0:00:34 > 0:00:37The telltale skyline of tops and tors
0:00:37 > 0:00:40tells you this can only be Derbyshire.
0:00:42 > 0:00:44And these can only be alpacas.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Nothing new there.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48But with more and more people keeping them,
0:00:48 > 0:00:51their welfare is becoming more of an issue.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55And today, I'm going to be taking some of these, along with owners
0:00:55 > 0:00:58from all across the area, to the first event of its kind,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01just for alpacas.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Helen shows true grit when she takes part in an activity that's got
0:01:04 > 0:01:06a distinctly Derbyshire feel.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08- Go on, Helen.- It does look quite snug, doesn't it?
0:01:08 > 0:01:11All right. I'm going in. Is headfirst the tactic?
0:01:11 > 0:01:13You've got to work it out.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19Tom asks if the meat we buy is all it's cracked up to be.
0:01:19 > 0:01:24First reaction was one of shock and disbelief, coming across both
0:01:24 > 0:01:27an illegal abattoir, and just the disregard for food hygiene.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31We've more from our rural vets.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34There's something not quite right here today.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36We've just got slightly irregular beats here.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38We might have to investigate this further.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41And Adam's in North Wales,
0:01:41 > 0:01:45getting a look at a working dog from halfway around the world.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47- She's great, isn't she? - Wonderful, isn't she? Yeah.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50How did you learn how to work a huntaway?
0:01:50 > 0:01:52Mostly watching YouTube clips on the internet.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07This is Derbyshire.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Stunning countryside with breathtaking views.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13A place that gives you space to think.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Where nature lays out its wonders before you.
0:02:22 > 0:02:23I love Derbyshire.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27It's a landscape that feels like it's been worked for centuries.
0:02:27 > 0:02:28And just look at this place.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32These rugged valley sides that have been grazed and shaped
0:02:32 > 0:02:34by cattle and sheep.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40It's a county best known for the windswept beauty of
0:02:40 > 0:02:43the Peak District National Park.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45But I've followed the River Derwent south,
0:02:45 > 0:02:49to the gentler pastures and farming country of its lower reaches.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58And when I say farming country, I don't mean sheep and cattle.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Open the gate!
0:03:00 > 0:03:04- Oh, look at them, with their lovely little gallop on!- Come on!
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Come on, girls!
0:03:06 > 0:03:07Come on!
0:03:07 > 0:03:10Alpacas. More at home in the mountains of Peru
0:03:10 > 0:03:13than the green valleys of Derbyshire.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15So, how well have they settled here?
0:03:15 > 0:03:20Well, Ingrid Ruston has been farming alpacas for more than a decade.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23- How many do you have in all, then? - We've got 30 altogether.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26- Right.- So, we've got two different fleece types here.- Right.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29- They're fluffy ones, like teddy bears.- Yes.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33They're Huacayas. And the ones with the fleece hanging down...
0:03:33 > 0:03:35- Yeah.- ..she's a Suri.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37And why did you start with alpacas?
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- What was it about them? - Good question, Matt.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43You're still asking yourself the same thing!
0:03:43 > 0:03:47My husband, Terry, he had a colleague at work
0:03:47 > 0:03:49whose wife bred them.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51- Right.- And over a year or so,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53they kept asking us if we'd like to go and see them.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56And, of course, we did, one time. And what happened?
0:03:56 > 0:03:59We bought three pregnant females and brought them home!
0:04:01 > 0:04:04- They're all getting braver now. - Oh, yes.- You want a bit as well,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- come on in. You have a look, join the party.- I think it's...
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- Oh!- That was a cough, not a spit, I think. Oh, no, it was a spit.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14- Now she's getting very jealous. - Right.- Because she wants the food.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18- Right.- They don't spit at you, but they will tell each other off.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25When you see them together in a bunch, it's just full of character,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28- isn't it, that view?- It is, it is.
0:04:28 > 0:04:29Hello!
0:04:30 > 0:04:32They're not just pretty faces.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36Alpaca fleece is much finer than the best lamb's wool.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39And that means it's worth a small fortune.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41It should be all about the fleece.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42That's why we have alpacas.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46But there isn't enough fleece in the country, as yet, to make it such
0:04:46 > 0:04:49a valuable proposition for a lot of producers.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52- Yeah.- But it's growing, and we need it to grow.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55And we need it to grow in a quality way.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02- Shall we go and give them their food inside?- Let's, let's.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Come on, then, girls. Come on, girls!
0:05:04 > 0:05:06See if you're going to follow me? Come on.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07The high value of their fleeces
0:05:07 > 0:05:10is driving interest in farming these animals.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Numbers have rocketed from just a few hundred,
0:05:12 > 0:05:1730 years ago, to more than 50,000 today.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19To really appreciate the quality of the fleece,
0:05:19 > 0:05:21you need to get hands-on.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25Leigh Woods weaves alpaca hats, socks and scarves.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27Well, Leigh, it's very good to see you.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29What are you busy with here, then?
0:05:29 > 0:05:33I'm making, today, a scarf from Suri alpaca yarn.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Right. Do you have it in its natural form? I can see you've got
0:05:36 > 0:05:37- a bag of stuff down there...- Yeah.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41..just so we can have a little look at how it starts out.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43Right, so this is the fleece, then.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44And it is so incredible.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47I mean, it's silky, it's almost silky, isn't it?
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Well, alpaca fibre is closer to silk
0:05:49 > 0:05:52than other traditional woollen yarns.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56And how long will it take you to make a full-length scarf, then?
0:05:56 > 0:05:58About five hours to do a scarf.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01OK. And there's one that's just hanging up behind us here,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03which looks absolutely beautiful.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07And again, I mean, talking of that silky texture,
0:06:07 > 0:06:09- that, by your skin... - Is lovely, yeah.- Yeah.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14It's a nice environment to be working with this audience.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16It's very relaxing.
0:06:16 > 0:06:21- They're looking at what they can donate in the summer.- Yeah, I know.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25Alpaca fleece can sell for as much as £12 a kilo.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30Compare that to around £1, on average, for a kilo of sheep fleece,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and you can see why so many are getting into alpacas.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36High grade fleeces are in demand,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39and products made from them command premium prices.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46But it's not all plain sailing keeping alpacas.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51There can be problems with newborn animals, in particular.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54And later, I'll be seeing how a novel approach to welfare
0:06:54 > 0:06:56is helping improve their chances.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01Now, when we buy our meat,
0:07:01 > 0:07:04of course, we all hope that it's safe and above board.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07But what if it's not as wholesome as you'd like to think?
0:07:07 > 0:07:08Here's Tom.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14And just a warning, this report contains some disturbing images.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23From field to fork.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31If you want a Sunday roast or a tasty cut midweek,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33there is one unavoidable truth.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36All those animals we see grazing in the fields
0:07:36 > 0:07:39will have to go to the slaughterhouse.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45But at least we can take comfort in knowing the meat we buy from
0:07:45 > 0:07:50the butcher's or supermarket goes through a process to ensure it's fit
0:07:50 > 0:07:53for consumption, and that the animals have been well treated.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56I'm just going to check your temperatures, if I can.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00Jeremy Pritchard works for Mid Devon District Council.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06It's his job to ensure that the meat being sold is safe.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Morning. What a fine counter you've got here.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11- Thank you very much.- What kind of thing are you looking for in a place
0:08:11 > 0:08:14- like this?- A typical inspection of a butcher's shop,
0:08:14 > 0:08:17we're looking for complete separation of raw meats
0:08:17 > 0:08:20and ready-to-eat, cooked food, which is absolutely ideal here.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23And in terms of meat, we're looking at traceability, and on some of
0:08:23 > 0:08:25the large cuts here, we're looking at the health mark.
