³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

The first frosts of winter arrive, signalling it is time to settle livestock into winter housing and providing an opportunity for farmers to make plans for the following year.

High on the uplands of Northumberland National Park, Emma and Ewan are preparing for a big day ahead. They plan to expand their cattle herd as part of new venture into beef, and with baby Len in tow, they set off to Newcastleton Mart for the annual sale of blue greys. With recent reports pointing to a 15% drop in beef sales, it might not be a good time to embark on a new beef venture, but when Emma and Ewan arrive, rock-bottom prices prove too good an opportunity to miss. Later, Ewan attempts to halter-train four-year-old bull JohnJo.

In Aberdeenshire, new entrant farmers Isla and George are bringing their 100 red deer into the barns to spend the worst of the winter weather under shelter. During the round up, George spots a poorly deer calf. It is dangerously dehydrated, weak and disorientated. They call in the vet - but for Isla and George, it is an anxious wait to see if the young buck will survive.

On the most northerly edge of the Scottish mainland in Armadale, Joyce Campbell is bringing her small herd of Angus-bred cattle in from the fields into the barn. The cows roam the hillside all year round and are not used to being handled, so Joyce ropes in husband Iain to lend a helping hand when she tackles the daunting task of separating the fully-grown calves from their mums. Later, at the mart, a nervous Joyce hopes for the best price for her calves, but a falling market makes a bumper profit unlikely.

In the Lake District, it is D-day for young couple Matt and Dani’s cattle herd. Today, all their cows are pregnancy tested – the future income of their new farm depends on good results. Vet Dani, who is now six months pregnant, performs the pregnancy test on all 96 cows herself, but when their herd of temperamental limousin cattle start misbehaving, Matt is worried for Dani’s safety.