The Moo Man (2013) Movie Script
[birds singing]
Come on then,
come on come on
Come on then
[calling continues]
[cuckoo sings,
cow moos in distance]
[calling continues,
distant cow moos]
[cuckoo continues singing]
[cow bellows]
[bellowing continues]
Come on Kate, come on girl
Come on,
come and see your calf
Come on then girl.
Come on then.
Hello puss.
Come on then Kate.
Come and see your calf.
In you go.
That's it.
[contented moo]
[suckling]
How are you Kitty? Alright?
What's that then?
Is that a calf over there then?
You're a daft old thing,
ain't you? Eh?
[content moo-ing]
[bird song continues]
[repepitive pumping sound
of milking machine]
Come on.
Come on then.
[continues calling cows in]
That's it, push up.
Come on then. Good girl.
Come on then. Up you get.
[glug-glug of milk pouring]
[clinking of bottles]
[glug-glug]
[glugging and
clinking continues]
Hello little fellow.
Come on then.
Let's put you up in the pen.
Come on then. That's it.
You're a little calf you are,
aren't you, hey?
A little fellow you are.
[trips and stumbles]
Come on then.
Come on, out you come.
Alright.
unseen cows moo]
Come on then little fellow.
You're as good as gold you are,
aren't you, hey?
Are you wondering
where you're going?
Let's see your mates.
[distant cows moo]
Hello little fellow,
a new mate for you.
That's it.
Here you are mate.
I've always drunk milk
and I love our milk
I always have done
As a boy I used to drink a pint
without thinking about it
Whereas whenever I've
stayed with aunties or uncles
in London or whatever
having to drink shop milk
it just tasted horrible
I just didn't really like it
at all
Even though it is milk and I
am passionate about milk
The milk that the consumer
is getting in my eyes
Is pretty unpleasant st...
well I shouldn't say
it's unpleasant stuff
not doing the dairy trade any
good at all but
It is not what I think
milk should be.
Come and get your raw milk!
Raw milk, raw cream,
raw butter
It tastes fantastic!
Come and get your
organic raw milk here!
Hello.
This is raw milk,
unpasteurised milk,
straight from the farm.
- Fantastic!
- It tastes wonderful.
We are quite a small herd
these days, we're 72 cows,
which is quite small
And also our cows
live a long time
The average age in the
country is about six years
Ours is about nine or ten.
Is it because they eat
properly?
Because we're very relaxed
with the cows
We don't push them hard
So because they are a lot
happier, they are a lot
healthier
And that comes through in the
milk
I'll finish it then
- Yeah, go on
- It will be good for me
Yeah. It is good for you!
It clears up eczema, hayfever
It lowers your blood
cholesterol as well
So amazing stuff raw milk.
It makes you look twenty!
That's right. I'm really
ninety!
[dawn chorus of bird song]
[cow moos in distance]
[calf bleats]
[calf bleats louder]
[calf bleats]
[distant bellow]
[bellows]
[calf callls in reply]
[calf calls louder]
[cow calls to calf, calf
replies]
[dialogue continues]
[repetitive pumping
of milking machines]
The calf doesn't have
her mum to suckle
It will be the first time that
she has her mums milk
But out of a bucket and
not straight from the mum
Come on then. Up you get.
[cow calls her calf]
I know your calf's in there
Hello little fellow!
Come on then
That's it. You suck my fingers!
They're being really excited
Because they know
there's milk there
They're not sure how to get it
Because it is not out of a teat
[slurping, calfs bleating]
No? It's not going to happen?
It is the toughest day
in the year for the mum
[calves bleating]
That's about it.
You did pretty good.
Didn't you, hey?
So we're not so bad after all.
We're going to give you
your food from now on.
[calf calls for mother]
We've looked after
your girl very well
She knows her calf is in there
It's the first time she hasn't
gone in with her calf
But she'll be a bit upset,
because she...
[insistent bellowing,
calf replies]
They're really talking to
each other, aren't they?
Yeah.
[bellowing and
bleating continues]
That, I'm afraid, is life
A cow has to have a calf
to have milk
Given that situation,
we have to manage it as best
as we possibly can for the cow
In terms of minimising its
stress
When we separate the
cow from the calf
But it has to be done.
You cannot have calves
on cows forever
They've got to be taken off
the cow at some point
[clinking of milk bottles]
- Yes?
- Hello, it's milk!
Just a minute
This is Ida,
who is on the milk bottles
We want to do some promotional
shots in Eastbourne where
we're
going to start a new milk round
And we want to take
Ida into Eastbourne
But she's not halter
trained at all
None of our cows are halter
trained at the moment
So we're going to have a go
at putting her on a halter
And now I am just making
friends with her
And bribing her with
a bit of food
Get your head out of it!
Come on!
God, you're strong
Get your head out of it.
That's it.
Good girl!
That's a good girl
Alright
- Actually, can you open
the gate, Paul?
- Yeah.
Come on girl. Come on then.
Let's get you used to walking
Shall I take the food?
Yeah, that's a good idea
Just hold it like a yard
in front of her
That's it, give it a shake
and she'll...
That's it
[food bucket being shaked]
[other cows shout, excited]
Keep walking her round
[other cows join in bellowing]
You are not bad, are you?
We can do what we like
with you, can't we, hey?
Aren't you being good?
She's not trying to get away
or she's not bothered
about the halter
No
Alright, okay then Ida,
we'll let you go
You can go up the field
with your mates
[bellowing continues]
You're quite a pretty old thing
really, aren't you?
Thank you!
Yeah you are as well, Paul
Come on then, come on then.
Come on then.
[electric hair clippers]
sound of seagulls calling]
Come on Ida, you're getting
your photo taken from over
there
[chatter and laughter]
Hello Ida, hello.
Hello darling!
We could be all day here,
couldn't we?
Actually there's going to be
more people as it goes along
You're beautiful, aren't you?
I hope they're going to
give you a special treat
when you come home
We've got some feed here.
Here you are.
You hold your hand out flat,
she'll take this off your hand.
Is this a new venture for you?
We've got a door step delivery
in Hailsham and we're going
to start one in Eastbourne
It is going to be raw milk
we deliver. Unpasteurised.
So is this unhomogenised
as well then?
Yeah, well this has only
been filled this morning
In a few hours the cream line
will be about down there
And you have that
on your cereal
You've done really well,
haven't you Ida?
There's a good girl
You've done really well,
haven't you, hey?
We've never had a cow from
the Hailsham herd up here
before
Smelling a bit of sea air
You are a good girl, aren't you?
You like Eastbourne, do you?
Come on then girl.
We'll go home now
You really like it up here,
don't you?
Come on then, we'll go back
home.
[seagulls screeching]
Come on, Ida!
It will be better to back
the trailer up to her!
Yes, that's it. Well done Paul.
Come on, Ida!
