0:00:31 > 0:00:33Wild, windswept bays...
0:00:36 > 0:00:39..rocky crags pounded by heavy seas...
0:00:40 > 0:00:43This is Pembrokeshire Coast national park.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50It was given that status based on this, the spectacular coastline.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53But lately, it's been taking a battering by the storms.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Look at all this sea wall that's just come down.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Today is clearly no exception.
0:01:00 > 0:01:02I'll be hearing from local people
0:01:02 > 0:01:05about how a constant battle with the elements
0:01:05 > 0:01:07has taken its toll on the coastline.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10And because of the wild weather,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12we're scattered to the four winds this week.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Tom's in the snowy south,
0:01:15 > 0:01:18hearing how roast lamb is getting rarer.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Every farm used to have a sheep flock,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23but it's a massive decline because there's just no money in it,
0:01:23 > 0:01:24when no-one buys it.
0:01:25 > 0:01:26Adam's in Scotland,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29exploring the mystery behind some missing Upland sheep.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32It's a fact of life,
0:01:32 > 0:01:33it's a mystery,
0:01:33 > 0:01:36and it's something that we would dearly like to get to the bottom of.
0:01:51 > 0:01:52Pembrokeshire,
0:01:52 > 0:01:54the western tip of Wales.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59It's bordered by Ceredigion to the north-east,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01Carmarthenshire to the east,
0:02:01 > 0:02:03and the sea pretty much everywhere else.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09On a sunny day, a coastal stroll is a delight.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14But when the winter bites, it's a different story.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23They say there's no such thing as bad weather,
0:02:23 > 0:02:24only bad clothes.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28And I used to believe that until I started working on Countryfile.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31If you stand in a blizzard for 12 hours,
0:02:31 > 0:02:33the weather gets in somewhere.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40It's not just me in Pembrokeshire.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42Matt's on his way to meet... MOBILE PHONE RINGS
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Oh!
0:02:44 > 0:02:45Hey!
0:02:45 > 0:02:47- Morning!- Morning!
0:02:47 > 0:02:49How are you doing?
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Ellie, due to this crazy, crazy snow, erm,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55I'm not going to be able to make it to Pembrokeshire, I'm sorry!
0:02:55 > 0:02:56The roads are...
0:02:56 > 0:02:58You just can't get across to where you are,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02so unfortunately I'm going to have to sit this one out, Em.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Would you do my stories for me, please?
0:03:04 > 0:03:06You know what, I will, I'll do this favour.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08You owe me one next time, all right?
0:03:08 > 0:03:11See next week! I'll set off now.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13- Bye!- Bye!
0:03:16 > 0:03:18Dramatic weather here is nothing new.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22For centuries, storms have formed part of the fabric of life
0:03:22 > 0:03:24for coastal communities.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30Anne Lewis's family have lived in the village of Cwm-Yr-Eglwys
0:03:30 > 0:03:31for generations.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35What are your memories of stormy weather?
0:03:35 > 0:03:39Well, I've seen some fairly big storms,
0:03:39 > 0:03:43but nothing like as big as the storm that knocked down the church,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45which was in 1859.
0:03:45 > 0:03:46Oh, my goodness!
0:03:46 > 0:03:49So then we've just got one part of the church left?!
0:03:49 > 0:03:51Yes, this is the door in,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55and the rest of the church would have gone in that direction.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59- And you can see that in this picture.- Oh, yes.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Now, my great-great-grandparents were one of the last couples
0:04:03 > 0:04:05who were married in this church.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08You can also see that we've lost quite a lot of land since then.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Yes, the church yard extended right out in that direction,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17and so a lot of the graves were lost,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20and so the people must have been very upset
0:04:20 > 0:04:21to see their ancestors',
0:04:21 > 0:04:25and maybe even their grandparents' bones on the beach
0:04:25 > 0:04:27as they were getting washed away.
0:04:27 > 0:04:28Yeah, a disastrous storm.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34It came to be known as the Royal Charter storm of 1859,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38and was considered to be the most severe storm to hit the Irish Sea
0:04:38 > 0:04:40in the 19th century.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42It sunk 133 ships,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45and claimed more than 800 lives.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51Really, it is terribly stormy today, it's not just a bit stormy.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54I think this is the most clothes I've ever worn on Countryfile.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Well, I have never seen it like this.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Really? This is a super-bad storm?
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Yeah, look at... Look at this.
0:05:01 > 0:05:03Oh, yeah! LAUGHTER
0:05:03 > 0:05:04Look!
0:05:04 > 0:05:06To prove just how cold it is today, we've got icicles here.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08- That'll be seawater, too. - Yes, that's seawater!
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Seawater frozen on the bench!
0:05:10 > 0:05:13- This morning, we had a fairly high tide.- Yeah!
0:05:13 > 0:05:16And I was actually woken up by waves hitting the wall,
0:05:16 > 0:05:18and there's a sort of bang,
0:05:18 > 0:05:20and you can feel it through the pillow.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25When the storms are at their worst,
0:05:25 > 0:05:26what's it like being here in this village?
0:05:26 > 0:05:28The worst one I've seen,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30we had waves that have gone...
0:05:30 > 0:05:33..that have sent spray twice as high as the church.
