer
0:35:50 > 0:35:53and I realised that it was a huge flock of cormorants.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Now, this is not an uncommon bird.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58I see them flying up and down outside my house
0:35:58 > 0:36:02in squadrons of maybe five or ten,
0:36:02 > 0:36:07but to see them in the numbers that I did was just extraordinary.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11What must have been a thousand birds gathered
0:36:11 > 0:36:15and I was just left with a big question in my mind.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17What on earth is going on?
0:36:17 > 0:36:20Why are these birds here?
0:36:20 > 0:36:23It's just something that I've never heard of before
0:36:23 > 0:36:25and never seen before anywhere in the UK.
0:36:34 > 0:36:40I've arrived at Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve,
0:36:40 > 0:36:41and what I've been told by the locals
0:36:41 > 0:36:44is that the cormorants are coming here every evening to roost.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54Across the reed beds,
0:36:54 > 0:36:55just look at this.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00One of them's dropping like a rocket.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03You see the legs, the feet are down flat,
0:37:03 > 0:37:05acting as air brakes.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07And he's come down to land on the water.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10They're doing something called whiffling.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12Now, this is something I think of as geese doing,
0:37:12 > 0:37:13but the cormorants are doing it,
0:37:13 > 0:37:15and it's when they twist their bodies
0:37:15 > 0:37:18so that they don't really have any lift from their wings any more
0:37:18 > 0:37:20and then they just plummet like a stone
0:37:20 > 0:37:23to get down to the spot they want to roost in.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27There'll definitely be a pecking order within the tree.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29So there'll be some perches
0:37:29 > 0:37:33that are the premium night-time spot to be in.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40So, I've been thinking over the last few days,
0:37:40 > 0:37:42what possible reason could there be
0:37:42 > 0:37:45for this huge gathering of these birds?
0:37:45 > 0:37:50And I think it can only come down to one thing, and that's food.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54At this time of year, herrings and sprats come to this area to breed,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57and I suspect that we have an absolute abundance
0:37:57 > 0:37:59of those fish out there now.
0:37:59 > 0:38:04Now, whether that theory is right or not I have absolutely no idea,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07but it's that wondering and those questions
0:38:07 > 0:38:09that filming nature throws up
0:38:09 > 0:38:11that keeps me coming back out to film it.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18Well, if you can help Richard and the rest of us
0:38:18 > 0:38:20find out what was going on there,
0:38:20 > 0:38:23then please do get in touch, we'd love to hear from you.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Now, the New Forest is famed for its beauty.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30But it's pretty challenging
0:38:30 > 0:38:33for those who keep their livestock out on the commons.
0:38:33 > 0:38:34Commoning, as it's known,
0:38:34 > 0:38:36is a tradition that gives people the right
0:38:36 > 0:38:39to graze their stock in the open forest,
0:38:39 > 0:38:44and Adam's with one young farmer determined to give it a go.
0:38:44 > 0:38:45Good girls. Good girls.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49At 27, Tom Hordle is a young commoner
0:38:49 > 0:38:52who's already built up quite a herd of cattle.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56They're lovely-looking cattle, Tom.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59- Thank you very much.- What have you got here, then?
0:38:59 > 0:39:02So these are all my suckler cows, about 28 here.
0:39:02 > 0:39:03They're all Hereford cross.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Every morning, I let the cattle out,
0:39:05 > 0:39:07they come out onto the forest and roam wherever they want to go.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09They'll eat the gorse and the pine
0:39:09 > 0:39:11and the birch saplings and the heather.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14Every night they come home, have a bit of silage,
0:39:14 > 0:39:15come in overnight and go from there.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18It's brilliant watching them reaching up to the branches,
0:39:18 > 0:39:19not what you would normally see cattle doing.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21No, they will literally eat anything they can reach.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24If you look, there's a browse line of how high they can reach.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26And good for the forest, I suppose.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28Yeah, without the cattle and the ponies out here,
0:39:28 > 0:39:29the forest would be a jungle.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31They keep everything in check, graze everything.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33People call them the architects of the forest,
0:39:33 > 0:39:36because without them the forest would be a very different place.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38There's been cattle and ponies out here for the last 900 years.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41- They're on the move, shall we follow them up?- Yeah, let's.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46- VOICEOVER:- But getting the best out of your cattle here isn't easy.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50Because there aren't any fences,
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Tom can't wean his calves from their mothers out on the open common.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59So over the winter, they're taken back to Tom's farm
0:39:59 > 0:40:00to live on silage.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05And whilst they're here, Tom gets them set up for the year ahead.