0:08:25 > 0:08:29Each carcass has been stamped to show it's fit for human consumption.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31The number corresponds to specific abattoirs
0:08:31 > 0:08:33and cutting plants which have been approved
0:08:33 > 0:08:35by the Food Standards Agency.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Well, I must say, it's a totally lip-smacking display,
0:08:37 > 0:08:42so it's great to know that it's all safe as well. It's brilliant.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44The meat in this butcher's may be perfect,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48but can we always be sure standards are this high?
0:08:49 > 0:08:53In 2013, Jeremy's team made a grim discovery.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57An illegal abattoir in the heart of the Southwest.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59So, what was your reaction?
0:08:59 > 0:09:02First reaction was one of shock and disbelief.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04And just the disregard for food hygiene.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Yeah. So, tell me what you actually found,
0:09:06 > 0:09:08I gather you've got some pictures here.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10First thing I saw was a pool of blood,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13outside in the actual farmyard.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15This shows the actual cutting room.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18We had harnesses around the place, where animals would be hoisted up,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21if you like, prior to being bled.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24- Mm-hmm.- Inside the cutting room, it's absolutely filthy.
0:09:24 > 0:09:25We had a build-up of waste,
0:09:25 > 0:09:28a complete disregard for cleaning facilities.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33- What's all this?- Well, we had to seize the meat that we came across,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36so we seized about a tonne of meat, and it was about 12 carcasses.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Loads of meat joints already labelled up.
0:09:40 > 0:09:41What was the danger from this?
0:09:41 > 0:09:44These animals were unfit for human consumption.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47They potentially contained high levels of food poisoning bacteria.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50They potentially contained veterinary medicines as well.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53We had none of those controls in place that you'd have
0:09:53 > 0:09:55in a legal abattoir.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58But the people bringing their animals to this abattoir
0:09:58 > 0:10:01weren't known criminals, they were farmers.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05A notebook seized from the scene detailed hundreds of names.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Are you pretty confident that some of the meat that went through
0:10:08 > 0:10:11this abattoir ended up being eaten by the people of Devon?
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Well, we know from the notebook, and we know from some of the witness
0:10:13 > 0:10:17statements taken, that some of the meat was sold from the premises.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21We know that some individuals in here are registered as having
0:10:21 > 0:10:23a food premises in Mid Devon.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26We know some farmers within Mid Devon have passed
0:10:26 > 0:10:29that meat on elsewhere as well. And we know that some of the quantities
0:10:29 > 0:10:33of the animals killed, some farmers having up to 17 sheep killed
0:10:33 > 0:10:35at one time, this probably wasn't for their own consumption.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- Mm.- So, the concern and the danger would be that that has been
0:10:38 > 0:10:40passed on elsewhere.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42The slaughterman behind this operation
0:10:42 > 0:10:47was convicted of 16 food hygiene offences.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49He was given a suspended prison sentence
0:10:49 > 0:10:52and ordered to pay £40,000.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54But this wasn't just a one-off.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Other cases from across the country
0:10:57 > 0:11:00came with their own graphic record of illegal activity.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Similar scenes have been uncovered in Staffordshire
0:11:06 > 0:11:08and in Northern Ireland.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11And I'm going to meet the person who was behind another
0:11:11 > 0:11:13illegal abattoir in Wales.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18Sheep farmer Carmelo Gale was convicted for the seventh time
0:11:18 > 0:11:20last November.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Why do you think people are using illegal abattoirs?
0:11:23 > 0:11:25The reason is quite simple.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27In Pembrokeshire, at the moment,
0:11:27 > 0:11:31we haven't got any abattoirs at all that will kill red meat.
0:11:31 > 0:11:35The shortage of small abattoirs is a growing problem.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37With more animals going to larger abattoirs,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40and an increasing amount of red tape,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44smaller operations are closing down around the country.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47In fact, two more have shut since the beginning of this year.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52You've got these small farmers now,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55which are doing, like, six lambs or six pigs,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57they can't afford to take in.
0:11:57 > 0:11:58So, you need to kill them locally.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02If you've got to take it 80 miles away from your farm,
0:12:02 > 0:12:03it's not viable.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06The rules about slaughterhouses are put in there
0:12:06 > 0:12:07to protect public health.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Wasn't what you were doing putting public health at risk?
0:12:12 > 0:12:14No. Definitely not.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Because, you know...
0:12:16 > 0:12:17Why not? Just because, as I say,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19the rules are there to protect public health.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22We want the rules, but just make them simpler.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Get more licensed slaughterhouses on farms, like little rooms even,
0:12:26 > 0:12:30and a fridge. So, don't get me wrong, get the vet in to examine
0:12:30 > 0:12:32the animal before slaughter, and then stamp it afterwards.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35There's no problem. We'll get it regulated,
0:12:35 > 0:12:36but make it simpler.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40Do you think as long as we don't have local slaughterhouses,
0:12:40 > 0:12:43there is a real temptation for illegal slaughter?
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Not a temptation, it's going on already.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48And if there's more abattoirs going to close down,
0:12:48 > 0:12:50it's going to get worse.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53The number of abattoirs has dropped
0:12:53 > 0:12:59from more than 2,500 in the 1960s, to around 240 today.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02But is this enough to explain the illegal activity?
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Jeremy thinks it could be.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07We used to have a very small abattoir in Lapford, which is
0:13:07 > 0:13:10in Mid Devon, which used to serve the farming community.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13That closed down probably about ten years ago.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15It may be just coincidental,
0:13:15 > 0:13:19but this illegal slaughterhouse suddenly started soon after that.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25No-one's saying these pictures are commonplace,
0:13:25 > 0:13:27but, as with any business,
0:13:27 > 0:13:31if there's a demand, some people may take advantage of that.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Later, I'm going to see what a proper abattoir looks like,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41and find out about the impact of their demise.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00The towering crags of the Peak District
0:14:00 > 0:14:04loom large over a landscape of moorland,
0:14:04 > 0:14:05wild outcrops...
0:14:07 > 0:14:09..and tumbling streams...
0:14:11 > 0:14:15..where freewheeling types share space with climbers and ramblers
0:14:15 > 0:14:18and those just wanting time out from the city.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Sheffield's that way, Manchester's just over there
0:14:22 > 0:14:25and Birmingham is only a short hop away too.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27No wonder this place is so popular.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35The Peaks are there for all, but is everyone making the most of them?
0:14:35 > 0:14:39A decade ago, the National Parks launched a project called Mosaic,
0:14:39 > 0:14:42designed to get more people from ethnic backgrounds
0:14:42 > 0:14:44into our countryside.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47That all ended back in 2012.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51But one or two passionate people are determined to keep the vision alive.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Yvonne Witter is one of them.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59She grew up in Jamaica, but fell head over heels
0:14:59 > 0:15:00with the Peak District...
0:15:02 > 0:15:06I go to Castleton, I go to Eden, I go to Derwent.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10..and is now inspiring others.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16Although ethnic minorities make up about 10% of the UK population,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19there's only 1% of that population that are visitors
0:15:19 > 0:15:22to the national park. Some of them don't know about it.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26I think some of them have this fear that they'll get lost.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29But if you have someone to encourage people,
0:15:29 > 0:15:32so they can come out and enjoy what is out here to enjoy.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36We did a similar story a couple of years ago, the group in Sheffield.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39Are you still having to work hard to get people from ethnic minorities
0:15:39 > 0:15:41into the countryside?