0:05:33 > 0:05:38And even spray going right over our roof ridge,
0:05:38 > 0:05:39right up there,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42and cascading down the back of the house.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49A sea wall was built to protect the village in 1889.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52But after every storm, it needs checking.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56It's always a good idea to be out there with a bucket of mortar
0:05:56 > 0:05:59if there's any problem, before it gets too big.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02And that's your responsibility, is it, to sort of look after it?
0:06:02 > 0:06:04- Or you take that on as your responsibility?- It's...
0:06:04 > 0:06:10Here, we are in an area of what's called managed retreat,
0:06:10 > 0:06:15- and so we wouldn't get any help with our sea walls.- Right.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Managed retreat means giving in to whatever nature throws at you.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25Despite a handful of people like Anne still living here
0:06:25 > 0:06:29it's not thought to be cost-effective to keep the sea back,
0:06:29 > 0:06:32and so the waves are left to shape this part of the coast.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36Got to be pretty handy, haven't you, to live in this village,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38you've got to be quite practical?
0:06:38 > 0:06:40You need to have a concrete mixer,
0:06:40 > 0:06:42it's probably a bit more important than a lawnmower.
0:06:43 > 0:06:44Excellent!
0:06:46 > 0:06:49What do you think about the future of this village,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52in relation to the storms that come in, and protecting it?
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Well, I never want to be anywhere else, it's just lovely,
0:06:55 > 0:07:00and everybody who's associated with this bay feels the same.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03And so we don't ever want it to change,
0:07:03 > 0:07:07and we'll do whatever we can to protect it and keep it.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Your dog's decided to leave, I think he knows better than we do.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14We've got icicles out of seawater, shall we head indoors?
0:07:14 > 0:07:17- Oh, yes, I think perhaps it's time for a cup of tea.- Oh, it is, it is!
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Now, with Easter on the horizon,
0:07:28 > 0:07:31it's a busy time of year for our sheep farmers,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35but the traditional roast lamb could soon become a thing of the past.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37Tom's been finding out why.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46Spring is on its way,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49and nothing heralds the start of the season
0:07:49 > 0:07:52like waking up to the dawn chorus.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Daffodils gently swaying,
0:07:58 > 0:08:01and of course lambs gambolling in the fields.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11OK, so spring may be on hold for the moment,
0:08:11 > 0:08:15but whatever the weather, this is a busy time of year
0:08:15 > 0:08:16for sheep farmers,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19and it's not just the temperatures that have plummeted.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24Sales of lamb and mutton in the UK are falling, too,
0:08:24 > 0:08:26and have been for a long time.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32The last three decades have seen a drop of nearly 40%.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37As a nation, we seem to have fallen out of love with lamb.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41So why the decline?
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Well, for some, lamb is now seen as a treat meat,
0:08:44 > 0:08:46that they'll go for in the restaurant,
0:08:46 > 0:08:48but shy away from at home,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51and traditional cuts can be off-putting to younger shoppers,
0:08:51 > 0:08:54being big, on the bone, or just scary to cook,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57and some think it's fatty and unhealthy.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Put those together, and it's having a big impact on our farmers.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07I'm in East Meon in the heart of the South Downs
0:09:07 > 0:09:09to meet Will Atkinson.
0:09:10 > 0:09:11- It's a bit raw today. - It is a bit raw.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Are we going to tempt them up with a bit of food?
0:09:13 > 0:09:15I think we're going to have to go and find them.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18- OK, well, let's find out, shall we? - Come on, then!
0:09:18 > 0:09:19Come on!
0:09:19 > 0:09:22His family have been farming sheep here since 1906.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27In the South Downs, there's hardly any sheep flocks left.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29Every farm used to have a sheep flock,
0:09:29 > 0:09:30but it's a massive decline
0:09:30 > 0:09:32because there's just no money in it when no-one buys it.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36So how has your flock changed, say, in the last 30, 40 years?
0:09:36 > 0:09:39So 30 years ago, lamb would be probably slightly stockier,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43and shorter, a big leg for that Sunday roast leg.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46But now we produce a far leaner lamb than we ever used to,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49with a bigger saddle, so more lamb chops,
0:09:49 > 0:09:53and a slightly smaller leg that can be ready for the supermarkets.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55In that same time period, let's say 30, 40 years,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57what's happened on the sort of trade front,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59the balance between domestic and overseas?
0:09:59 > 0:10:02Exports would have doubled in our farming lifetime.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04If you went back to say the '50s,
0:10:04 > 0:10:06it'd be very seasonal and it was roasting,
0:10:06 > 0:10:10it was British and then the New Zealand lamb came in '50s, '60s,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12but that's declined over the years,
0:10:12 > 0:10:15where the UK just don't eat as much lamb.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Now we probably keep the legs in the UK,
0:10:17 > 0:10:19and send everything else abroad.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26It's a similar picture for many farmers like Will across the UK.
0:10:28 > 0:10:29Right now, there are two things
0:10:29 > 0:10:32keeping sheep farming afloat in the UK.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34One is the export market,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36and the other is something you might not expect -
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Britain's Muslim community.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Muslims make up just 5% of our population
0:10:45 > 0:10:46but, would you believe it,
0:10:46 > 0:10:50they eat 20% of the lamb and mutton we produce.