[huffing, puffing and grunting]
Come on, Ida!
[laughter, seagulls screeching]
I think Ida just wants
to live here now
Like a lot of people she
wants to retire in Eastbourne
[distant sound of fairground
organ]
Back with your mates again
[cows moo]
You'd think they hadn't seen
each other for a long time
Go on. Your mates again.
Got all her fans, come
to say hello to her.
Yeah, that's given us maybe
some ideas, we'll use Ida more.
'cause you lot,
I don't think you lot are
going to be as good as Ida.
As much as you'd love
to get the sea air.
Have you come and say hello?
Do you want to go back
to Eastbourne, do you?
Hey? Do you like that?
But you haven't been milked,
you're going to get milked
this afternoon now.
Which should be alright,
you haven't got a lot of milk,
have you? Coming to the
end of your lactation.
[repetitive pumping sounds
of milking machine]
We've got a heifer that calved
in this field. She calved a
bit early and had a big calf.
And the calf was dead
And she's got paralysis in one
of her legs and hasn't been
able to get up
I can't see her at the moment
which means she's
probably laid right out
She's sort of on her side and
can't get up I imagine
It's a nice heifer, so we don't
want to loose her.
Hello girl
Are you struggling again?
You've moved
quite a bit though
I'll give you a push up
in a moment
[cow grunts]
You want to try and get up?
How did you get
over here then?
Did you walk over here?
Did you?
Up you get then, come on,
up you get
[encouraging whistles]
You don't want to know,
do you?
Okay, I'll give you some grub
Are you thirsty?
How are you going to behave
with me now? Are you going
to be alright with me?
That means "Get off!
I don't like that". Isn't it?
Now you've got your grub
you can shake your head
at me, can't you?
There's a good girl.
It ain't too bad, is it?
You wouldn't have let me do that
with you earlier on, would you?
Let's hope you get better
You are a pretty
little thing really
Within a group of animals you'll
always have a friendly one
And you'll always have one that
doesn't want to know you at all
But if a friendly one follows
you
And two or three then follow
that one and then the rest
follow then you've cracked it
It is harder than
it was in the past
because the numbers of cattle per
stockman are a lot higher now
I think the average numbers per
stockman is something like 150
cows per stockman now
Whereas 20, 25 years ago
that would have been between
50 and 75 probably
Our ratios here are like what
they used to be
That's why we've still got that
relationship, but it gets
harder
once you get into big numbers
To know your cows individually
and to have that relationship
with them.
Are you going to get up?
Do you want to give it a go?
What are you thinking about?
Don't you like me sitting here?
[cow moos]
What's going on?
Are you going to give it a go?
I'm surprised you haven't
drunk anything
Come on then, come on then.
We'll leave you, shall we?
Shall we leave you?
I've got cows to milk
[repetitive pumping sound
of milking machine]
[whistling to cows]
Come on, Kate.
Come on then.
That's it. Well done.
She's over there,
she's walked about 100 yards
from where she was earlier
Brilliant to see her up
The only trouble is she's walked
100 yards that way and I want
her to walk that way to join
the herd
Which is going to take a bit of
doing, but anyway
She's over there, we've seen her
and I'm really thrilled that
she is up again after a week
of being down
Which way are you going to go?
Are you going around
the trees then?
Or are you going to follow me?
Come on then. Come on then.
[continues calling]
[calling continues]
Good girl, that's it.
You know where you're
going now, don't you?
[cow bellows]
You lot had thought you're
coming out, didn't you?
Tough. You're not.
[moo-ing from the herd]
The only thing is, because she's
a weak cow, some know she's a
weak cow and bully her a
little bit
But they are more interested
in coming out
She's alright
She's just going down
into the field now
Which is good
[footsteps]
[screech of young owls]
Hi Dad, it's me
I still have to come and bottle
I'm just going to have
a bit of tea first
Okay, see you later, bye
[hissing]
Oh bugger
[hissing gets louder]
[gurgling and bubbling]
I'm not very domesticated
Is my saucepan alright?
Yeah, it's fine
Our saucepan, darling
You put the heat on and then
you don't put anything in it
How do you know?
I can hear it
You've got a very good hearing
when you want to
haven't you, darling?
Pardon?
You have got a very good
... yeah...
Case in point
Is it a nice bath?
- Yes, thank you.
- Good.
Are you sure you don't want
a glass of wine?
- I have one.
- Have you?
Claire cooks everything really.
We don't have any
ready made stuff
Use our own beef,
which saves a fortune
The boys enjoy that
[distant traffic noise]
[loud slurping]
[sniffing]
What have you got then?
What have you had?
You had that quickly, didn't
you?
It's alright. A big calf.
That's quite a good size calf and
she did well to have it on her
own
But it's a bull calf, a
friesian bull calf
So that on most dairy farms that
little fellow would be shot at
birth,
taken away and shot
It doesn't see its first day
But we keep all the bull calves and
he'll grow to become a beef
animal
So he'll have about two and
a half years on the farm
[gentle moo-ing]
[suckling]
He was quite a big fellow,
that went in. He was about
three
years old, old Kato.
Something like that, I reckon
He was never very friendly,
not like some of the others
Some of the others you go up
to and pat, but he was
always a little bit wary
I don't know why.
He was castrated
That normally quietens them
down
He had a bad infection in his foot
when he was about a year old
Which we trimmed
and that cleared up
I don't know how he'd done it. He
cut the back of his hoof in
some way
Otherwise he's been fine
Kato has had a pretty brilliant life
for a dairy bull calf born on
the farm
[birdsong, the buzz of a fly]
[quiet grunt]
[grunts from the cow]
[dog barks]
[barking gets louder]
Alright, Tinky
[barking louder still]
It's me, you daft dog.
What have you got then, girl?
Bull calf
You are a big old fellow,
ain't you?
Can you get up already?
[dog yaps]
Shame it's not a heifer calf.
We've had lots of
bull calves recently.
What do you think then, girl?
I can't think which one that is.
It must be your 6th or 7th
[birdsong and skylarks]
Oh my goodness!
Come on then, up you get.
A little friesian heifer calf.
Quite a good size.
They don't normally calve down
here
Come on then. Follow your mum.
We better walk you up the farm.
That's a surprise?
Yes, it's a surprise. It's a
bit early.
Its still got a very fleshy
navel
Oh, don't clear off
You look out Tinky.
She won't like you being about.
That's it. Follow your mum.
We'll get through these rushes,
in a minute
You'll see where you're going
a bit better then
Bess, you're right in the way.
It's your calf, girl.
Come on, you.
You're going the wrong way.
Come on, trouble maker. Go on.
Hello trouble.
How are you then trouble?
Get up, go on.
You would think she was the mum
Come on you, come on.
Up you get.
Being all possessive.
You keep going, little fellow.
[moo-ing]
Come on, it's not your calf.