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Some people have to work harder with some people.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45You have to convince them,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48and I convince them by telling them about what I have done,
0:15:48 > 0:15:50what I've enjoyed, what I've learned,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52how I've developed by coming out here
0:15:52 > 0:15:55and that's one way of getting them. They've got somebody to lead them.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Yvonne's used all her powers of persuasion
0:16:01 > 0:16:02on this cold winter's day.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06She's rounded some new recruits from Sheffield, her home city,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09who'll be polishing up their outdoor skills.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15Instructing the group are park rangers Tom Lewis and Terry Page.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18She's even got the boundaries, which is shown by a black line,
0:16:18 > 0:16:20which is the one just behind you, here.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23- OK, well, you lead the way, then. - OK.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27At more than 500 square miles,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29the Peak District is big enough to get lost in.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34So Yvonne wants to make sure her proteges can read a map.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40It's an important skill to have,
0:16:40 > 0:16:42and one which opens up the countryside.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45So, if we pass these around...
0:16:46 > 0:16:49How confident are you at map reading, Elaine?
0:16:49 > 0:16:51I wasn't confident at all.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Before, I wouldn't come into the countryside, certainly not to walk,
0:16:54 > 0:16:56because of fear of getting lost,
0:16:56 > 0:16:58as a result of not being able to read the maps.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02- Oh, so that actually stopped you coming out here.- It did.- OK.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Well, let's see how we all get on.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07What do you want us to answer?
0:17:07 > 0:17:11Well, we'll put them to the test and see if they can recognise any
0:17:11 > 0:17:14of the symbols or the features that we can see on the map.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18- Perhaps, what they might mean. - Well, these orange contours, here,
0:17:18 > 0:17:22the wider they are from each other, the land is flatter.
0:17:22 > 0:17:24But as the contours become closer together,
0:17:24 > 0:17:26- then it shows that the land is steeper.- Yes.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28We'll carry on up to Stanage, up that way.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31- Excellent.- Go on, Ruby, lead the way.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41One recruit who's really got the bug is Godfrey Francis.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45His love affair with this landscape has seen him go the extra mile.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48He's now training to become a national park ranger.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50What does that involve?
0:17:50 > 0:17:53It involves learning even more about the biodiversity
0:17:53 > 0:17:55and the local ecology, history.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58What's not to love? I mean, you're out in the fresh air,
0:17:58 > 0:18:00you get to walk all these fabulous trails,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02but you're never too old to learn.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06So, you really are committing a large chunk of your life to
0:18:06 > 0:18:08- the Peak District?- Yeah, as a volunteer, yes, I am.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19Yvonne's got a few tricks up her sleeve when it comes to getting
0:18:19 > 0:18:21people excited by nature.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Time now for a little bit of magic,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26with nothing more than sphagnum moss.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Joe Margetts and Sarah Proctor
0:18:28 > 0:18:30from conservation body Moors For The Future
0:18:30 > 0:18:31are in on the act.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35So, I've got a jar here, and all that is, is water full of peat.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39- OK.- And then we've got a clean glass.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42- Right.- And, in the middle,
0:18:42 > 0:18:43some sphagnum in a jar.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47I'll try not to pour this on your coat.
0:18:47 > 0:18:48You can see...
0:18:48 > 0:18:51- What?!- ..how amazingly clean that water comes out.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54That's exactly what's happening on the hills.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Water companies love having sphagnum because it means that when the water
0:18:57 > 0:18:59gets down to the reservoirs,
0:18:59 > 0:19:01half the work's done in cleaning it already.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Well, how about we head back down the hill and look out for
0:19:04 > 0:19:06some sphagnum moss on the way, en route to a coffee?
0:19:06 > 0:19:09- ALL:- Oh, yes!- Something warm! - That sounds good.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19It's something that I enjoy doing,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22because I can leave behind me the stress of life.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26I can come here and I can sit and I can write a poem.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29And just take in the fresh air. Look at the scenery around us,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32it's beautiful. Why won't you come out and enjoy the national park,
0:19:32 > 0:19:35away from the busy city life?
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Over the last few weeks, we've been spending time with a team
0:19:48 > 0:19:51of country vets, to see what it takes to look after our livestock
0:19:51 > 0:19:53at the most challenging time of year.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58The practice in Malmesbury, Wiltshire,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00is one of the largest in the country,
0:20:00 > 0:20:05with around 40 vets providing care to all creatures great and small.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Layla is a 13-year-old competition horse that's been suffering with
0:20:20 > 0:20:23a ligament injury to one of her front legs.
0:20:23 > 0:20:24She's Becky Neal's pride and joy.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29She's got a very large character, as you can probably see.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Yeah, she's a joy to have around, aren't you?
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Yes, lots of character.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Ali is one of the equine vets.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41She's arrived to administer some orthopaedic treatment, but before
0:20:41 > 0:20:44she starts, she needs to give Layla the once over.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Right, let's just check your ticker's still...
0:20:47 > 0:20:50..functioning before we give you your sedation.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57I went to listen to her heart, to check it was OK,
0:20:57 > 0:20:59to give her some intravenous sedation,
0:20:59 > 0:21:02because she doesn't like interference with her leg very much.
0:21:06 > 0:21:10- There's something not quite right here today.- Mm-hmm.
0:21:10 > 0:21:11She just sounds like she...
0:21:11 > 0:21:14We've just got slightly irregular beats here,
0:21:14 > 0:21:15so I can give her the shock,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18but I wouldn't want to give her any sedation with this.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20We might have to investigate this further.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22She didn't have a heart murmur, she had an arrhythmia,
0:21:22 > 0:21:26so the heart was not in its normal rhythm.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Yes, she's just throwing little extra beats,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31so I think we're just going to have to do an ECG on that
0:21:31 > 0:21:34and make sure that's OK, Becky.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37My heart sank when I realised that poor Becky had yet another problem
0:21:37 > 0:21:39with her horse.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Oh. With her, the relationship I've got, it's like if it was your child.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46It's the only way I can describe it. I've put ten years of blood,
0:21:46 > 0:21:50sweat and tears and a lot of love into her. So, it's devastating.
0:21:50 > 0:21:51Really devastating.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- OK, all set.- Yep.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00The sedation would make Layla easier to handle,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03but as the shock wave treatment itself isn't painful,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Ali's happy to give it a go.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07It's fine, I know.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12A shock wave is very useful for tendon and ligament injuries
0:22:12 > 0:22:15because they don't have a very good blood supply, and it, A,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17helps reduce the pain and inflammation and, B,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20helps encourage the healing process.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- Well done, poppet.- Good girl!
0:22:23 > 0:22:26- Well done.- Oh, hallelujah!
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Try not to worry too much, Becky.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33Come on.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36And I'll have a look at the diary and I'll call you in a couple of
0:22:36 > 0:22:40- days to organise, A, an ECG, and, B, her next shock wave, OK?- OK.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Hi. Good.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49But whilst Ali's packing away, Layla takes a turn for the worse.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52That is not normal, Becky.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- Sorry!- I'm just going to check her heart again,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59because she's just doing something very strange.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07She suddenly semi-collapsed.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09She didn't go right down, but she lent right back
0:23:09 > 0:23:14on her front legs, and almost went down but didn't quite,
0:23:14 > 0:23:17and looked slightly dazed and then appeared to recover.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20If she's going to go again, just watch she doesn't fall on you, Ali.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24All right.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29It's interesting. Immediately after she did that,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32her heart did sound all over the place and now it's settled.
0:23:33 > 0:23:34What are you doing, hey?
0:23:34 > 0:23:36So...
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- We'll get onto it as soon as we can, OK?- OK.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Right, I will speak to you as soon as I can, Becky.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Oh, why can't you just be fixed?