0:10:50 > 0:10:52I'm running out of room on my plate but I like that!
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Can I go for a little salad, is that OK?
0:10:54 > 0:10:55- Yes, go for it, please.- Thank you.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Imam Kudu Sarif and his wife Samina
0:10:58 > 0:11:01have invited me to dinner at their home in Hampshire.
0:11:02 > 0:11:03And on the menu,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06a delicious lamb curry.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08I mean, this is a fantastic lamb dish.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10I mean, how often do you reckon, on a typical week,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12how often would you eat lamb, say?
0:11:12 > 0:11:14I would say at least two, three times a week, maybe,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16if not more.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18So yeah, quite regularly, I suppose.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20When you have a big family gathering,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22would lamb quite often be served?
0:11:22 > 0:11:23- Yes.- Definitely.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25- There would be a couple of dishes which would be lamb.- Yeah.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28So you would have it in every shape and form.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31The meal you're seeing on the table here is to do,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34it's from the subcontinent, and the subcontinent, you know,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37they like their lamb, like their beef, and all these things,
0:11:37 > 0:11:41and I suppose that's something that we've inherited from our parents.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43Is there a difference in the generations,
0:11:43 > 0:11:45maybe in the way younger people view lamb?
0:11:45 > 0:11:49Not that I see it, from our generation.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54My mother, or my mother-in-law, both sides of the family,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57they've always cooked lamb, I've always grown up seeing lamb,
0:11:57 > 0:11:58in the very same way.
0:11:58 > 0:11:59Do you think when Rashik grows up
0:11:59 > 0:12:01he'll be eating a lot of lamb in his diet?
0:12:01 > 0:12:03He looks pretty keen right now!
0:12:03 > 0:12:04LAUGHTER
0:12:04 > 0:12:06I think he would, I think he would.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09I think it's what you're exposed to when you're growing up,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13you keep up with those traditions, as well, somewhat.
0:12:13 > 0:12:14Like some other religions,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17how the animal is killed is significant,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19and for Muslims, that means halal slaughter,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23in which a blessing is said before the animal dies.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24This lamb, and I gather all meat,
0:12:24 > 0:12:28will have been slaughtered in the halal way. Why is that important?
0:12:28 > 0:12:30You know, there's certain practices
0:12:30 > 0:12:33where you just want to fulfil a commandment of God,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and you're basically invoking God's name upon that,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39you're making the sacrifice in the name of God,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41and now it's made halal.
0:12:41 > 0:12:42Halal means permissible,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46and it's been made permissible by God for you.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49In halal, there's a debate over whether the animal should be
0:12:49 > 0:12:51conscious or not when killed.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55The vast majority in this country are stunned before death.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Are you happy with it being stunned first?
0:12:57 > 0:13:00The way here it is, I mean, you have to stun the animal first,
0:13:00 > 0:13:02and then it's, you know, slaughtered.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Which is fine, as well, it's not an issue.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07I think most of the meat is slaughtered in the same way,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10but one's labelled halal and one's just labelled normally.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11That's right.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Well, I've made you do all the talking, and I've nearly finished.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16So I'm very happy to help of the British farmer
0:13:16 > 0:13:19with another spoonful because it's absolutely delicious, Samina,
0:13:19 > 0:13:20thank you very much.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24Regardless of the discussion over halal,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27this is the only growing market in the UK for the industry,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30and that looks positive for our sheep farmers.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33But even with this market,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35it's only slowing the decline,
0:13:35 > 0:13:39and there's no getting around the fact that the industry as a whole
0:13:39 > 0:13:42is heavily reliant on exports to the EU.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46And you can't talk about exports without talking about Brexit.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50So what does the future hold for the British sheep industry?
0:13:50 > 0:13:52That's what I'll be finding out later.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Now, the recent arrival of the Beast From The East
0:14:01 > 0:14:04presented our farmers with some of the worst conditions
0:14:04 > 0:14:06they've had to deal with in a long time.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12They counted the cost of the heavy snow...
0:14:16 > 0:14:19..feeding and rescuing buried livestock from deep drifts.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22If they survived, that is.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35But in the Scottish Uplands, sheep face another challenge.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Adam was there just before the storms hit.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46In this kind of terrain, sheep will often go missing.
0:14:46 > 0:14:50However, shepherds are losing more animals than they should be,
0:14:50 > 0:14:52so the Hill and Mountain Research Centre
0:14:52 > 0:14:55at Scotland's Rural College near Crianlarich
0:14:55 > 0:14:57are looking into the mystery.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Farming sheep can be fairly tricky at the best of times.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03And when you're looking after a flock,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06it's inevitable that some will die for various reasons.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09But when a shepherd's loss is unexplainably high,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12up here they call it black loss.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Black loss has been plaguing Scottish sheep farming for decades,
0:15:18 > 0:15:22but Professor Davy McCracken hopes to finally solve the mystery.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Davy, black loss is a term that I'm not familiar with -
0:15:25 > 0:15:29- what does it mean?- It's a term that's used for the unexplained loss
0:15:29 > 0:15:33of lambs from these very extensive hill grazings.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Basically, farmers will know how many lambs they've actually got
0:15:36 > 0:15:38after lambing, out on the mountains,
0:15:38 > 0:15:41but when they bring them back in to wean them off for sales
0:15:41 > 0:15:45in the autumn, they've got a lot less then they would anticipate,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48or they knew was out there in the first place.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50So, lambs just disappear.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52Just disappearing, yep, with no known cause.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54It's quite a mystery,
0:15:54 > 0:15:58there's a whole host of potential theories about what it could be,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00but there's no real sort of smoking gun
0:16:00 > 0:16:05- as to know what is actually happening.- So, what sort of numbers
0:16:05 > 0:16:07of lambs do go missing, then?