0:40:05 > 0:40:06Go on!
0:40:12 > 0:40:15These are Tom's young cattle, they're about eight months old,
0:40:15 > 0:40:17that have been taken off their mothers.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19And we're just giving them these pills.
0:40:19 > 0:40:20They look enormous, don't they?
0:40:20 > 0:40:22These have got essential trace elements in,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24things like copper, cobalt, selenium.
0:40:24 > 0:40:25What else have they got, Tom?
0:40:25 > 0:40:28They've got iodine in, we're quite short here in the forest on iodine.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31So, yeah, it's a good supply of them to have it.
0:40:31 > 0:40:32And these go down into their stomachs.
0:40:32 > 0:40:34Why are you giving them them now, then?
0:40:34 > 0:40:36Yeah, that'll go down into the stomach
0:40:36 > 0:40:37and will sort of dissolve over six months.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40These will go back out into the forest in springtime,
0:40:40 > 0:40:41so they'll be out there all summer.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43It's a good opportunity while they're in
0:40:43 > 0:40:45- to give them to them, really. - Keeps them healthy.- Yeah, exactly.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47Right, let's see if we can get it down its throat.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51They're a little bit nervous, aren't they, these youngsters?
0:40:51 > 0:40:53Yeah, they are. Well, they've been out all summer
0:40:53 > 0:40:54and autumn with their mums
0:40:54 > 0:40:57and this is probably only the second time they've been through the crush,
0:40:57 > 0:40:59so they haven't been handled a huge amount yet,
0:40:59 > 0:41:01because they've just been out roaming the forest freely.
0:41:01 > 0:41:06Yeah. Right, so it goes into this plunger like that,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09and then just hold the calf under its chin...
0:41:10 > 0:41:12..put your finger in the corner of its mouth
0:41:12 > 0:41:14and it'll open its mouth for you,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17and then slide the plunger in, down its throat,
0:41:17 > 0:41:19press the handle and it swallows it.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22Easy as that. There's a good baby.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Go on, then.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Keep going.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29- Nice and steady.- That's it.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34- Got it.- So have you sold any beef yet?
0:41:34 > 0:41:37No, not yet. Got some going end of the summer, hopefully.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39Should be quite good stuff, shouldn't it?
0:41:39 > 0:41:41Yeah, I'm hoping so, yeah, definitely.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Their diet is so varied and, you know,
0:41:43 > 0:41:46most cattle are eating just silage or oats or something,
0:41:46 > 0:41:48whereas these are eating everything and everything,
0:41:48 > 0:41:50so they should make for real, real treats.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52So what's the plan with these now, then, Tom?
0:41:52 > 0:41:54As soon as the weather comes right in the spring,
0:41:54 > 0:41:55these will go back out to forest
0:41:55 > 0:41:57and that's where they'll spend all summer.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59I'm really impressed by what you're doing.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01- Keep up the good work. - Thank you very much.
0:42:01 > 0:42:02Cheers, all the best.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07Given the slim pickings on the common over winter,
0:42:07 > 0:42:09Tom's cattle are looking great,
0:42:09 > 0:42:11and, with some added TLC at the farm,
0:42:11 > 0:42:13they should do really well.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18However, the famous New Forest ponies that also graze here
0:42:18 > 0:42:20have to survive on their wits alone.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26The semi-wild ponies are all owned by commoners
0:42:26 > 0:42:28and the locals take great pride
0:42:28 > 0:42:30in being able to identify the best ones out here.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35Lindsey Stride is telling me about a competition
0:42:35 > 0:42:38all the pony owners here want to win.