It's your calf, isn't it girl?
You won't have yours for another
two weeks yet. Or three weeks.
Come on, go and join
your calf, go on.
Good girl, that's it.
I'll put you some fresh
straw in in a minute.
That's good.
Come on then.
Oh, you dozy... you dozy
animals.
Are they going through the
brambles or coming back?
Well, stuck in between.
Poxy animals.
[shouting to cows]
What a job that was.
Hopeless, wasn't it?
O dear, oh dear.
Fit as a butcher's dog.
[birdsong and crows]
I wonder whether she's
dislocated her hip
[dog barks]
That's enough, Bess!
[phone tone]
Hello, it's Steve Hook from
Longleys farm, Hailsham
Could I have a vet to look at a
cow this afternoon please?
She calved a few days ago,
quite a bad calving
And she had paralysis in
her back right leg
She was walking two days ago,
in the field
But now she won't get up at all
Her leg just doesn't look
quite right
Half two?
Great, okay. Yeah, that's great.
Thanks very much. Okay, bye.
Potentially she has eight years
of milking ahead of her
It's right at the start of her
production life that we're
going to lose her
If the leg's no good
But if she can't walk to the milking
parlour and get milked,
then she'll have to go
Right. Let's get you some
water.
Hello trouble
[distant moo-ing]
[indistinct voices approach]
We've lifted her up
I think she's got a dislocated
hip
She's got a dislocated hip?
If you go on here... listen
[faint clunk]
You can hear it clunking
Well, basically she's
got no chance really
The annoying thing is,
there's probably actually
nothing wrong with her
She's great
And she's a second calver as
well
Just sort of really getting to
a good part of her life
Oh well.
It's a bit of a bugger, isn't
it really.
But at least we know now.
Oh well
[buzzard shriek]
You just feel a bit robbed
really
It's not a nice way for a cow to
finish its time on the farm
[water tap switched on]
But you have to do it
If the cow is in pain and
can't get up, can't walk
And there is nothing that
can be done for it
You have to have her put down
And that's the end of it
It's not very nice like...
you know, when Ida goes,
that'll be a very sad day
Because she is...
there is a difference between
Having a great relationship
with the cows
Being able to stroke them,
and go up to them and they're
alright with you and so on
That's one thing, but then
A little bit further on from that,
they almost become a pet,
which is where Ida is
And that is where it becomes
harder
Just that little bit of a closer
link or relationship
But then Ida, she might end up
staying here as an old girl
and see her days here
I wouldn't be surprised
[distant cow bellows]
Hello girls. Milking time.
[cow bellows]
I don't know where Ida's got to
Probably at the back
there somewhere
Yeah, she's at the back
Come on, Ida.
Come on girl.
What are you doing then?
[noisy cow bellows]
Are you going to come
and say hello?
You remember Andy,
don't you, hey?
[bellowing continues]
You remember the cameraman?
[sniffs]
That brings back memories
of Eastbourne, I expect?
Doesn't it?
You're daft old thing, ain't
you?
Go on then, in you go.
You're not going to
Eastbourne today.
[whistling to cows]
[whistling cows in,
claps as calls]
[geese fly overhead]
[geese cackle in yard,
cows bray]
[cows bellow, cackling
continues]
Hello you lot,
you must be pretty thirsty.
[ice breaks and shatters]
Water. You need some water,
don't you?
[water pouring]
I went to a farmers' meeting
not so long ago
Only a month ago
And a chap,
he farms in Oxfordshire
He reckoned that TB was
spreading down the Thames
About 10 miles a year
He's never had TB in all his
60 years he'd been farming
And they just got it
The day I saw him he had
50 cattle being killed for TB
And he was, you know,
really upset about it
Why on earth can't TB
be eradicated?
If TB was eradicated
then the badger population
would be healthy
And the cattle population
would be healthy
Why isn't it eradicated?
It's not eradicated, because...
there's an uneven policy
in terms of eradicating it
In that cattle that have got TB
are being killed
Badgers that have got TB
aren't being killed
That's where the imbalance lies
[cows moo]
Come on.
Push up.
That's it.
[cow bellows]
[gate closes, calming voices]
Hopefully we won't have any
conclusives or any reactors
And then we can say,
be on the next invoice
We've just had a TB test
TB is the one really,
because the way that's...
That's going to be in the news
- Oh, she's a bump, is she?
- She has, yeah.
No, that's fine.
She's got two lumps but
the avian one is much bigger
So that's fine
Alright, so that's alright then
It does worry me when I see you
stopping and writing things
down
Come on then
[cows bellow, excited]
Come on then
Come on then
There's always one
Come on then
Come on then
That's it!
That wasn't too bad
We've just passed out TB test
Animals are TB free
Which means we've got
another year of selling
organic milk as raw milk
[dog barks]
[geese cackle, distant dog
barks]
[distant pumping of
milking machines]
[footsteps approach]
Alright girl
You're not coming out
What number of calf will
this be for her, Steve?
I don't know, number eight?
Something like that.
If Ida does't get on with it
soon
I'll put some ropes on its feet
and start to pull
And then she'll start to push...
anyway
Alright girl, alright
[squelching]
Good girl, that's it.
You start pushing.
Alright, there's the nose
[squelching]
It's alive
Popping its tongue out
Come on, Ida
Have you got another little Ida,
have you?
[cow groans, squelching]
Come on, Ida.
Keep pushing, girl.
What I've seen of its face so far,
it looks like its mum
Got that white sort of blaze
down the middle of its face
Come on, girl, push, push, push
Push, girl, come on, push
Once you get the head out,
it isn't too bad
Come on, girl, push. Come on,
let's have the head out.
Nearly out, isn't it?
[cow groans]
Come on, nearly there
Nearly
My feet keep slipping
[cow groans]
Nearly out!
Come on push girl.
I'll pull and you push.
I can't pull you there.
Too close to the wall.
If I can't get it out,
I'll have to get a jack on it
And you sort of ratchet it out
then.
Just the head. As soon as the
head comes out, she'll be away
Come on, Ida, keep pushing
girl.
yeah, go on
Come on girl, one more big push
Here we are, look!
Well, it's got Ida's face.
Come on girl.
Keep pushing.
[groan]
Come on, we need to get
the shoulders out now
Come on, Ida, push!
A bit more, come on.
[big groan]
Can't have you stuck on the hip
Bull calf, isn't it?
Yeah, a bull calf.
Here you are girl,
look what you've got then.
You're a good mum, ain't you?
Straight in there.
A bit disappointing its a bull calf.
Well very disappointing.
It'd be nicer if it was
another little Ida
So he'll end up being a
beef animal, this one.
Sad really.
Most dairy bull calves get
shot at a day old.
He's got the genetics of
producing milk but he's a
male,
so hasn't got a home.
You must be worn out Ida.
All that licking.
Right.