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Oh... You know, we have, um,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13450 ewes up in this flock, up in the high mountains.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17We'd normally expect roughly 350, 400, that type of thing,
0:16:17 > 0:16:19maybe even slightly higher, depends on the weather.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22- So, virtually a lamb apiece. - Yes, virtually a lamb apiece.
0:16:22 > 0:16:27And in a very bad year, we might end up with only sort of 250-300 lambs.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31- So, you're nearly losing half of them?- In a very bad year, yes.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33These mountains, there's no boundaries,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36and so we're relying on the livestock up there being
0:16:36 > 0:16:40what we call hefted into the area - family groups know where they are,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43so we're relying on putting female lambs back into the flock that were
0:16:43 > 0:16:46born up there, that know that that's their sort of territory.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48And at that level of losses,
0:16:48 > 0:16:51you have much fewer animals to actually choose from.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Scanning the ewes will give Davy and his team an accurate picture
0:17:06 > 0:17:09of the number of lambs they should expect.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12This data will be vital in working out
0:17:12 > 0:17:15the possible toll due to black loss later on.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24It's research that Upland farmers like Sybil MacPherson
0:17:24 > 0:17:25are counting on.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28And what do you think is the problem?
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Oh... You could have lots and lots of theories.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33I think the environment plays a part,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36I think the landscape and the topography plays a part.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39I think predators play a part.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41I think it's a big combination of things.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44But it's something we need to get to the bottom of.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47And so, do you find the carcasses?
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Mostly you don't find a thing, which is the mystery of black loss,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52because you can't account for it.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55You think that when the spring comes and the snow melts
0:17:55 > 0:17:57that you will come across the remains,
0:17:57 > 0:17:58and that doesn't happen.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02In this vast, vast type of countryside, things vanish.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06It seems strange and hard to believe, but it happens.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09There will be people, and sheep farmers, all over the country
0:18:09 > 0:18:12that wouldn't quite understand what it's like farming those hills.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15The hills up here, in my opinion, are hugely important.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18The key thing here, because we've seen so much land abandonment
0:18:18 > 0:18:21up in the north and the west of Scotland, and it is becoming
0:18:21 > 0:18:25increasingly difficult to make a living from hill livestock,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27that we need to find out all the answers
0:18:27 > 0:18:29that are possible to make it sustainable,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32because it is so much more than just agriculture -
0:18:32 > 0:18:35it's the whole rural infrastructure.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37And so, if you can't get on top of black loss,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39does that make sheep farming unviable?
0:18:39 > 0:18:43I think sheep farming in this part of the world is hanging on
0:18:43 > 0:18:46by its absolute fingernails at the moment.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49And if we could make a breakthrough and understand black loss
0:18:49 > 0:18:52and help to avoid it, I think that would make a difference.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55We desperately need to make a difference to make farming
0:18:55 > 0:18:57in this part of the world viable.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07These ewes have scanned out at about a lamb apiece.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09They'll now be returned to the hills,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11where they'll give birth over the next few months.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17If past experience is anything to go by,
0:19:17 > 0:19:21somewhere between 20% and 50% of the lambs scanned
0:19:21 > 0:19:22could be lost to black loss.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28And though Davy and his team are gathering vital data,
0:19:28 > 0:19:32solving the black loss mystery is an uphill struggle.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35Now, we're up on the mountain, Davy,
0:19:35 > 0:19:40I can see why it's so difficult for a ewe to bring a lamb up out here.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Well, indeed, Adam, and you're here on a good day!
0:19:42 > 0:19:46And if a lamb does die, I suppose because it's such a vast area,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48the shepherd is unlikely to come across it.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50Yeah, well, if you want to know why something's died,
0:19:50 > 0:19:52you need to do a postmortem.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54But unless you come across a lamb straightaway,
0:19:54 > 0:19:58there's so many scavengers up here, that the carcasses just disappear.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01And then if you CAN find it, can you sort out the problem?
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Well, not really.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07You can maybe know why it's died, but if it's not got a tag on it,
0:20:07 > 0:20:08you don't know who its mother is,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11then you can't track back and work out why it might have died.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15So, at home, we tag our lambs in the lambing pen,
0:20:15 > 0:20:17and therefore we know who belongs to who,
0:20:17 > 0:20:19but that doesn't happen up here?