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Vets need to be prepared for all eventualities,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54as problems can arise out of the blue.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57However, for Tom from the farm vets team,
0:23:57 > 0:24:00today, he's up to his elbows with routine procedures.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05He regularly visits this farm to perform fertility checks.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Part of the process is finding out which cows are pregnant.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11She is in calf.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13Yay. We use ultrasound.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15We scan from the outside, from through the tummy, in a human,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18but the cow is too large to do that,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22so that's where we have to put the long glove on and put the ultrasound
0:24:22 > 0:24:25probe up inside the backside of the cow,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28where we can actually place it directly onto the uterus
0:24:28 > 0:24:33of the cow, where the calf hopefully is, and on to the ovaries.
0:24:33 > 0:24:38You can see the calf on the screen, there.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42That's its head, that's its nose, pointing that way.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46And it's about seven and a bit weeks old.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50There's a good picture of it lying lengthways.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54It's about 10, 15 centimetres in size.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58I can actually see, check that the heart's beating
0:24:58 > 0:25:00to make sure it's OK.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05Everything looks fine, so she'll calve in about seven months' time.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08The financial performance of a farm is very dependent on the cows being
0:25:08 > 0:25:09healthy and productive,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12and that involves having a calf each year,
0:25:12 > 0:25:17and me being there and checking them just helps achieve that.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Go on.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21They're hugely inquisitive animals.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Some of them are more friendly than others
0:25:23 > 0:25:27and actually follow you around and are like naughty schoolchildren.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29- Ow!- Stop it.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32And unfortunately they weigh about 700, 800 kilos,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34so you've got to be a bit careful with them.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35Any time today, Tom.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37- MAN LAUGHS - Yeah, I'm trying.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Despite what they might say, virtually all farmers deeply
0:25:41 > 0:25:44care about their animals, and probably are a bit softer than
0:25:44 > 0:25:47we imagine they are, and certainly, speaking for myself,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49and I'm sure for the other vets as well,
0:25:49 > 0:25:54we got into this job because we care about animals and their welfare.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04The same is true for Ali from the equine vet team.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07She knows exactly what Layla means to owner Becky...
0:26:07 > 0:26:10She really is a soul mate,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12and I've recently been diagnosed with ME,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15and she's kind of the reason that I still get up each day
0:26:15 > 0:26:17and force myself to get out of bed,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20so she's very important to me and my health.
0:26:20 > 0:26:21Good girl.
0:26:24 > 0:26:25Hi, Becky.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28- Hi, Ali, how are you?- ..so Ali's called in Professor Andy Durham,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31a leading horse heart specialist, to see if he can shed any light on
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Layla's irregular heartbeat with the help of an ECG.
0:26:35 > 0:26:39Right, so we'll just let this record for a bit.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48Yeah, well, she's got a nice, normal resting heart rate there,
0:26:48 > 0:26:50around about 30.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53In a normal situation, every one of these big deflections here,
0:26:53 > 0:26:56which is the ventricular contraction,
0:26:56 > 0:26:58should be nice and evenly spaced,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02but you can see there that, you know, they're not all evenly spaced,
0:27:02 > 0:27:04like this one here, for example,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08the very early one, and that came in before it had any real right to.
0:27:08 > 0:27:13Any horse can have the odd one of those, particularly after exercise,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16but standing still in a stable, not doing much,
0:27:16 > 0:27:18they should be very rare indeed,
0:27:18 > 0:27:22but we've seen several just over these few minutes of recording now.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26Horses with this kind of problem do recover uneventfully, thankfully.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29We would normally institute a period of rest to allow
0:27:29 > 0:27:32the heart to recover and gain its own normal rhythm again,
0:27:32 > 0:27:36and thankfully the horse currently is going to be rested
0:27:36 > 0:27:38for its leg injury, so it all comes at a good time,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41in that respect, if there can be a good time for this kind of thing.
0:27:43 > 0:27:44I think what we've found today
0:27:44 > 0:27:46certainly could have been a lot worse.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- Yeah.- You know, and certainly most horses we see with this problem,
0:27:49 > 0:27:50- you know, do tend to sort themselves out.- OK.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53- So we can all stay in touch about it all, obviously, anyway...- OK.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56..and see what, if anything, more needs doing, then.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58- OK. Thank you.- All right. No, you're welcome.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- Good girlie. - All right, Madam? Nice to meet you.
0:28:01 > 0:28:02Go back to your hay.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05- She's been a model patient with us. - Nice to see you, Becky.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09- Bye, Becky.- Cheers, bye-bye.- Bye! - Bye, Layla. Bye, now. Take care.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13Andy believes, given time, the heart will repair itself,
0:28:13 > 0:28:15but what about the collapse?
0:28:15 > 0:28:19He felt that it was probably not related to her cardiac problem,
0:28:19 > 0:28:21so that's something else that's in the background
0:28:21 > 0:28:23that we're going to keep an eye on.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25- WHISPERING:- Good girl.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27We're hoping that the future is bright for Layla.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31She may just have to come back for a slightly lower level of competition,
0:28:31 > 0:28:34depending how things go over the next three to four months.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38I'm really pleased, because I was very worried about her.
0:28:38 > 0:28:42I've had a pretty rough week - not a lot of sleep, panicking -
0:28:42 > 0:28:44but, yeah, I'm much more relaxed with her now.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Over the past few weeks,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51we've opened up a window into the life of rural vets.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54As well as treating all kinds of animals,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57a huge part of the job is to put minds at rest.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00It's clear that if there's one thing shared by vets,
0:29:00 > 0:29:02farmers and owners alike,
0:29:02 > 0:29:05it's how much they care for the incredible creatures
0:29:05 > 0:29:06in our countryside.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08Who's a good boy, eh?
0:29:18 > 0:29:21MATT: Tom's been hearing about illegal abattoirs,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24where animals are slaughtered without any official checks,
0:29:24 > 0:29:27leaving potentially unsafe meat to enter the food chain.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31You might find some of this report upsetting.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41Our high streets were once a thriving mix of
0:29:41 > 0:29:43small, independent traders -
0:29:43 > 0:29:48the baker, the grocer and the butcher,
0:29:48 > 0:29:52and to serve that butcher, a local abattoir,
0:29:52 > 0:29:54but times have changed.
0:29:54 > 0:29:59More red tape, higher charges and tougher regulations
0:29:59 > 0:30:02are making life hard for small abattoirs.
0:30:04 > 0:30:09That's led to hundreds closing down and, as we've seen in some cases,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12illegal abattoirs have taken their place,
0:30:12 > 0:30:14but I'm visiting one of the good guys.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17John Mettrick and his brother, Steven,
0:30:17 > 0:30:21are the fifth generation of the family to run this business,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24an abattoir and butchery on the edge of the Peak District.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32Today, six lambs are being slaughtered.
0:30:32 > 0:30:33Cheers. Thank you very much.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35- My licence. - I'll just give that to the vet.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40The whole process is overseen by a vet.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46All right, and the belly, please.
0:30:49 > 0:30:56They're stunned and then shackled before being killed.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59I've come round to the clean side, and that means hygiene clothing.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07The fleece is taken off and the offal removed.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12So this is how small abattoirs work -
0:31:12 > 0:31:15they process animals in small groups, a few at a time.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17They don't process large numbers,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20so a typical group of six for a small farmer.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22This is what we process.
0:31:22 > 0:31:27The carcasses are then checked, stamped and chilled,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30before being cut.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32So, what's it like running a small abattoir these days?
0:31:32 > 0:31:35It's very hard to make it pay.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36A lot of small abattoirs are closing
0:31:36 > 0:31:38because they're finding it so difficult.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41The overheads are an absolute killer.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43I think what we're after really is for somebody
0:31:43 > 0:31:46to look at the regulations and actually say,
0:31:46 > 0:31:49"Well, how could these regulations be simplified so that
0:31:49 > 0:31:53"small abattoirs can survive and they're not buried under paperwork?"