[gate opening in yard]
Another cow calving up there.
Oh my word.
We've got another cow calving.
But the heifer, she's holding
her tail up, which is a sign.
It's gone a bid mad suddenly.
Come on girl, keep pushing.
Do you want to see what
you've got then, girl?
What have you got?
Heifer.
[mobile phone rings]
Hello darling.
Yeah, carry on without me
I've just calved two cows
and I have a heifer about
to calf as well
It's all gone a bit manic
Yeah okay, bye.
[morning bird song]
[gate opens]
Been waiting for me, are you?
Mind yourself
That's it. Round you go.
Round you go.
[cows moo]
Go on then.
[moos get louder]
That's it. Round you go.
[whistling to animals]
Come on then. Come on, Myrtle.
Come on, Kate
[repetitive pumping
of milking machine]
Come on, Ruby.
And you're another Kate.
Come on, up you get.
[cows moo,
winter crows squawk]
You know, you work hard,
keeping a herd of cows
And the milk goes
away in a milk lorry
And you get paid 27 pence
today for our milk
27 pence per litre
And it's costing us 34p a litre
It's just money literally
down the drain
And it just makes you
mad really
Why on earth can't we be paid
a sustainable price for
the milk that we produce
Instead of being ripped off
and forced to struggle
Running at a loss and
living of benefit?
What's the point of going
down that route?
The tax payer is
paying for it really
The tax payer is paying
for cheap milk
We're getting paid below
cost of production
The supermarket earns loads
of money, profits out of us
We can't even pay ourselves
a wage out of the farm
So we claim working families
tax credit to live
It's just bizarre really
Why on earth can't we farm
Work our 60 or 70 hours
a week farming
Produce a product which is a
high quality product that
the supermarket buys
But why don't they
pay us a price
That allows us the dignity to
pay for our own way of living
I don't know, that's what
makes me angry
It really does
The family farm is dying very
quickly in this country
And as a result there's
a whole generation
That's not coming through
onto farms to work
And all those skills are being
lost
All those stockman skills,
husbandry skills just
aren't around
People just aren't going into it
any more, because there
isn't...
what's the point?
You know, y
ou work hard for nothing
So, why do it?
I get asked that several times
And the only reason we do it
is because we have
found a way out
By retailing direct
And it's given us a chance.
It's given us the chance
to stay here
[sizzle of breakfast cooking]
[sizzling continues]
[dad whistles]
[goose cackles outside]
[thud]
[clanking and rattling of
bottles]
Right, here goes
So that's that
And then they fill up again.
You put the next six in.
Well yeah, you do this
It's filled them up to
the right level
Those ones are pretty good
Well if we...
Let these five go through
And that one will catch up
next time
[conveyor belt starts up]
[clunking of bottles]
[hydraulic pistons]
They're all filling quite well
now
We're bottling in the new
bottling plant
We've done 200 in 25 minutes
Yeah, okay bye.
Willy Wonka bottle, that one.
It's a Willy Wonka bottle,
it hasn't got any markings on
it
Anybody who gets to see the
Willy Wonka bottle can come
and see the Hook milk factory
- Come in
- Hello
See what you think
Oh my goodness!
- Haven't you seen it before?
- No!
- It's all sensitised?
- Yeah, and they all fill
to the right level.
Oh my word!
This is amazing!
Well, we started half an hour
ago
And you've done 200 in...?
We've done nearly 300,
haven't we?
300 in half an hour?
Yeah, you can all have a go
Hold on, hold on... oh yeah,
you can press it now, go on
That's it.
What's the red button do, dad?
- What does that button do?
- Uhum, yeah...
Alright, press the green
one again!
That's it!
Where' the milk coming from?
It's pumping it in all the
time.
Press the red one
- Hey?
- Where's it from?
- It's pumping straight
from the milk tank.
- Cool!
Alright, okay,
push that forward Giles!
Push it right forward, more,
more, as far as you can reach
You got it, now pull it back
Now press the two green ones!
Yeah, result!
You can do this job!
That's it! Six more bottles,
boys.
Press the two green ones again,
well done, that's it Giles!
I'm pretty pleased with it really.
It's going to change
things quite a lot.
And it does seem a bit more
professional suddenly.
[thud] Ow!
That was my head, that was.
- It's not the right height,
is it mate?
- No.
Right then!
[moo-ing and bellows]
You're not coming out today,
you lot aren't. Only this lot.
You're the lucky ones,
aren't you?
That's got you all stirred up
Look at this one
She's biting my elbow
Saying "come on!",
weren't you?
You're going to keep biting my
elbow telling me to get on
with it?
She is literally having a go
at my elbow then
Reminding me that I was...
Come on then, come on then!
You're coming out now then?
I know, I know.
Alright, let's open some gates!
We're just going to let you
into the yard for a start
You're not going into the
field straight away
[cows bellowing]
Alright then girls.
Are you ready to go out then?
Ready for playtime?
[excited moo-ing]
Aren't I rotten, hey?
In all winter, haven't you?
Now you want to go out, don't
you?
And you are wondering why
I'm not letting you out
Are you going to come out then?
Are you ready Myrtle, to come
out?
Come on then!
Come on then! Take your time!
[contented moo-ing]
Look at Nelly!
They picked up some dust
coming through here,
didn't they?
[Steve moo-s]
Come on then girls,
come on then!
Come on Ida, that's it, c
ome on girl
You're missing the fun
Come on then, this way
[excited moo-ing continues]
Here we are.
come on then, come on then
Hello girl
Hello Ida
Alright, let's put a halter on
you first
Hello girl
That's it. You've had this done
to you a few times,
haven't you, hey?
- Do you want her standing up?
- No, fine.
That's it, okay. Good girl,
Ida!
Do you want to stay down
here today then?
I don't really remember
you being ill
- Have you seen her passing
any dung?
- Yes, it's been very liquid.
- Her breathing is a bit...
there's a bit of effort there.
- Yeah?
Nosey lot over there.
They wondering what's
happened to you.
There's quite a lot of
noise coming through.
I'm not sure if it's definitely her
heart, but if it is
then it's really fast.
Right.
A bit strange.
So she's not giving us many
clues at the moment.
No. She is definitely in pain
And I'm a bit worried about
that odd noise.
Possibly a wire.
- A wire?
- Yes, as in she's eaten a
wire.
If she has eaten a bit of wire
or something like that
- there's not much you can do
about it, is there?
- No.
A little bit dirty, but not
very.
Could she've eaten a bit of
plastic or something like
that?
Would that do it?
It's normally a wire,
because it perforates through
Especially if I can hear
strange heart sounds
It might be that it worked
its way from the rumen
into the heart
Into the region of the heart
Blimey!
Come on, Ida!
Oh, you're on my foot!
Steve reassures Ida
Good girl
Are you in?
Is it anything to do with her age,
do you think? Because she's 12.