0:20:19 > 0:20:21No, you can see the type of terrain we have here,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23that's well nigh impossible. But last year we took
0:20:23 > 0:20:26a conscious decision to actually put a lot of time
0:20:26 > 0:20:30and effort into tagging the lambs up here within two or three days
0:20:30 > 0:20:33of birth, so we knew how many were actually alive as we put them out
0:20:33 > 0:20:35to the wider hill. And then we could
0:20:35 > 0:20:38actually count them coming back at the different handling events
0:20:38 > 0:20:41through until weaning, and get an idea as to who was losing
0:20:41 > 0:20:43a lamb and who was keeping a lamb.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45So, you could really find out who the winners and losers are.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47That's our intent in the first instance.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50There's so many different factors to look at, isn't there?
0:20:50 > 0:20:52- You need to narrow it down. - Yeah, you need to start somewhere.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55And that's what we we're doing - who, what and when?
0:20:55 > 0:20:57And how much studying have you done so far?
0:20:57 > 0:20:59We just started the study last year,
0:20:59 > 0:21:01so we've got one year's worth of good data.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Unfortunately, it's one year's worth of good data
0:21:04 > 0:21:06in a very good lambing year, so we need maybe another two, three,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09four years' worth of data in a variety of different
0:21:09 > 0:21:11weather conditions to try and work through
0:21:11 > 0:21:13what those common causes actually are.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Well, let's hope you get to the bottom of it.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17We're certainly looking to do so anyway.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26Back in Pembrokeshire,
0:21:26 > 0:21:30the crew and I are still struggling with the weather.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32We're battling a little bit on Countryfile this week.
0:21:32 > 0:21:35We're facing problems, we've got the Beast From The East
0:21:35 > 0:21:37meeting Storm Emma from the west,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40giving us some rather unseasonal weather.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42We were due to go and spend some time on Skomer Island,
0:21:42 > 0:21:43taking a little boat across there,
0:21:43 > 0:21:46and also to get up in a light aircraft and catch the coastline
0:21:46 > 0:21:48but guess what, those stories both fell down.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51We've just heard tomorrow's story has also fallen down.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53That's how we roll on Countryfile,
0:21:53 > 0:21:55just a few of the challenges we face.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Now, earlier we heard how lamb and mutton consumption
0:22:00 > 0:22:04has fallen by nearly 40% in the last 28 years.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Tom's been finding out what can be done to stop that decline.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14With the sheep meat market falling,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18the last thing farmers need is more uncertainty.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21But with Brexit round the corner,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23that is exactly what they're facing.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29Annually, we export more than 30% of the lamb and mutton we produce,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32and nearly all of that goes to the EU.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36So the future of sheep farming in this country
0:22:36 > 0:22:39is dependent on successful trade talks.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42And like most sheep farmers,
0:22:42 > 0:22:46it's at the forefront of Will Atkinson's mind.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48Well, I think I'm going to be optimistic,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50I think we've all got to be optimistic,
0:22:50 > 0:22:53but I think we all rely heavily on the government
0:22:53 > 0:22:54to find us new deals further afield.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57And maintaining the current trade deals with continental Europe,
0:22:57 > 0:22:59- cos we sell so much there.- Yeah,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01that's the most important thing for us. They want our meat,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03so we should be able to sell the meat to them.
0:23:03 > 0:23:04If we don't get a trade deal,
0:23:04 > 0:23:07that's a disaster, that means there's lots of lamb in the UK
0:23:07 > 0:23:09with no home because, overnight,
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Britain aren't going to start eating lots of lamb
0:23:11 > 0:23:13so people are going to end up going out of business.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19But how is the industry preparing for life outside the EU?
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Phil Hadley is from the Agriculture And Horticulture Development Board.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29It's his responsibility to oversee exports of lamb and mutton.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35How optimistic are you about the chances of maybe selling more
0:23:35 > 0:23:37to America or Canada or places like that?
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Yeah, we've been on a programme of expanding our exports
0:23:41 > 0:23:44for lots of products, including sheep meat,
0:23:44 > 0:23:45and we've been successful.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47We work closely with our colleagues in Defra
0:23:47 > 0:23:48and other government departments.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52So we, we secured Canada last year as part of an EU trade deal,
0:23:52 > 0:23:56and just last week we secured another export market access
0:23:56 > 0:23:57for Saudi Arabia.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Some of those deals we made through the EU.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Can we make deals on our own?
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Well, we have been doing so,
0:24:03 > 0:24:07so Saudi Arabia is an example of a bilateral deal.
0:24:07 > 0:24:08The US is a bilateral deal,
0:24:08 > 0:24:12so in some cases we have access because of an EU package,
0:24:12 > 0:24:15and in lots of cases we also have direct deals.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17Looking to the next three to five years,
0:24:17 > 0:24:18Brexit and the consequences,
0:24:18 > 0:24:20what's the best-case scenario?
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Well, the best-case scenario is
0:24:22 > 0:24:25unhindered access to our near markets of the EU,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27that's our biggest market sector,
0:24:27 > 0:24:31so, without the additional inspections, bureaucracy with that,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34and an agreement that the meat standards are the same,
0:24:34 > 0:24:36they're equivalent, so we're not,
0:24:36 > 0:24:39we don't have additional, costly inspections.
0:24:39 > 0:24:40And the worst case?