0:31:53 > 0:31:56In the end, don't customers care most about hygiene
0:31:56 > 0:31:58and the safety of their food,
0:31:58 > 0:32:00and maybe that's best delivered by a bigger abattoir?
0:32:00 > 0:32:04Well, I would suggest that, like, the reason we have all these,
0:32:04 > 0:32:07these regulations, is because the large abattoirs
0:32:07 > 0:32:09and the large meat processors in general
0:32:09 > 0:32:11have such long, convoluted supply chains,
0:32:11 > 0:32:13and so you need an awful lot of paperwork
0:32:13 > 0:32:15to actually keep all that in check,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17and we've found with horse meat and things that
0:32:17 > 0:32:19these things can fall down very easily.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23We can stand behind our meat and say exactly where it's come from,
0:32:23 > 0:32:25how the farmer's reared it, how it's been slaughtered,
0:32:25 > 0:32:26how it's been hung,
0:32:26 > 0:32:30so we've got the confidence to stand behind our meat, and the meat that
0:32:30 > 0:32:31comes through here for others as well,
0:32:31 > 0:32:33and say we know everything about it.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36But, unless something changes,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40abattoirs like this one could be in trouble,
0:32:40 > 0:32:42and others are worried too.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44The Sustainable Food Trust,
0:32:44 > 0:32:47who campaign for local and more sustainable food,
0:32:47 > 0:32:51are releasing a report highlighting their concerns.
0:32:51 > 0:32:52They're warning that
0:32:52 > 0:32:54the UK's network of small abattoirs
0:32:54 > 0:32:57is in danger of collapse.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59I'm meeting Bob Kennard, one of the authors,
0:32:59 > 0:33:03and we're trying some burgers from the abattoir I've just visited.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06If things stay the same as they are now,
0:33:06 > 0:33:08or in the same direction of travel,
0:33:08 > 0:33:10how bad could it up for local abattoirs?
0:33:10 > 0:33:13Well, there is a point of no return,
0:33:13 > 0:33:15and I think we're very close to that now.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19There's swathes of the country already where there's no available
0:33:19 > 0:33:22abattoir for farmers to bring their animals to be killed,
0:33:22 > 0:33:24and that will just expand.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28And what would it mean to you if the destiny you fear came to pass?
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Well, it would be a tragedy from all sorts of points of view.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35Not only would there be a hit to local food, which would disappear,
0:33:35 > 0:33:36rather than grow,
0:33:36 > 0:33:38but also there would be the effects on the environment,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41with longer distances for animals to travel -
0:33:41 > 0:33:44that has animal welfare implications -
0:33:44 > 0:33:45and then there's the local economy.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48What would you like to see happen?
0:33:48 > 0:33:51We want first of all for the Government to acknowledge,
0:33:51 > 0:33:53as they have in the past,
0:33:53 > 0:33:58that these smaller abattoirs have a really important function.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01We want to be able to look at the idea of mobile abattoirs,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03because that might be one of the solutions.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05And then the biggest point, I guess,
0:34:05 > 0:34:10is to establish a task force to really look at this problem.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12This is just getting progressively worse.
0:34:12 > 0:34:14There comes a point where you will not have local meat.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20These ideas might not stamp out illegal behaviour entirely,
0:34:20 > 0:34:23but they could take a market away from criminals
0:34:23 > 0:34:28and help ensure the meat we eat is safe and welfare-friendly.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30When it comes to the slaughtering of animals,
0:34:30 > 0:34:33- there is no excuse for illegality. - COW MOOS
0:34:33 > 0:34:37It's frequently dirty and potentially dangerous,
0:34:37 > 0:34:41but many smaller abattoirs are finding it hard to cope with
0:34:41 > 0:34:44new regulations and stay in business.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48The future of locally-sourced meat could depend on
0:34:48 > 0:34:49solving this dilemma.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01Today, I'm with alpaca farmer Ingrid,
0:35:01 > 0:35:03but we're not staying on the farm for long,
0:35:03 > 0:35:05as we're off for a trip out.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07But first, we've got to catch the chosen few.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Stand.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13- Stand. - INGRID LAUGHS
0:35:13 > 0:35:16- Do you want me to catch him for you? - Oh, well done. That was excellent.
0:35:16 > 0:35:17Stand, stand, stand.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19There, now. Steady.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21There's a good boy, eh?
0:35:21 > 0:35:23Gorgeous. We now need Starbreaker.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26We do, and he is this white one in the middle.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28- So, walk in, little introduction? - Yeah.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Starbreaker, I'm Matt Baker. How are you?
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Steady. Stand, stand...
0:35:33 > 0:35:35- Good boy. There's a good boy. - Brilliant. Super.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37- And there's the head collar on. - That's it.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40- We'll just clip you on there, buddy. - There you go.- There we are.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42Good boy, good boy, good boy, good boy...
0:35:44 > 0:35:46Now, newborn alpacas are very vulnerable
0:35:46 > 0:35:49in their first few hours of life, but there is a way to help them,
0:35:49 > 0:35:52and that is why we're taking Starbreaker and Wizard
0:35:52 > 0:35:54to a very unusual event.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57All will be revealed very shortly.
0:35:57 > 0:35:58Come on. There's a good boy.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Right, well, while we head off,
0:36:05 > 0:36:07Adam is in north Wales with a farmer who's working with
0:36:07 > 0:36:09some very special sheepdogs.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27Upland farming is a tough gig for even
0:36:27 > 0:36:29the most experienced of farmer,
0:36:29 > 0:36:31so if you're new to it up here,
0:36:31 > 0:36:33then it's a really steep learning curve
0:36:33 > 0:36:35and you need all the help you can get,
0:36:35 > 0:36:37and sometimes four legs is better than two.
0:36:41 > 0:36:42Speak up.
0:36:42 > 0:36:43DOG BARKS
0:36:43 > 0:36:46- Dogs from New Zealand... - And now sit down!
0:36:46 > 0:36:48..sheep from the Scottish Borders,
0:36:48 > 0:36:53and a freshfaced bloke from England who's farming here in Mid Wales.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58It might sound a bit of a muddle, but 25-year-old Matt Launder has
0:36:58 > 0:37:01been making it work since taking on this farm
0:37:01 > 0:37:03near Welshpool six years ago.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08- Hi, Matt.- How are you doing? You all right?
0:37:08 > 0:37:10- Goodness me, it's a bit raw up here. - It's a bit rare, isn't it?
0:37:10 > 0:37:12- How are you doing? - Nice to see you.- Izzy, come here.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15- Iz, come on.- I understand you're a Gloucester boy, aren't you?
0:37:15 > 0:37:17- What brought you up to Wales? - Opportunity of land, really.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Too expensive for me to get a farm in Gloucestershire
0:37:20 > 0:37:21and there was just, you know,
0:37:21 > 0:37:23there's more segments of ground to buy up here,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26so the farm became available and off we moved.
0:37:26 > 0:37:27And are you from a farming background?
0:37:27 > 0:37:29Not farming at all, no.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31Apart from Mum who had horses and a bit of ground, no,
0:37:31 > 0:37:33we were living in a council house.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35And is it something you've always wanted to do
0:37:35 > 0:37:37- from when you were a little boy? - Yes.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39It's been like an itch, an incurable itch,
0:37:39 > 0:37:40right down from when I was really small
0:37:40 > 0:37:42and I had my toy Britains farm set,
0:37:42 > 0:37:46and, you know, no-one could watch TV for me combining a carpet field.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48And when did you get your first livestock?