0:42:40 > 0:42:41Usually when I go to see animals being shown
0:42:41 > 0:42:44I'm at an agricultural show, stood around the edge of the show ring.
0:42:44 > 0:42:45- This is a bit different. - And, usually,
0:42:45 > 0:42:48the sun's shining and it's the middle of summer.
0:42:48 > 0:42:49What are you judging them for?
0:42:49 > 0:42:51So, this is the Forest Fed competition.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53It's a competition that looks
0:42:53 > 0:42:56not just at the confirmation of the pony,
0:42:56 > 0:43:00but also how well it's doing, its hardiness.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03We're here in the middle of winter because this is the time of year
0:43:03 > 0:43:05when the ponies are probably at their lowest.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08What we want to breed are ponies that are going to live
0:43:08 > 0:43:10and do really well on the forest,
0:43:10 > 0:43:12so by looking at them in the middle of winter,
0:43:12 > 0:43:16we can see those ponies that have got the ability to eat, you know,
0:43:16 > 0:43:20find food. You can see they're browsing, grazing,
0:43:20 > 0:43:22and these ponies are looking really well.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25So is it commoners pitching their ponies against one another?
0:43:25 > 0:43:28Absolutely. It's an immense sense of pride
0:43:28 > 0:43:30to win the Forest Fed competition,
0:43:30 > 0:43:32and for many commoners, it's THE competition to win.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38But knowing what to look for in a good pony is a skill in itself.
0:43:40 > 0:43:42Kerry Dovey runs a herd of ponies here
0:43:42 > 0:43:45and knows exactly what to look for.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47Hello, ladies, do you mind if I interrupt?
0:43:47 > 0:43:49- Not at all.- So tell me, what are you looking for, then,
0:43:49 > 0:43:51in a really good New Forest pony?
0:43:51 > 0:43:52So, we're looking for type, really,
0:43:52 > 0:43:54and there's good indications of type.
0:43:54 > 0:43:56The nice large jawline.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58Because they're always eating, they've got to be efficient eaters,
0:43:58 > 0:44:01and they've got to be nice and deep through their girth
0:44:01 > 0:44:03so they stay nice and warm in the winter
0:44:03 > 0:44:05and then lose less energy getting cold.
0:44:05 > 0:44:07And then a high-set tail to keep the rain off them.
0:44:07 > 0:44:08So, that's what we're looking for.
0:44:08 > 0:44:11Lots to learn. And you're the next generation?
0:44:11 > 0:44:14Yeah, yeah, so we want to take on the knowledge of the other commoners
0:44:14 > 0:44:16so we can know what to look for
0:44:16 > 0:44:19when we are choosing a mare for this competition.
0:44:19 > 0:44:22So, young commoners looking to the future.
0:44:22 > 0:44:25Yeah, we want to gain more knowledge from the more experienced commoners.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27You're experienced commoners, there you go.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30And it's pretty unique, this situation, isn't it,
0:44:30 > 0:44:31managing animals out here?
0:44:31 > 0:44:32It's really special
0:44:32 > 0:44:35and it's very important for the future of the forest
0:44:35 > 0:44:37that commoning continues.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40But also that the ponies we've looked at today,
0:44:40 > 0:44:45they're the result of generations of passion and knowledge and breeding
0:44:45 > 0:44:47and it's really important
0:44:47 > 0:44:49that we have the next generation of young commoners coming on
0:44:49 > 0:44:52and taking as much pride in breeding their ponies,
0:44:52 > 0:44:54taking these ponies on into the future.
0:44:54 > 0:44:56Well, it's been fascinating finding out all about it.