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Well, the worst-case scenario would be additional inspections,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46additional paperwork, additional delays in logistics,
0:24:46 > 0:24:47potential for tariffs.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49All those would obviously have a serious implication
0:24:49 > 0:24:51for the marketplace as a whole.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54So, uncertainties, yes,
0:24:54 > 0:24:59but there could be new opportunities with other parts of the world.
0:24:59 > 0:25:00That is in the hands of the government.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05What the sheep industry needs to do is sell more at home in the UK.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12So how can the industry persuade the great British public
0:25:12 > 0:25:15to fall back in love with lamb?
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Well, some say it has a bit of an image problem.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22But that's not the same in other big sheep producing countries,
0:25:22 > 0:25:25where they make a right song and dance about it.
0:25:25 > 0:25:26# Because I never
0:25:26 > 0:25:28# We never...
0:25:28 > 0:25:33# We're never alone
0:25:33 > 0:25:35# We love our lamb! #
0:25:36 > 0:25:39These Australian ad campaigns promoting lamb
0:25:39 > 0:25:41have become hugely popular.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47And the UK lamb industry has a lot to shout about, too.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51If you want your meat grass fed and reared outdoors,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54then sheep are the obvious animal.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56Let's face it, unlike chicken and pork,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59you can't really intensively rear lamb.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Someone who knows this only too well is Richard Taylor.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06He has a small flock of sheep in south Gloucestershire,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08and is one of a growing number of farmers
0:26:08 > 0:26:11involved with Love Lamb Week,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14an industry-led campaign encouraging British consumers
0:26:14 > 0:26:16to put lamb back on their plates.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21- Hi, Richard, how's it going? - Hi, Tom. Yeah, great.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23I'm not sure whether this is the craziest thing
0:26:23 > 0:26:25or the sanest thing I've ever done on a day like today,
0:26:25 > 0:26:28I'm certainly looking forward to it, but what are you actually preparing?
0:26:28 > 0:26:30So this is a lamb leg steak,
0:26:30 > 0:26:32and I've just simply put some olive oil in a pan,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35salt and pepper and a little bit of chopped rosemary,
0:26:35 > 0:26:37and that's just going to flash fry in there
0:26:37 > 0:26:39for a couple of minutes each side.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40Can't wait for it to be ready,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43but how do you think that lamb is perceived generally by people?
0:26:43 > 0:26:46I think there's a traditional sort of stigma with lamb
0:26:46 > 0:26:49that it's fatty and perhaps a more traditional meat,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52but actually there's some brilliant sort of midweek cuts
0:26:52 > 0:26:56and quick cooking cuts like the lamb leg steaks we've got on here
0:26:56 > 0:26:57that actually should really
0:26:57 > 0:26:59be finding their way into people's homes.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02And what do you think are those traits that lamb has
0:27:02 > 0:27:04that really work's for today's consumer?
0:27:04 > 0:27:08So we've, we've got a really healthy product here
0:27:08 > 0:27:12that's high in all the good fats, and low in the bad fats.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14It's full of vitamins and trace minerals
0:27:14 > 0:27:17that are part of a really healthy diet.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20It's also a very light touch on the environment, you know,
0:27:20 > 0:27:22a lot of our lamb in this country is grass fed,
0:27:22 > 0:27:23it's produced seasonally,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26and sheep farming is part of our culture
0:27:26 > 0:27:28and has been for centuries,
0:27:28 > 0:27:29and it still is,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31so I think it, it really should be pushed.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33A meat for the 21st-century?
0:27:33 > 0:27:34I hope so.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37I don't believe you, let me find out! Prove it to me!
0:27:37 > 0:27:38THEY CHUCKLE
0:27:41 > 0:27:42- Is there one I can go for, there?- Yeah.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Great.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Oh, yeah!
0:27:48 > 0:27:51That is really good! That really does warm your toes.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55With spring lambs on their way,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58it is a busy time of year for our sheep farmers.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00But the coming months will be critical
0:28:00 > 0:28:02in deciding the industry's future.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06So, improving the fortunes of our farmers is really
0:28:06 > 0:28:09going to take three things to happen together -
0:28:09 > 0:28:11the government to get the right trade deals,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14the industry maybe to improve its marketing,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18and many of us to remember we once had a great appetite for lamb.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27The Pembrokeshire coast in early spring.
0:28:27 > 0:28:28Icy cold.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36Stark seascapes bathed in pale blue light,
0:28:36 > 0:28:39and whipped by winds that bite.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45No deterrent to Raul Speek, though -
0:28:45 > 0:28:49a Cuban painter and native of tropical Guantanamo.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57He first came here to Solva for a holiday 20 years ago.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00He loved what he saw, and made it his home.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05We come into Solva.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07We walking up the hill.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11And we saw, I saw this horizon,
0:29:11 > 0:29:16enormous horizon with an enormous amount of space on the sky.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22It wasn't just the landscape that captured Raul's heart.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26He was also smitten by its chaotic elements.
0:29:29 > 0:29:34I realised that the weather was absolutely mad.
0:29:34 > 0:29:39Like, crazy. One day it was raining, then stopping, and it's got dry,
0:29:39 > 0:29:41it's windy, and it's snow...