0:37:48 > 0:37:50So, my first livestock came... That was when I...
0:37:50 > 0:37:53On my 13th birthday, my mum and my sister came together,
0:37:53 > 0:37:54and they bought me six Jacob ewe lambs.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56On my 14th birthday, I got a Jacob ram,
0:37:56 > 0:37:58and then it's just grown from there, really,
0:37:58 > 0:38:00and I think by the time I finished my GCSEs,
0:38:00 > 0:38:01I had about 150 ewes, roughly.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04It kept building up, building up and now I've got a real farm...
0:38:04 > 0:38:06- ADAM LAUGHS - ..so, you know, even in weather
0:38:06 > 0:38:08like this, I'm kicking myself that I get to be a farmer.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10You know, it wasn't maybe my destiny to begin with,
0:38:10 > 0:38:12but now I can't believe it. It's amazing.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17Taking on a 500-acre upland farm with 1,000 Cheviot ewes
0:38:17 > 0:38:21is pretty impressive stuff for a first-generation farmer,
0:38:21 > 0:38:23but Matt's not doing it all on his own.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25He's got two trusty mates to help him.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29- So, two New Zealand huntaways.- Yeah. - Why did you choose them?
0:38:29 > 0:38:32With my inexperience, I was looking for an animal which would be
0:38:32 > 0:38:34easy to train, and they've got a lot of natural instinct as a dog.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36And how do they cope with this kind of terrain?
0:38:36 > 0:38:39In New Zealand, they're hill dogs. They're working out of sight dogs.
0:38:39 > 0:38:40They love this terrain.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42The way that this dog can clamber up a bank is amazing,
0:38:42 > 0:38:43the power they have.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46They can deal with the temperatures, climate and weather.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48- They're really good for it. - What are their names?
0:38:48 > 0:38:49So, we've got Molly, she's the older dog,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51just turned three now, and then we've got Izzy,
0:38:51 > 0:38:53and Izzy's literally just coming one.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55These are some of my closest friends, these two.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57They're members of the workforce.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59They're not like a quad bike or something like that -
0:38:59 > 0:39:00they're a team member.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02My day-to-day work wouldn't be done without these.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04You know, these are the real farm managers here.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07They're absolutely gorgeous. I've always loved them.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Come on, then, let's see them in action.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16Matt's using Molly, his more experienced dog,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19to run the flock down the hill to the sorting yard.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21MOLLY BARKS
0:39:23 > 0:39:25Sit down. Speak up.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27SHE BARKS
0:39:27 > 0:39:30Matt's doing a really good job of gathering the flock with Molly,
0:39:30 > 0:39:32the huntaway.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34She's barking away, full of enthusiasm.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38- MOLLY BARKS - Away! Away!
0:39:38 > 0:39:41The last time I saw huntaways in action was a little while ago
0:39:41 > 0:39:42when I was in New Zealand,
0:39:42 > 0:39:45but it's great to see them being put to good use here on
0:39:45 > 0:39:46the Welsh hills.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51The huntaway has recently started to become more in demand in the UK
0:39:51 > 0:39:55but the Border collie is still undoubtedly the most popular breed
0:39:55 > 0:39:56when it comes to working sheep.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00The huntaway works very differently to a Border collie.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04A collie will be casting out wide, low to the ground, in silence,
0:40:04 > 0:40:06whereas the huntaway is full of energy,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09- bouncing around, lots of noise. - Speak up!
0:40:09 > 0:40:12When you've got wide open spaces like this and a big flock of sheep,
0:40:12 > 0:40:13when you've got a dog barking,
0:40:13 > 0:40:15the sheep all know there's a dog in the field,
0:40:15 > 0:40:18and they flock together and then start to move,
0:40:18 > 0:40:20and Molly, there, she's got a great bark.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23You can hear it echoing through the valley.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25MOLLY BARKS
0:40:29 > 0:40:31- She's great, isn't she? - Wonderful, isn't she? yeah.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34How did you learn how to work a huntaway?
0:40:34 > 0:40:36Most of it is watching YouTube clips on the internet,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39and I got a DVD flown over from New Zealand,
0:40:39 > 0:40:41and I've watched that, really,
0:40:41 > 0:40:43and then just picked up everything I can on the go.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45So where does the huntaway come from, then?
0:40:45 > 0:40:48So, whereas a collie works around you or brings the sheep to you,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50the huntaway is pushing the sheep away from you,
0:40:50 > 0:40:52so she's driving them, so she's hunting them away.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54It's very handy at lambing time as well.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56I can stand in the corner of the field with her,
0:40:56 > 0:40:58and she'll bark away, and the sheep will take their lambs
0:40:58 > 0:41:00and move away from the barking to the next field
0:41:00 > 0:41:02or the next paddock at their own speed,
0:41:02 > 0:41:04so there's no stress and there's no pressure on the animal.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06Rather than the collie working up behind them,
0:41:06 > 0:41:09and the ewes turning on the dog to protect their lambs and all that?
0:41:09 > 0:41:11- Definitely, yeah.- Go on, then, get her to bark up again.
0:41:11 > 0:41:12Come by!
0:41:13 > 0:41:17That'll do, wait. Come here! Come here! That'll do.
0:41:17 > 0:41:18Speak up!
0:41:18 > 0:41:21MOLLY BARKS
0:41:21 > 0:41:25Over time, sheep get familiar with the way dogs work them,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28so, although the barking sounds quite fierce,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30- the ewes are more than used to it. - Sit down.
0:41:31 > 0:41:35All Matt's ewes are pregnant and have recently been scanned,
0:41:35 > 0:41:38but he's yet to group them up into singles, twins and triplets,
0:41:38 > 0:41:40so I'm going to give him a hand.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43With a bit of extra help, of course,
0:41:43 > 0:41:47this time from Izzy, Matt's second huntaway bitch that's in training.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51Whilst Izzy learns the ropes, I'll manage the shedding gate.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55- That'll do. - And what are they like in the yards?
0:41:55 > 0:41:57In the yards, they're great. They're a real tool.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59In a yard this size, you want a couple of people helping you
0:41:59 > 0:42:02but, with one huntaway, you can get through a lot of sheep in a day.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04Brilliant. You've got her on a bit of string?
0:42:04 > 0:42:05I've got her on a piece of string.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08That's just so I can... I just want to slow her down slightly.
0:42:08 > 0:42:09Just ease her into sheep cos she's keen,
0:42:09 > 0:42:12- so she doesn't run at the sheep, so she works from a distance.- Sure.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14Right, shall I go on the sorting gate?
0:42:14 > 0:42:15You jump on the gate.
0:42:21 > 0:42:22Yes. Good dog. Yes.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24All right, good dog, good dog, good dog, good dog, good dog...
0:42:24 > 0:42:26IZZY BARKS
0:42:39 > 0:42:41We're flying through them!
0:42:41 > 0:42:45With all the ewes grouped, it's time to get them back out on the hills.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50She's really keen, isn't she?
0:42:50 > 0:42:53- Oh, she's mad to get involved in the sheep straight away.- Lovely!
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- And is she related to Molly? - Yeah, she's Molly's niece.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58- OK, wow. - Yeah, so I'm trying to keep...
0:42:58 > 0:43:00You know, I've got the idea, when I'm 60,
0:43:00 > 0:43:02I'm still working a relation of Molly.
0:43:02 > 0:43:03Lovely.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15I'm really impressed by how Matt has followed his dream.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18He's got himself some land, a fantastic flock of sheep
0:43:18 > 0:43:21and some lovely dogs and, because he's got that
0:43:21 > 0:43:24youth and determination and passion on his side,
0:43:24 > 0:43:27I really think he's going to make a success of this place.