0:44:56 > 0:44:59The ponies are leaving us behind. Come on, we'd better keep up.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39Poised between winter and spring,
0:45:39 > 0:45:43the Cambridgeshire countryside looks quiet, as though it's just waiting.
0:45:48 > 0:45:50At this liminal time of year,
0:45:50 > 0:45:52it can be hard to see much happening,
0:45:52 > 0:45:54but it does help if you know where to look.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01I've come to the Wildlife Trust's Hayley Wood
0:46:01 > 0:46:03to meet someone who will show me -
0:46:05 > 0:46:07..botanical artist Caroline Henriksen.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12- Are all these pieces from the woods here?- They are, yes.
0:46:12 > 0:46:15What drew you to these woods in particular?
0:46:15 > 0:46:19I came to Hayley Wood to see the bluebells a couple of years ago
0:46:19 > 0:46:21and I've been coming back ever since,
0:46:21 > 0:46:22it's just such a lovely place.
0:46:22 > 0:46:24Yeah, it is pretty fabulous.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28I'm always looking for bits and pieces, a bit of a magpie.
0:46:30 > 0:46:32Love beachcombing, love picking up leaves,
0:46:32 > 0:46:34anything I can get my hands on,
0:46:34 > 0:46:36so, always collecting stuff.
0:46:36 > 0:46:41There's just some notes that I've made for colours and light.
0:46:41 > 0:46:43Even at this time of year, you can see all this colour?
0:46:43 > 0:46:45Yeah, there's plenty of colour to see.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47- Is there?- Yeah, yeah.
0:46:47 > 0:46:48You can be the perfect guide, then.
0:46:48 > 0:46:50- Shall we go and take a look? - Yeah, let's go.
0:46:58 > 0:46:59You've got to forgive me, Caroline,
0:46:59 > 0:47:01but it still looks pretty brown to me.
0:47:01 > 0:47:05It all looks like that quiet time of year when nothing's happening.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08Well, you've just got to really look. Look down.
0:47:09 > 0:47:11Move things about.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13There's plenty to see on the ground.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16Just have to get your eye in, really.
0:47:16 > 0:47:17Look at the colours in that.
0:47:17 > 0:47:20- It's the beauty in everything. - Yes, all the detail.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23- It's amazing.- It's definitely still brown to me, that one.
0:47:24 > 0:47:28It turns out there's a treasure trove beneath my feet.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34There's loads of new shoots just under the leaf litter.
0:47:34 > 0:47:35Those are the bluebells coming up.
0:47:35 > 0:47:38- The sign of spring just round the corner.- Yes.
0:47:38 > 0:47:39But once you start...
0:47:39 > 0:47:41- It's all around us.- That's it.
0:47:42 > 0:47:44Snail shell. Look at that.
0:47:44 > 0:47:46- Yeah.- That's a nice one.
0:47:46 > 0:47:50- Take that.- We've got a good treasure hoard so far.- Yeah, we have.
0:47:54 > 0:47:55When I first got to these woods,
0:47:55 > 0:47:58all I could see was a bleak winter landscape,
0:47:58 > 0:48:02but with Caroline's help, I've got my eye in much more.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04I can see the beauty in the detail,
0:48:04 > 0:48:06like these amazing puffballs.
0:48:06 > 0:48:08Check that out.
0:48:08 > 0:48:10Caroline, you've turned me into a wood-comber.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19Time to take our forest bounty and put paint to paper.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23What are your best bits there?
0:48:23 > 0:48:25Look, I've got that, I think that's really beautiful.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28- Look at the colour of that!- I know. - That orange against the lichen.
0:48:28 > 0:48:31- Beautiful.- What do you think of that?
0:48:31 > 0:48:33- It's amazing.- That is amazing.
0:48:33 > 0:48:34It looks aquatic, even.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36It does, it does, it looks like a sponge.
0:48:38 > 0:48:40I thought that was really nice, with the little cups.
0:48:40 > 0:48:43- Really lovely structure. - Beautiful cup lichen, yeah.
0:48:43 > 0:48:45And I like the rosehip just for the colour.