- It could be heart failure.
Possibly.
- Yeah?
But it doesn't explain the pain
Normally a pain like that,
combined with heart noises,
is generally a wire.
But all you can do really is try
and feed her up.
Try the anti-inflammatory
and see if that gets
her eating a bit more.
Yeah, yeah.
We'll check on her in a couple
of days and see how she's
doing.
Okay.
- Fingers crossed.
- Yeah.
Thanks, Nicky.
[skylarks singing in sky]
[vehicle approaches]
Hello, Ida!
How are you this
morning then, hey?
These flies are a pain,
aren't they?
I'm going to give you a
drink of this stuff
[glugging]
Good girl.
Keep swallowing.
Try and get your rumen
going a bit.
[cow grunts]
You're not happy,
are you, hey?
You're not happy.
You're just not happy,
are you?
You're not even
chewing your cud.
[buzz of flies]
Hello Mike. Just a quick one
Have you got a
metal detector?
Come on then. Out you come.
- She's stayed in the shade,
hasn't she?
- Yeah
That's intelligent
The rumen really is...
Yeah, in there.
[faint beeps]
- That's a lot, isn't it?
- Yeah.
[beeps increase]
It starts up here somewhere.
Yeah, but it does come right
up in here, the rumen.
Yeah, so it goes in there.
No, it's right up in her neck!
It's even up here!
I wonder if it's something
in her throat then?
It's right up here.
[beeps increase]
It starts there.
[beeps continue]
Maybe that's why she's not
eating? If there is a bit of
wire in her gullet.
Well Ida?
Try not to stand on my foot!
I'm going to phone the vet,
I think.
You need to nose her
- Gosh, she's been eating
a lot of mud.
- A lot of mud?
She must have!
Mouth's full of mud!
No. I got down to there
Which I'm actually quite
surprised I did
- Nothing.
- Nothing? Okay.
I mean she still
looks quite good
Just that she is so hollow
I wonder where she's
hiding today?
Oh, she's over there, I think.
I've got something a bit
different for you today, girl.
I got you some yogurty milk
I'll give you your jabs first
I know you won't like it
Sorry about this, girl.
Good girl
I'll give you a dose now
See what you think of that girl.
Do you want a drink?
Or shall we tube you?
Here we are.
Don't you fancy that?
You don't really, do you?
Let's see. What's that then?
[Ida grunts and moans]
You're making a few more
grunts and groany noises
today, aren't you?
Have a drink?
Do you want to have a drink?
Have a little taste!
[Ida groans]
You're not happy, are you, hey?
You're not happy today, are
you?
Not want a drink of water?
Water! Do you want some?
[Ida groans]
I didn't bring you any
cake down, did I?
You might have eaten
a bit of cake.
I didn't think about that.
You just don't fancy it,
do you?
I have to leave you I'm afraid.
I've got to be
somewhere else really.
See you later, alright?
[Ida groans]
[Steve sniffs]
[wind in the grass]
Hello, I've got a dead cow
which I'd like to be
collected, please.
[sighs]
In a way it's nice that she died
down on the marsh, with all
the other cows around her
She didn't die alone down there
She had all the milking herd
around her last night
All her mates
Today she's going to be
picked up and be
taken off the farm
So it's the end of an era
really
[sniffs]
Yes she was a symbol of
what we do really
She epitomised what
we try to do
Not a great producing cow,
lived a long happy life
And had a great relationship
with us all on the farm
She was just a lovely cow
But all the cows,
when they go, it's the end of
one of the characters
Because they're all characters
And when they go you
lose that character
But then as time passes you
have happy memories
Like her mum, her mum was
fantastic and it was very sad,
when her mum went
But then later on, you just have
happy memories of the cow
And then you just think:
yeah, Ida, she was a great
cow,
she was one of our lovely cows
And then characters who aren't
even born yet come to the fore
And it all happens again
So like everything on the farm,
it's a cycle
You've got to appreciate the
bad moments to enjoy
the good and vice versa
It's not an even thing all the
time
Yeah, but she, she had a good
life
She's the only cow that's been
to Eastbourne, for example
But yeah, life moves on. It'll be
another Ida or another Kitty
Or one of the others,
that takes the mantle
Becomes the new
queen of the herd
We'll wait and see who
the lucky lady is.
[birds in full song]
[gate opening]
Morning girls!
Are you all here, are you?
Are you all up here?
Let you in the milking parlour,
I think.
Looks like you are all up here!
Blimey!
Mind yourselves!
Come on then,
come on come on
Come on then
[calling continues]
[cuckoo sings,
cow moos in distance]
[calling continues,
distant cow moos]
[cuckoo continues singing]
[cow bellows]
[bellowing continues]
Come on Kate, come on girl
Come on,
come and see your calf
Come on then girl.
Come on then.
Hello puss.
Come on then Kate.
Come and see your calf.
In you go.
That's it.
[contented moo]
[suckling]
How are you Kitty? Alright?
What's that then?
Is that a calf over there then?
You're a daft old thing,
ain't you? Eh?
[content moo-ing]
[bird song continues]
[repepitive pumping sound
of milking machine]
Come on.
Come on then.
[continues calling cows in]
That's it, push up.
Come on then. Good girl.
Come on then. Up you get.
[glug-glug of milk pouring]
[clinking of bottles]
[glug-glug]
[glugging and
clinking continues]
Hello little fellow.
Come on then.
Let's put you up in the pen.
Come on then. That's it.
You're a little calf you are,
aren't you, hey?
A little fellow you are.
[trips and stumbles]
Come on then.
Come on, out you come.
Alright.
unseen cows moo]
Come on then little fellow.
You're as good as gold you are,
aren't you, hey?
Are you wondering
where you're going?
Let's see your mates.
[distant cows moo]
Hello little fellow,
a new mate for you.
That's it.
Here you are mate.
I've always drunk milk
and I love our milk
I always have done
As a boy I used to drink a pint
without thinking about it
Whereas whenever I've
stayed with aunties or uncles
in London or whatever
having to drink shop milk
it just tasted horrible
I just didn't really like it
at all
Even though it is milk and I
am passionate about milk
The milk that the consumer
is getting in my eyes
Is pretty unpleasant st...
well I shouldn't say
it's unpleasant stuff
not doing the dairy trade any
good at all but
It is not what I think
milk should be.
Come and get your raw milk!
Raw milk, raw cream,
raw butter
It tastes fantastic!
Come and get your
organic raw milk here!
Hello.
This is raw milk,
unpasteurised milk,
straight from the farm.
- Fantastic!
- It tastes wonderful.
We are quite a small herd
these days, we're 72 cows,
which is quite small
And also our cows
live a long time
The average age in the
country is about six years
Ours is about nine or ten.
Is it because they eat
properly?