0:43:48 > 0:43:54- HELEN:- From deep wooded valleys to wide open moorland,
0:43:54 > 0:43:59looming crags of limestone to millstone grit,
0:43:59 > 0:44:02Derbyshire's Peak District has something for everyone.
0:44:05 > 0:44:07And the High Peaks have their own speciality -
0:44:07 > 0:44:08they call it weaselling.
0:44:17 > 0:44:18It's sort of like potholing,
0:44:18 > 0:44:20but obviously this is on the surface,
0:44:20 > 0:44:24and the idea is that you squeeze and navigate your way
0:44:24 > 0:44:25through these gritstone outcrops.
0:44:28 > 0:44:32The Edale Activity Centre welcomes schoolchildren from all over.
0:44:32 > 0:44:36This lot have come all the way from a primary school in Leicestershire.
0:44:36 > 0:44:39It's their first taste of weaselling.
0:44:39 > 0:44:43Instructors Neil McDonald and Peter Egan will be showing them the ropes.
0:44:43 > 0:44:44What about me?
0:44:44 > 0:44:46Hang on, she's almost there!
0:44:48 > 0:44:49Ta-dah!
0:44:49 > 0:44:52I think we look like we're ready for action.
0:44:52 > 0:44:54Jump on the bus, then.
0:44:54 > 0:44:55Are you exited?
0:44:55 > 0:44:57Right, let's see... Mind your feet.
0:44:57 > 0:44:58Hello, hello...
0:45:00 > 0:45:02Right, togged up and strapped in,
0:45:02 > 0:45:06we're off to the heart of the national park,
0:45:06 > 0:45:10and a place where the landscape is just right for would-be weaslers.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13OK, then, guys, so, when you get out,
0:45:13 > 0:45:15just come and stand down here for us, yeah?
0:45:15 > 0:45:17- That's great. Fantastic. - Don't sit on me.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19Come on, out you come.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21There's snow on the ground and it's mighty chilly,
0:45:21 > 0:45:24but this group is raring to go.
0:45:25 > 0:45:28OK, so our first little activity that we're going to do,
0:45:28 > 0:45:32just to get ourselves warmed up, is a little bit of rock hopping -
0:45:32 > 0:45:35essentially like you guys would call The Floor Is Lava.
0:45:35 > 0:45:39So the aim is that you can't touch the mud, OK?
0:45:39 > 0:45:42You can only go on these rocks.
0:45:50 > 0:45:51Right, you lead the way.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55I'm following your path now.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57Brilliant, and then if you keep coming across,
0:45:57 > 0:45:59so that you come to here where I'm stood...
0:45:59 > 0:46:01That's it. Watch out for any icy bits.
0:46:01 > 0:46:03If I find an icy bit, I'll tell you.
0:46:05 > 0:46:07So, what's the idea of this exercise, then?
0:46:07 > 0:46:10Well, first of all, it's a great warm-up for the kids.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12It's great for the environment as well,
0:46:12 > 0:46:15so staying on the rocks is a lot better for the erosion.
0:46:15 > 0:46:17So it's a game, but it's actually beneficial to the environment?
0:46:17 > 0:46:19Absolutely, yeah. Yep.
0:46:19 > 0:46:24Beautiful, and a little bit more energetic than I expected.
0:46:24 > 0:46:26Normally I'd wander around a place like this
0:46:26 > 0:46:29and sort of take in the landscape and say, "Wow, it's beautiful."
0:46:29 > 0:46:32You bring a load of eight-year-olds and you up the ante.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34That's it, and again.
0:46:34 > 0:46:36Excellent. There you go.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39Good work, guys. That's it. Keep going.
0:46:39 > 0:46:41Finish off those few last little rocks.
0:46:45 > 0:46:50Now to Higger Tor, one of the Peak District's most impressive outcrops.
0:46:50 > 0:46:54Inside, it's a maze carved out by the weather -
0:46:54 > 0:46:56the perfect spot for the main event.
0:46:57 > 0:47:00This is the start of the weaselling, all right? Are you ready?
0:47:00 > 0:47:01- KIDS:- Yes!
0:47:01 > 0:47:04- Are we excited?- Yes!
0:47:04 > 0:47:07- On a scale of one to ten? - Ten!- Ten? Ten?- Ten.
0:47:07 > 0:47:09- Come on.- One!
0:47:09 > 0:47:11- One?- Let's weasel! Come on.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14Uh, right, I think we're all set.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17Come on, then, up here, then. Follow me.
0:47:17 > 0:47:18So, that's it.
0:47:18 > 0:47:21- Scramble out. - That's it. Keep them coming.
0:47:21 > 0:47:25OK, so it's obviously a bit of scrambling first to get in there.
0:47:25 > 0:47:27Nice and steady.
0:47:27 > 0:47:29- In you go. Neil, we're just coming through now!- Good!
0:47:29 > 0:47:31That's it, one after each other.
0:47:31 > 0:47:34Give a little bit of space, cos you don't want to stand on each other.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40Well done, young man. That's it.
0:47:40 > 0:47:42A big jump. Hey, that's it.
0:47:42 > 0:47:44- Come on, Helen. - It does look quite snug, doesn't it?
0:47:44 > 0:47:47Right, I'm going in. Is headfirst the tactic?
0:47:47 > 0:47:48You've got to work it out.
0:47:50 > 0:47:53It's not often you wish you were three foot tall!
0:47:53 > 0:47:54Here goes.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01Well, it's cosy in there.
0:48:01 > 0:48:05Is this actually an activity or is it just playing and adventuring?
0:48:05 > 0:48:08I don't think you really find this kind of level of boulders
0:48:08 > 0:48:11anywhere else in the country, and we just explore the area, really.
0:48:11 > 0:48:13It's just a good, fun thing to do.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19It's easy to see how this activity got its name -
0:48:19 > 0:48:22weaselling perfectly describes what we're all doing.
0:48:25 > 0:48:27I don't think anywhere else calls it weaselling
0:48:27 > 0:48:28outside of the Peak District.
0:48:28 > 0:48:30So what does it technically involve?
0:48:30 > 0:48:31Just a bit of guts, really,
0:48:31 > 0:48:34and just having a look at it and giving it a go.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36You'll be surprised what you can actually get through, you know,
0:48:36 > 0:48:38when you look at the shape of the hole
0:48:38 > 0:48:40and think about the best way to go through.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42I love it - weaselling.
0:48:42 > 0:48:43Look... Are you all right?
0:48:43 > 0:48:45Who said telly's not glamorous?
0:48:49 > 0:48:51Brilliant. Well done.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54- Very gracefully done, there, Helen. - I know! I'm so elegant.
0:48:54 > 0:48:56The kids make it look so easy.
0:48:56 > 0:48:58THEY LAUGH
0:48:58 > 0:49:01You've got to work out how to fit your head through, then.
0:49:01 > 0:49:03That's it. Well done, Hannah. Keep on going.
0:49:03 > 0:49:05I can go through a really tiny door like that.
0:49:05 > 0:49:09After the weaselling, a final bit of scrambling,
0:49:09 > 0:49:12watched over by deputy head Steph Allen.
0:49:12 > 0:49:13OK, further...
0:49:13 > 0:49:16Wow, I mean, those kids are fearless, aren't they?
0:49:16 > 0:49:17They really are, yeah.
0:49:17 > 0:49:19You do have to keep an eye on them
0:49:19 > 0:49:21cos they're kind of scrambling everywhere.
0:49:21 > 0:49:22What do they get out of it?
0:49:22 > 0:49:24There's a really great sense of teamwork,
0:49:24 > 0:49:27so encouraging each other through the rocks.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29There's lots of children who overcome fears as well.