0:48:45 > 0:48:47Beautiful. Look at these jelly ear mushrooms!
0:48:47 > 0:48:48Yeah, that's beautiful.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50- It's almost comical. - That's lovely to paint.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55Right, are you going to start doing some arty stuff?
0:49:05 > 0:49:07Do you always work in the field?
0:49:07 > 0:49:10You don't just take it home, back to your studio, nice and warm...?
0:49:10 > 0:49:12I think it's really nice to work in the field.
0:49:12 > 0:49:13It has to be quick.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16- Mm.- Bold strokes.
0:49:16 > 0:49:19Hopefully you get a bit of a feel of what it's like here
0:49:19 > 0:49:22- in the woods.- Do you think that changes the picture?
0:49:22 > 0:49:25I think it does, yeah, very much so.
0:49:25 > 0:49:27A sense of the place comes through.
0:49:40 > 0:49:42You make it look so easy.
0:49:42 > 0:49:43Are you nearly done here?
0:49:43 > 0:49:47I think I've got enough to take it back to the studio
0:49:47 > 0:49:50- and paint on from there.- Lovely.
0:49:50 > 0:49:52And what I really love about it is that it shows
0:49:52 > 0:49:53wherever we go,
0:49:53 > 0:49:57right underneath our feet there is such beauty.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01You even make those jellied ear mushrooms look good!
0:50:12 > 0:50:15Well, we've been incredibly lucky
0:50:15 > 0:50:17with the light and the weather today.
0:50:17 > 0:50:19But what's it going to be like this week?
0:50:19 > 0:50:21Time to find out with the Countryfile forecast.
0:51:15 > 0:51:17MATT: I've been exploring a colossal project
0:51:17 > 0:51:20in the heart of the Cambridgeshire countryside...
0:51:25 > 0:51:28..where heavy industry gives way
0:51:28 > 0:51:31to the swaying reeds of Ouse Fen.
0:51:35 > 0:51:40It's here that the biggest reed bed in Britain is slowly taking shape.
0:51:44 > 0:51:48And the main reason for all of this effort is this...
0:51:49 > 0:51:51..the rare and beautiful bittern.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57They are, without question, moving the earth to attract them,
0:51:57 > 0:52:02and the idea is to create as much of this reed bed edge as possible,
0:52:02 > 0:52:06as this long, golden fringe is where the bittern will be feeding.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11It's just what the bittern need,
0:52:11 > 0:52:12but it lacks one thing...
0:52:13 > 0:52:14..food.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20This is the willow that we're going to be using.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22- That's right.- OK.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25VOICEOVER: Hannah Bernie is the RSPB warden
0:52:25 > 0:52:28who's preparing for the very first fish release on the reserve.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31Bundles of willow are being sunk
0:52:31 > 0:52:34to provide shelter for the new arrivals.
0:52:34 > 0:52:36Now, of course, you would be getting fish in here naturally,
0:52:36 > 0:52:38but not the kind of species that the bittern need
0:52:38 > 0:52:40as far as food is concerned.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42Yeah, so they like to eat rudd.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44So, we don't have many of them in here at the moment,
0:52:44 > 0:52:46so we just need to make some fish habitat for them,
0:52:46 > 0:52:48- which is what we're doing with these willow.- Right.
0:52:48 > 0:52:50So, they'll sink down below the water
0:52:50 > 0:52:52and then just give the fish safe places
0:52:52 > 0:52:54to hide from predators and things like that.
0:52:54 > 0:52:55But hopefully eventually they will come out
0:52:55 > 0:52:57so that the bitterns can eat them.
0:52:57 > 0:53:00We can give it a little shove out that way as it goes down.
0:53:00 > 0:53:01- Absolutely, yeah. - Careful you don't go in.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04- Don't worry, I'm right on the edge, I can feel...- OK.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06- Are you ready?- You all right? - I'm at the point of no return.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09- OK, I'm ready.- Easy does it. OK, and...