0:29:49 > 0:29:53I see Pembrokeshire to my eyes and to my ear and to my skin.
0:29:53 > 0:29:59And then that's coming like a little performance in the canvas.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08Pembrokeshire Weather Report is Raul's interpretation of Solva's
0:30:08 > 0:30:10unpredictable weather.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13It's his favourite painting.
0:30:13 > 0:30:14When you see this painting,
0:30:14 > 0:30:17it was called Pembrokeshire Weather Report.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Yesterday, I was looking at the picture.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24I don't know what it is, but it's how I feel.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26For me,
0:30:26 > 0:30:28it's the best painting I ever done in my life,
0:30:28 > 0:30:31because I've been open and honest.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34It struck a chord...
0:30:34 > 0:30:39..in people's imagination, because they always laugh.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41Pembrokeshire is the weather.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45And you feel the weather in your face
0:30:45 > 0:30:49and the breeze and the temperature. That is Pembrokeshire for me.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59Of course, this is a long way from Cuba,
0:30:59 > 0:31:03where Raul's palette was a riot of rich and vibrant colour.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08Raul has had to embrace a quite different range of tones
0:31:08 > 0:31:11to capture the essence of Welsh weather.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17I'm a very emotional artist, but it's very bizarre,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19because 20 years ago,
0:31:19 > 0:31:24I couldn't even stand in here in this weather.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26But the love for the art, and the love for the colour,
0:31:26 > 0:31:29those colour who look like they're very burnt...
0:31:29 > 0:31:32And then, for an artist like me,
0:31:32 > 0:31:34that's been an amazing transformation.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37I come from very bright,
0:31:37 > 0:31:40and then to be more subtle.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57I could live anywhere in the planet,
0:31:57 > 0:32:00but the most beautiful place in the world is here,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03because you see the weather like that today,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06but later, it will be sunny. And it does crazy stuff.
0:32:07 > 0:32:08When he arrived in Solva,
0:32:08 > 0:32:13Raul had never experienced the changing seasons.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15When I come in here, I saw those trees you see around there,
0:32:15 > 0:32:19and I go, "Oh, my God, the trees, they are dying, they are dead!"
0:32:19 > 0:32:22And they go, "No, no, no, they are not dead.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24"They're coming from the winter."
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Even snow was a surprise.
0:32:28 > 0:32:29And I went like this...
0:32:32 > 0:32:34And it was snow!
0:32:37 > 0:32:41And for an artist, I immediately realised that
0:32:41 > 0:32:44you cannot see Pembrokeshire.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47Pembrokeshire is not to see - Pembrokeshire is to feel.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11I've been looking at the effects of the storms on our rural communities.
0:33:13 > 0:33:18But ever resourceful, farmers adapt and innovate, whatever the weather.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21And I'm here to meet a young Pembrokeshire couple
0:33:21 > 0:33:23who have done just that.
0:33:26 > 0:33:31Damian and Meg McNamara were both raised on local dairy farms.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34They've just won an award from the Farmers' Union of Wales
0:33:34 > 0:33:38for the novel way they've approached their goat meat business,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41using social media to promote their goats.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48- So, how did it get started, then, for you two?- I wanted a pet goat.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50Yes. It's her famous line, isn't it?
0:33:50 > 0:33:53- "I want a goat!"- Yes. I was never allowed a goat growing up.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Why not? When you grew up on a farm, it seems like an obvious thing.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59I know, it's my mother's farm and she never wanted me to have a goat.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03So, it was a rebellion, and I'd always wanted a goat,
0:34:03 > 0:34:04and it went from there. We got two...
0:34:04 > 0:34:08- So you went from two to how many? - About 230 at the moment.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11Impressive. What would you tell your childhood self, who wanted
0:34:11 > 0:34:13- that goat - I mean, what would she think?- Stick to your guns!
0:34:13 > 0:34:15There you go! Exactly right - follow your dreams!
0:34:15 > 0:34:18- Yep.- Right, so, these guys need feeding, do they?
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Let's get to it.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25Damian and Meg breed Boer cross goats, a good meat breed.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29These are your young ones, then. They're a bit sprightly,
0:34:29 > 0:34:31- aren't they?- Yes, full of mischief.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33Mischief! So they've got floral names,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36- what's the thinking behind that? - It's their pedigree names.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40- Oh, OK.- And our theme, our chosen theme, is, anything that grows,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43really, so crops, flowers, trees.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46We've got... So, we've got Orange here, this is Wasabi.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48Betys, which is a Welsh plant name.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50- You can remember every single one? - Most of them, yes.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53- That is incredible.- I've spent a lot of time with them.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56- Meg has an amazing memory. - And how easy are they to look after?
0:34:56 > 0:34:59They're a lot more difficult than people would think.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01- Really?- Everybody thinks they will eat anything.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04- They don't. They're quite fussy. - This is your home-grown hay.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07This is our home-grown hay and our home-grown peas and barley.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09And this is what works for us at the moment.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13Yeah. Describe the field-to-fork process that you've got here.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17So, we breed all our own stock,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20we keep all our females to up our breeding numbers,
0:35:20 > 0:35:23and all our boys are kept up to a year for the kid meat.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27And we sell direct, so it is very much farm to fork.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30So, people understand the whole process and they know all about you
0:35:30 > 0:35:31- and your production here.- Yes.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34That's great. Right, let's get this last bit in here.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37During a cold snap, it's vital Meg keeps an ear out
0:35:37 > 0:35:40for any signs of goats that may need help.