0:49:29 > 0:49:32You'll see all the smiles on the children's faces today,
0:49:32 > 0:49:34it's things that we don't necessarily see in the classroom.
0:49:38 > 0:49:40After three, everybody say "weasels".
0:49:40 > 0:49:41One, two, three...
0:49:41 > 0:49:43ALL: Weasels!
0:49:47 > 0:49:49Well, all that scrambling around has certainly
0:49:49 > 0:49:51kept the cold at bay, just about.
0:49:51 > 0:49:53Let's see if the weather is going to pick up.
0:49:53 > 0:49:55Here's the Countryfile forecast for the week ahead.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11I'm in Derbyshire at just one of a growing number of
0:51:11 > 0:51:13alpaca farms in the country.
0:51:13 > 0:51:17From just a few hundred animals back in the late '80s,
0:51:17 > 0:51:22there are now reckoned to be more than 50,000 alpacas in the UK.
0:51:22 > 0:51:23With a growing national herd,
0:51:23 > 0:51:26there's real focus on protecting the next generation.
0:51:26 > 0:51:30Baby alpacas, called cria, are born without antibodies.
0:51:30 > 0:51:32Unless they get them from their mother's milk when they're
0:51:32 > 0:51:36first born, they become prone to serious infection, even death.
0:51:40 > 0:51:43Fay Pooley is a vet who's organised a special event at her practice that
0:51:43 > 0:51:46could save these newborns' lives.
0:51:49 > 0:51:51Alpaca owners have been invited to donate blood
0:51:51 > 0:51:53from their adult animals.
0:51:53 > 0:51:55This blood is rich in antibodies.
0:51:57 > 0:52:01The idea is to store it up, just in case it's needed by the cria.
0:52:01 > 0:52:02Come on.
0:52:02 > 0:52:07I'm with Ingrid Ruston, along with her alpacas Wizard and Starbreaker.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11- Shall we get them into position? - We'll try.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13And we'll try and keep this as calm and relaxed
0:52:13 > 0:52:14- as possible, no doubt. - Yeah, perfect.
0:52:14 > 0:52:18- Right, we're in your hands, Fay. - OK. We'll go over.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20The blood we collect from Starbreaker today
0:52:20 > 0:52:22will also go into storage.
0:52:22 > 0:52:26It'll provide Ingrid with her own emergency supply.
0:52:26 > 0:52:28We'll just have a quick listen to his heart...
0:52:28 > 0:52:31- Yeah.- ..and this is just basically to check he's nice and healthy,
0:52:31 > 0:52:33so he's not going to feel like passing out afterwards,
0:52:33 > 0:52:35you know, like we do when we give blood.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37- Or I do, anyway.- Yeah, sure.
0:52:37 > 0:52:39There's a good lad.
0:52:39 > 0:52:40Good boy.
0:52:41 > 0:52:44Just doing heart and lungs, have a quick listen...
0:52:44 > 0:52:45Good boy. So, that's all fine.
0:52:45 > 0:52:47He actually sounds nice and relaxed.
0:52:47 > 0:52:51- His heart rate's not really up at all, which is good.- Good, good.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53Once he's passed the medical,
0:52:53 > 0:52:56Starbreaker is prepared for the main event,
0:52:56 > 0:52:59and that means shaving off some of that glorious fleece.
0:52:59 > 0:53:00- CLIPPERS BUZZ - It might take a while to
0:53:00 > 0:53:03get all this fluff out, though. Good boy.
0:53:03 > 0:53:04Make sure you keep that.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06I've been finding out what you can do with that.
0:53:06 > 0:53:08Yeah, you can make something out of it!
0:53:08 > 0:53:10I have actually got my alpaca socks on today
0:53:10 > 0:53:12cos they're, like, the warmest things known to man.
0:53:12 > 0:53:13Good.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18Right, lovely. I think that'll do for the clipping.
0:53:18 > 0:53:20Sticking to me. OK, are we ready?
0:53:20 > 0:53:22All set.
0:53:22 > 0:53:24Next, the tricky bit.
0:53:24 > 0:53:26Here comes the needle.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28There, now what a good lad.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30What a good boy.
0:53:30 > 0:53:32There, now...
0:53:32 > 0:53:33Steady, steady.
0:53:33 > 0:53:36I've got a gentle grip on Starbreaker to make sure
0:53:36 > 0:53:38he's as still as possible.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41It'll take about ten minutes to take his blood.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43What a clever boy.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45- Are we still going up? - Yeah, it's still going in.
0:53:45 > 0:53:46Brilliant.
0:53:46 > 0:53:48I see, so you're weighing the bag,
0:53:48 > 0:53:49so you can see that it's still flowing.
0:53:49 > 0:53:51So we see when we've got enough blood.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53- Steady, steady, pal.- Steady.
0:53:53 > 0:53:57About half a litre will be taken from each of the animals here today.
0:53:57 > 0:54:00The blood is then sent for processing at the Pet Blood Bank,
0:54:00 > 0:54:02a charity based in Loughborough.
0:54:02 > 0:54:06When that's done, it's safe to be kept in the freezer on the farm.
0:54:06 > 0:54:07- What a good boy. Steady.- Oh, my...
0:54:07 > 0:54:09- Can you just...?- Steady.
0:54:09 > 0:54:13- Do you mind holding the pressure on that for me?- That's a good lad.
0:54:13 > 0:54:15Job done, and time to relax.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18Come on, then.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20- Next.- He's like," I'm going to run!"
0:54:20 > 0:54:21Who's next in the surgery?
0:54:21 > 0:54:24- MATT HUMS A MERRY TUNE - He's off!
0:54:24 > 0:54:25There's a good boy.
0:54:32 > 0:54:33So, Fay, one down.
0:54:33 > 0:54:34- One down.- It went very smoothly.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37- Yeah.- And I guess the whole idea with this, then,
0:54:37 > 0:54:40is just to spread the word and let owners know that
0:54:40 > 0:54:42- this service is available. - Yeah. It's available.
0:54:42 > 0:54:43And I guess, for vets as well,
0:54:43 > 0:54:46there's not a lot of vets that do a lot of alpaca work
0:54:46 > 0:54:48because it's quite niche.
0:54:48 > 0:54:50And hopefully they'll say it's awesome,
0:54:50 > 0:54:52and we get more alpaca vets around the place,
0:54:52 > 0:54:55and more events like this going on, really.
0:54:55 > 0:54:57- Yep, good. All right, then. Well, let's get on with Wizard.- Yeah.
0:54:57 > 0:55:00- This one here, Arabian Night. - Arabian Night, yeah.
0:55:00 > 0:55:01- He's...- He's raring to go.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04Yeah, don't worry, buddy, we'll be round to you very shortly.
0:55:04 > 0:55:05OK, let's get in the stable.
0:55:05 > 0:55:06Come on, then.
0:55:10 > 0:55:12Fay and her team have a few hours left to do.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16Time for us, though, to get back to Ingrid's farm
0:55:16 > 0:55:19and return Starbreaker and Wizard to the fold.
0:55:22 > 0:55:26Well, I have to say, well done for doing your bit for future alpacas.
0:55:26 > 0:55:30Do you know what? It seems that this generation of alpacas are certainly
0:55:30 > 0:55:32at home here in the Amber Valley,
0:55:32 > 0:55:34but that's all we've got time for from the Derbyshire countryside.
0:55:34 > 0:55:37Helen, what's happening next week?
0:55:37 > 0:55:38Well, now, next week,
0:55:38 > 0:55:41I will be in Northumberland at the mighty Kielder Water,
0:55:41 > 0:55:44finding out how the wet stuff shapes our lives.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46I hope you can join us then. Bye-bye.