Because we're very relaxed
with the cows
We don't push them hard
So because they are a lot
happier, they are a lot
healthier
And that comes through in the
milk
I'll finish it then
- Yeah, go on
- It will be good for me
Yeah. It is good for you!
It clears up eczema, hayfever
It lowers your blood
cholesterol as well
So amazing stuff raw milk.
It makes you look twenty!
That's right. I'm really
ninety!
[dawn chorus of bird song]
[cow moos in distance]
[calf bleats]
[calf bleats louder]
[calf bleats]
[distant bellow]
[bellows]
[calf callls in reply]
[calf calls louder]
[cow calls to calf, calf
replies]
[dialogue continues]
[repetitive pumping
of milking machines]
The calf doesn't have
her mum to suckle
It will be the first time that
she has her mums milk
But out of a bucket and
not straight from the mum
Come on then. Up you get.
[cow calls her calf]
I know your calf's in there
Hello little fellow!
Come on then
That's it. You suck my fingers!
They're being really excited
Because they know
there's milk there
They're not sure how to get it
Because it is not out of a teat
[slurping, calfs bleating]
No? It's not going to happen?
It is the toughest day
in the year for the mum
[calves bleating]
That's about it.
You did pretty good.
Didn't you, hey?
So we're not so bad after all.
We're going to give you
your food from now on.
[calf calls for mother]
We've looked after
your girl very well
She knows her calf is in there
It's the first time she hasn't
gone in with her calf
But she'll be a bit upset,
because she...
[insistent bellowing,
calf replies]
They're really talking to
each other, aren't they?
Yeah.
[bellowing and
bleating continues]
That, I'm afraid, is life
A cow has to have a calf
to have milk
Given that situation,
we have to manage it as best
as we possibly can for the cow
In terms of minimising its
stress
When we separate the
cow from the calf
But it has to be done.
You cannot have calves
on cows forever
They've got to be taken off
the cow at some point
[clinking of milk bottles]
- Yes?
- Hello, it's milk!
Just a minute
This is Ida,
who is on the milk bottles
We want to do some promotional
shots in Eastbourne where
we're
going to start a new milk round
And we want to take
Ida into Eastbourne
But she's not halter
trained at all
None of our cows are halter
trained at the moment
So we're going to have a go
at putting her on a halter
And now I am just making
friends with her
And bribing her with
a bit of food
Get your head out of it!
Come on!
God, you're strong
Get your head out of it.
That's it.
Good girl!
That's a good girl
Alright
- Actually, can you open
the gate, Paul?
- Yeah.
Come on girl. Come on then.
Let's get you used to walking
Shall I take the food?
Yeah, that's a good idea
Just hold it like a yard
in front of her
That's it, give it a shake
and she'll...
That's it
[food bucket being shaked]
[other cows shout, excited]
Keep walking her round
[other cows join in bellowing]
You are not bad, are you?
We can do what we like
with you, can't we, hey?
Aren't you being good?
She's not trying to get away
or she's not bothered
about the halter
No
Alright, okay then Ida,
we'll let you go
You can go up the field
with your mates
[bellowing continues]
You're quite a pretty old thing
really, aren't you?
Thank you!
Yeah you are as well, Paul
Come on then, come on then.
Come on then.
[electric hair clippers]
sound of seagulls calling]
Come on Ida, you're getting
your photo taken from over
there
[chatter and laughter]
Hello Ida, hello.
Hello darling!
We could be all day here,
couldn't we?
Actually there's going to be
more people as it goes along
You're beautiful, aren't you?
I hope they're going to
give you a special treat
when you come home
We've got some feed here.
Here you are.
You hold your hand out flat,
she'll take this off your hand.
Is this a new venture for you?
We've got a door step delivery
in Hailsham and we're going
to start one in Eastbourne
It is going to be raw milk
we deliver. Unpasteurised.
So is this unhomogenised
as well then?
Yeah, well this has only
been filled this morning
In a few hours the cream line
will be about down there
And you have that
on your cereal
You've done really well,
haven't you Ida?
There's a good girl
You've done really well,
haven't you, hey?
We've never had a cow from
the Hailsham herd up here
before
Smelling a bit of sea air
You are a good girl, aren't you?
You like Eastbourne, do you?
Come on then girl.
We'll go home now
You really like it up here,
don't you?
Come on then, we'll go back
home.
[seagulls screeching]
Come on, Ida!
It will be better to back
the trailer up to her!
Yes, that's it. Well done Paul.
Come on, Ida!
[huffing, puffing and grunting]
Come on, Ida!
[laughter, seagulls screeching]
I think Ida just wants
to live here now
Like a lot of people she
wants to retire in Eastbourne
[distant sound of fairground
organ]
Back with your mates again
[cows moo]
You'd think they hadn't seen
each other for a long time
Go on. Your mates again.
Got all her fans, come
to say hello to her.
Yeah, that's given us maybe
some ideas, we'll use Ida more.
'cause you lot,
I don't think you lot are
going to be as good as Ida.
As much as you'd love
to get the sea air.
Have you come and say hello?
Do you want to go back
to Eastbourne, do you?
Hey? Do you like that?
But you haven't been milked,
you're going to get milked
this afternoon now.
Which should be alright,
you haven't got a lot of milk,
have you? Coming to the
end of your lactation.
[repetitive pumping sounds
of milking machine]
We've got a heifer that calved
in this field. She calved a
bit early and had a big calf.
And the calf was dead
And she's got paralysis in one
of her legs and hasn't been
able to get up
I can't see her at the moment
which means she's
probably laid right out
She's sort of on her side and
can't get up I imagine
It's a nice heifer, so we don't
want to loose her.
Hello girl
Are you struggling again?
You've moved
quite a bit though
I'll give you a push up
in a moment
[cow grunts]
You want to try and get up?
How did you get
over here then?
Did you walk over here?
Did you?
Up you get then, come on,
up you get
[encouraging whistles]
You don't want to know,
do you?
Okay, I'll give you some grub
Are you thirsty?
How are you going to behave
with me now? Are you going
to be alright with me?
That means "Get off!
I don't like that". Isn't it?
Now you've got your grub
you can shake your head
at me, can't you?
There's a good girl.
It ain't too bad, is it?
You wouldn't have let me do that
with you earlier on, would you?
Let's hope you get better
You are a pretty
little thing really
Within a group of animals you'll
always have a friendly one
And you'll always have one that
doesn't want to know you at all
But if a friendly one follows
you
And two or three then follow
that one and then the rest
follow then you've cracked it
It is harder than
it was in the past
because the numbers of cattle per
stockman are a lot higher now
I think the average numbers per
stockman is something like 150
cows per stockman now
Whereas 20, 25 years ago
that would have been between
50 and 75 probably
Our ratios here are like what
they used to be
That's why we've still got that
relationship, but it gets
harder
once you get into big numbers
To know your cows individually
and to have that relationship
with them.