0:53:09 > 0:53:11- ..we're off.- There we go.
0:53:12 > 0:53:14I'll adjust it down. There you go,
0:53:14 > 0:53:16- I'll stamp on it, get it a bit lower.- Thanks.
0:53:16 > 0:53:18Letting you do all the work while I just stand here.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21No, no, that's fine. Just making sure it's...
0:53:21 > 0:53:22Just stomping it down.
0:53:24 > 0:53:27With the bundles in place, it's time to release the fish.
0:53:28 > 0:53:32Chris Hudson from the RSPB is here with the slippery cargo.
0:53:34 > 0:53:38- There you go.- Here they are! - Yeah, got some fish for you.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42Right. So, we've got... We've got rudd, and is that...?
0:53:42 > 0:53:44- We've got perch in here as well. - Yeah,
0:53:44 > 0:53:46you've got rudd and perch there, Matt,
0:53:46 > 0:53:48- so, yeah, if you can help us... - Absolutely, I would love to.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51..release them just into the edge there, that'd be ideal. OK.
0:53:53 > 0:53:55- You got it?- Yeah. Oh, good.
0:53:55 > 0:53:57- Great stuff.- Look at those.
0:53:57 > 0:53:59Slowly tip it back.
0:53:59 > 0:54:01So this is quite an unusual thing for you, then,
0:54:01 > 0:54:04to be releasing species onto this reserve?
0:54:04 > 0:54:06It is, that's right. I mean, most of the time
0:54:06 > 0:54:09we're relying on nature to do most of the restoration work for us.
0:54:09 > 0:54:13But in this situation, we're trying to do that just bit extra
0:54:13 > 0:54:16to make sure we've done everything we can for bitterns.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19And how many are you putting in in this release?
0:54:19 > 0:54:21I've got a couple of hundred here, Matt,
0:54:21 > 0:54:23but, during the course of the day,
0:54:23 > 0:54:27we've probably got another 1,500 to release into this cell.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30So, a good mixture that'll hopefully create
0:54:30 > 0:54:33a self-sustaining population for us.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37- The last one...- There we go. - ..out.- Terrific.
0:54:38 > 0:54:41I can feel them all tickling my legs on the way past!
0:54:41 > 0:54:44- You can still feel your toes, then. - Yeah, there you go.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52Whilst many of the fish will become food for the bittern,
0:54:52 > 0:54:55others will go on to repopulate the fen
0:54:55 > 0:54:58and become a vital part of the ecosystem.
0:55:03 > 0:55:04Good, we're all right. How're we doing?
0:55:04 > 0:55:07- Good, thank you, and you? - Good. Did you find any truffles?
0:55:07 > 0:55:09You know, I did. We found two and a half.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11- Well done!- One half-eaten.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13I brought you half a truffle. That's for you, there.
0:55:13 > 0:55:15- Especially for you.- Very, very nice.
0:55:15 > 0:55:18I'll pop that in my pocket, here, cos I'm not quite finished yet.
0:55:18 > 0:55:20I can't offer you anything other than a fish release.
0:55:20 > 0:55:22That's what I've always wanted!
0:55:22 > 0:55:24There's 500 rudd and some perch up on the truck
0:55:24 > 0:55:27- if you want to give us a hand. - Perfect. Job done!
0:55:27 > 0:55:30Well, that's all we've got time for from here in Cambridgeshire.
0:55:30 > 0:55:31Next week, we'll be in Anglesey.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34Yes, where I will be surrounded by the water again.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36I'm going to swap the waders for a wet suit
0:55:36 > 0:55:37and I'm going to be out with dolphins.
0:55:37 > 0:55:39- Sorry about that.- So jealous!
0:55:39 > 0:55:41And Anita will be finding out why the island
0:55:41 > 0:55:44is so good for one of our best-loved creatures.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46- Hope you can join us then. - See you then.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49- Bye.- Do you mind getting wet feet? LAUGHING:- I'm used to it.