0:35:40 > 0:35:41BLEATING
0:35:41 > 0:35:44I think that might be someone kidding.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46- Do you want me to go and check? - Yeah.- Go and have a look.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52So, we were just working just now and Meg heard a particular bleat,
0:35:52 > 0:35:55that I wouldn't have noticed, none of us would have noticed,
0:35:55 > 0:35:56and she suspects one of them's kidding.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58It's all fine?
0:35:58 > 0:36:01On this occasion, it wasn't a goat giving birth,
0:36:01 > 0:36:03but a new mum calling to her kids.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07But with the cold weather having a real effect,
0:36:07 > 0:36:11these newly born twins haven't got the energy to get up and suckle.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14So, what's the story with these twins, then, Meg?
0:36:14 > 0:36:17So, she's chosen the coldest day of the year to have these kids.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20- Yeah.- I've already milked her once to get the colostrum.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23I've already given this one colostrum, but if you feel them,
0:36:23 > 0:36:25they're just... They're very cold.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28- So, what we need to do is warm them up.- Yeah.- But the girl there now...
0:36:28 > 0:36:30- She's actually trying. - She's nudging.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33So, rather than have you intervene, get the colostrum out,
0:36:33 > 0:36:36and give it to the baby, better that she just gets it direct, really?
0:36:36 > 0:36:37- Yes.- So, what are you going to do?
0:36:37 > 0:36:40- She can't quite reach it... - We'll try and stand her up now.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43- You've got to bribe her up with some food?- Yep.- Here we go.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46Come on, then, girl, up you get.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48Good girl.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52- Oh, look, it's good, isn't it? - Yeah.- The instinct is strong.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54So, if we just...
0:36:55 > 0:36:58And if we put her in the general area now, she...
0:36:58 > 0:37:01- See, she's got the idea now. - Yeah. That's good.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03This is a really good sign.
0:37:03 > 0:37:07The kids are obviously getting warmer, and now they're suckling,
0:37:07 > 0:37:09they're likely to survive.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11Why is colostrum so important in newborns?
0:37:11 > 0:37:14Gives them antibodies. It's really, really thick,
0:37:14 > 0:37:16it's like a shot of energy.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19- And...- Yeah. - It's the best thing for them.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22We'll put this one back under the lamp.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26Because she'll probably nestle down with them now.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28- Bit of warmth with each other as well.- Yes.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33Aw. That's great.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36But not all the kids are quite so lucky.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39This little goat's mother didn't have enough energy reserve
0:37:39 > 0:37:41during the cold snap,
0:37:41 > 0:37:43so Meg and Damian are rearing it by hand
0:37:43 > 0:37:46and keeping a close eye on its weight.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49- If you hold on to that...- OK.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51And just lift her up.
0:37:52 > 0:37:53You are so cute!
0:37:55 > 0:37:59Daily checks like this are vital to monitor the kid's progress.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03There we go. 2.88.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05What would you expect for a three-day-old?
0:38:05 > 0:38:08- That's a good weight.- That's a good weight, because she's been
0:38:08 > 0:38:10- brought in, fed, kept warm.- Yep.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13- Aren't you lucky?- Bottle baby.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Hand-rears... Goodness, the challenges of this weather, though.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18- I know.- This cold snap.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22Despite the cold, Meg and Damian have got to get on
0:38:22 > 0:38:25with the day-to-day business of running the farm,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28where the welfare of their goats remains a top priority.
0:38:29 > 0:38:34- Come on.- So, how important is it for you to show your customers
0:38:34 > 0:38:37- what life is like on the farm for the goats?- Very important,
0:38:37 > 0:38:41cos they do want to know that they're buying high-welfare meat.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46So, we do try and post pictures every day, really, of the goats.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49- So, shall we take a photo now? - Yes, let's.- A goat selfie.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Is that a goatee?!
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Oh, hang on, we're in.
0:38:53 > 0:38:54Whee!
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Social media is vitally important to keep the goat farm afloat,
0:39:00 > 0:39:04and to help Meg and Damian grow the business.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06It provides a daily update
0:39:06 > 0:39:11on the challenges of running the farm through all weathers.
0:39:11 > 0:39:13And it also allows them to share good news.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17Since my visit, 50 new kids have been born,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19and the little kid I helped weigh
0:39:19 > 0:39:21has been adopted by a new mum.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27Well, that's all we've got time for from a very blustery Pembrokeshire.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Let's hope it's a touch calmer next week, when we'll be in Shropshire.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Matt will be hoping to stem the flow of an orange river,
0:39:34 > 0:39:37and I'll be out and about with a sniffer dog
0:39:37 > 0:39:40with a nose for the perfect pine marten poo.
0:39:40 > 0:39:41Make sure you've eaten your tea by then!
0:39:41 > 0:39:43We'll see you next week.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45I've got to get out of this weather!