Are you going to get up?
Do you want to give it a go?
What are you thinking about?
Don't you like me sitting here?
[cow moos]
What's going on?
Are you going to give it a go?
I'm surprised you haven't
drunk anything
Come on then, come on then.
We'll leave you, shall we?
Shall we leave you?
I've got cows to milk
[repetitive pumping sound
of milking machine]
[whistling to cows]
Come on, Kate.
Come on then.
That's it. Well done.
She's over there,
she's walked about 100 yards
from where she was earlier
Brilliant to see her up
The only trouble is she's walked
100 yards that way and I want
her to walk that way to join
the herd
Which is going to take a bit of
doing, but anyway
She's over there, we've seen her
and I'm really thrilled that
she is up again after a week
of being down
Which way are you going to go?
Are you going around
the trees then?
Or are you going to follow me?
Come on then. Come on then.
[continues calling]
[calling continues]
Good girl, that's it.
You know where you're
going now, don't you?
[cow bellows]
You lot had thought you're
coming out, didn't you?
Tough. You're not.
[moo-ing from the herd]
The only thing is, because she's
a weak cow, some know she's a
weak cow and bully her a
little bit
But they are more interested
in coming out
She's alright
She's just going down
into the field now
Which is good
[footsteps]
[screech of young owls]
Hi Dad, it's me
I still have to come and bottle
I'm just going to have
a bit of tea first
Okay, see you later, bye
[hissing]
Oh bugger
[hissing gets louder]
[gurgling and bubbling]
I'm not very domesticated
Is my saucepan alright?
Yeah, it's fine
Our saucepan, darling
You put the heat on and then
you don't put anything in it
How do you know?
I can hear it
You've got a very good hearing
when you want to
haven't you, darling?
Pardon?
You have got a very good
... yeah...
Case in point
Is it a nice bath?
- Yes, thank you.
- Good.
Are you sure you don't want
a glass of wine?
- I have one.
- Have you?
Claire cooks everything really.
We don't have any
ready made stuff
Use our own beef,
which saves a fortune
The boys enjoy that
[distant traffic noise]
[loud slurping]
[sniffing]
What have you got then?
What have you had?
You had that quickly, didn't
you?
It's alright. A big calf.
That's quite a good size calf and
she did well to have it on her
own
But it's a bull calf, a
friesian bull calf
So that on most dairy farms that
little fellow would be shot at
birth,
taken away and shot
It doesn't see its first day
But we keep all the bull calves and
he'll grow to become a beef
animal
So he'll have about two and
a half years on the farm
[gentle moo-ing]
[suckling]
He was quite a big fellow,
that went in. He was about
three
years old, old Kato.
Something like that, I reckon
He was never very friendly,
not like some of the others
Some of the others you go up
to and pat, but he was
always a little bit wary
I don't know why.
He was castrated
That normally quietens them
down
He had a bad infection in his foot
when he was about a year old
Which we trimmed
and that cleared up
I don't know how he'd done it. He
cut the back of his hoof in
some way
Otherwise he's been fine
Kato has had a pretty brilliant life
for a dairy bull calf born on
the farm
[birdsong, the buzz of a fly]
[quiet grunt]
[grunts from the cow]
[dog barks]
[barking gets louder]
Alright, Tinky
[barking louder still]
It's me, you daft dog.
What have you got then, girl?
Bull calf
You are a big old fellow,
ain't you?
Can you get up already?
[dog yaps]
Shame it's not a heifer calf.
We've had lots of
bull calves recently.
What do you think then, girl?
I can't think which one that is.
It must be your 6th or 7th
[birdsong and skylarks]
Oh my goodness!
Come on then, up you get.
A little friesian heifer calf.
Quite a good size.
They don't normally calve down
here
Come on then. Follow your mum.
We better walk you up the farm.
That's a surprise?
Yes, it's a surprise. It's a
bit early.
Its still got a very fleshy
navel
Oh, don't clear off
You look out Tinky.
She won't like you being about.
That's it. Follow your mum.
We'll get through these rushes,
in a minute
You'll see where you're going
a bit better then
Bess, you're right in the way.
It's your calf, girl.
Come on, you.
You're going the wrong way.
Come on, trouble maker. Go on.
Hello trouble.
How are you then trouble?
Get up, go on.
You would think she was the mum
Come on you, come on.
Up you get.
Being all possessive.
You keep going, little fellow.
[moo-ing]
Come on, it's not your calf.
It's your calf, isn't it girl?
You won't have yours for another
two weeks yet. Or three weeks.
Come on, go and join
your calf, go on.
Good girl, that's it.
I'll put you some fresh
straw in in a minute.
That's good.
Come on then.
Oh, you dozy... you dozy
animals.
Are they going through the
brambles or coming back?
Well, stuck in between.
Poxy animals.
[shouting to cows]
What a job that was.
Hopeless, wasn't it?
O dear, oh dear.
Fit as a butcher's dog.
[birdsong and crows]
I wonder whether she's
dislocated her hip
[dog barks]
That's enough, Bess!
[phone tone]
Hello, it's Steve Hook from
Longleys farm, Hailsham
Could I have a vet to look at a
cow this afternoon please?
She calved a few days ago,
quite a bad calving
And she had paralysis in
her back right leg
She was walking two days ago,
in the field
But now she won't get up at all
Her leg just doesn't look
quite right
Half two?
Great, okay. Yeah, that's great.
Thanks very much. Okay, bye.
Potentially she has eight years
of milking ahead of her
It's right at the start of her
production life that we're
going to lose her
If the leg's no good
But if she can't walk to the milking
parlour and get milked,
then she'll have to go
Right. Let's get you some
water.
Hello trouble
[distant moo-ing]
[indistinct voices approach]
We've lifted her up
I think she's got a dislocated
hip
She's got a dislocated hip?
If you go on here... listen
[faint clunk]
You can hear it clunking
Well, basically she's
got no chance really
The annoying thing is,
there's probably actually
nothing wrong with her
She's great
And she's a second calver as
well
Just sort of really getting to
a good part of her life
Oh well.
It's a bit of a bugger, isn't
it really.
But at least we know now.
Oh well
[buzzard shriek]
You just feel a bit robbed
really
It's not a nice way for a cow to
finish its time on the farm
[water tap switched on]
But you have to do it
If the cow is in pain and
can't get up, can't walk
And there is nothing that
can be done for it
You have to have her put down
And that's the end of it
It's not very nice like...
you know, when Ida goes,
that'll be a very sad day
Because she is...
there is a difference between
Having a great relationship
with the cows
Being able to stroke them,
and go up to them and they're
alright with you and so on
That's one thing, but then
A little bit further on from that,
they almost become a pet,
which is where Ida is
And that is where it becomes
harder
Just that little bit of a closer
link or relationship
But then Ida, she might end up
staying here as an old girl
and see her days here
I wouldn't be surprised
[distant cow bellows]
Hello girls. Milking time.
[cow bellows]
I don't know where Ida's got to
Probably at the back
there somewhere
Yeah, she's at the back
Come on, Ida.
Come on girl.
What are you doing then?
[noisy cow bellows]
Are you going to come
and say hello?
You remember Andy,
don't you, hey?
[bellowing continues]
You remember the cameraman?
[sniffs]
That brings back memories
of Eastbourne, I expect?
Doesn't it?
You're daft old thing, ain't
you?
Go on then, in you go.
You're not going to
Eastbourne today.
[whistling to cows]
[whistling cows in,
claps as calls]
[geese fly overhead]
[geese cackle in yard,
cows bray]
[cows bellow, cackling
continues]
Hello you lot,
you must be pretty thirsty.
[ice breaks and shatters]
Water. You need some water,
don't you?
[water pouring]
I went to a farmers' meeting
not so long ago
Only a month ago
And a chap,
he farms in Oxfordshire
He reckoned that TB was
spreading down the Thames
About 10 miles a year
He's never had TB in all his
60 years he'd been farming
And they just got it
The day I saw him he had
50 cattle being killed for TB
And he was, you know,
really upset about it
Why on earth can't TB
be eradicated?
If TB was eradicated
then the badger population
would be healthy
And the cattle population
would be healthy
Why isn't it eradicated?
It's not eradicated, because...
there's an uneven policy
in terms of eradicating it
In that cattle that have got TB
are being killed
Badgers that have got TB
aren't being killed
That's where the imbalance lies
[cows moo]
Come on.
Push up.
That's it.
[cow bellows]
[gate closes, calming voices]
Hopefully we won't have any
conclusives or any reactors
And then we can say,
be on the next invoice
We've just had a TB test
TB is the one really,
because the way that's...
That's going to be in the news
- Oh, she's a bump, is she?
- She has, yeah.
No, that's fine.
She's got two lumps but
the avian one is much bigger
So that's fine
Alright, so that's alright then
It does worry me when I see you
stopping and writing things
down
Come on then
[cows bellow, excited]
Come on then
Come on then
There's always one
Come on then
Come on then
That's it!
That wasn't too bad
We've just passed out TB test
Animals are TB free
Which means we've got
another year of selling
organic milk as raw milk
[dog barks]
[geese cackle, distant dog
barks]
[distant pumping of
milking machines]
[footsteps approach]
Alright girl
You're not coming out
What number of calf will
this be for her, Steve?
I don't know, number eight?
Something like that.
If Ida does't get on with it
soon
I'll put some ropes on its feet
and start to pull
And then she'll start to push...
anyway
Alright girl, alright
[squelching]
Good girl, that's it.
You start pushing.
Alright, there's the nose
[squelching]
It's alive
Popping its tongue out
Come on, Ida
Have you got another little Ida,
have you?
[cow groans, squelching]
Come on, Ida.
Keep pushing, girl.
What I've seen of its face so far,
it looks like its mum
Got that white sort of blaze
down the middle of its face
Come on, girl, push, push, push
Push, girl, come on, push
Once you get the head out,
it isn't too bad
Come on, girl, push. Come on,
let's have the head out.
Nearly out, isn't it?
[cow groans]
Come on, nearly there
Nearly
My feet keep slipping
[cow groans]
Nearly out!
Come on push girl.
I'll pull and you push.
I can't pull you there.
Too close to the wall.
If I can't get it out,
I'll have to get a jack on it
And you sort of ratchet it out
then.
Just the head. As soon as the
head comes out, she'll be away
Come on, Ida, keep pushing
girl.
yeah, go on
Come on girl, one more big push
Here we are, look!
Well, it's got Ida's face.
Come on girl.
Keep pushing.
[groan]
Come on, we need to get
the shoulders out now
Come on, Ida, push!
A bit more, come on.
[big groan]
Can't have you stuck on the hip
Bull calf, isn't it?
Yeah, a bull calf.
Here you are girl,
look what you've got then.
You're a good mum, ain't you?
Straight in there.
A bit disappointing its a bull calf.
Well very disappointing.
It'd be nicer if it was
another little Ida
So he'll end up being a
beef animal, this one.
Sad really.
Most dairy bull calves get
shot at a day old.
He's got the genetics of
producing milk but he's a
male,
so hasn't got a home.
You must be worn out Ida.
All that licking.
Right.
[gate opening in yard]
Another cow calving up there.
Oh my word.
We've got another cow calving.
But the heifer, she's holding
her tail up, which is a sign.
It's gone a bid mad suddenly.
Come on girl, keep pushing.
Do you want to see what
you've got then, girl?
What have you got?
Heifer.
[mobile phone rings]
Hello darling.
Yeah, carry on without me
I've just calved two cows
and I have a heifer about
to calf as well
It's all gone a bit manic
Yeah okay, bye.
[morning bird song]
[gate opens]
Been waiting for me, are you?
Mind yourself
That's it. Round you go.
Round you go.
[cows moo]
Go on then.
[moos get louder]
That's it. Round you go.
[whistling to animals]
Come on then. Come on, Myrtle.
Come on, Kate
[repetitive pumping
of milking machine]
Come on, Ruby.
And you're another Kate.
Come on, up you get.
[cows moo,
winter crows squawk]
You know, you work hard,
keeping a herd of cows
And the milk goes
away in a milk lorry
And you get paid 27 pence
today for our milk
27 pence per litre
And it's costing us 34p a litre
It's just money literally
down the drain
And it just makes you
mad really
Why on earth can't we be paid
a sustainable price for
the milk that we produce
Instead of being ripped off
and forced to struggle
Running at a loss and
living of benefit?
What's the point of going
down that route?
The tax payer is
paying for it really
The tax payer is paying
for cheap milk
We're getting paid below
cost of production
The supermarket earns loads
of money, profits out of us
We can't even pay ourselves
a wage out of the farm
So we claim working families
tax credit to live
It's just bizarre really
Why on earth can't we farm
Work our 60 or 70 hours
a week farming
Produce a product which is a
high quality product that
the supermarket buys
But why don't they
pay us a price
That allows us the dignity to
pay for our own way of living
I don't know, that's what
makes me angry
It really does
The family farm is dying very
quickly in this country
And as a result there's
a whole generation
That's not coming through
onto farms to work
And all those skills are being
lost
All those stockman skills,
husbandry skills just
aren't around
People just aren't going into it
any more, because there
isn't...
what's the point?
You know, y
ou work hard for nothing
So, why do it?
I get asked that several times
And the only reason we do it
is because we have
found a way out
By retailing direct
And it's given us a chance.
It's given us the chance
to stay here
[sizzle of breakfast cooking]
[sizzling continues]
[dad whistles]
[goose cackles outside]
[thud]
[clanking and rattling of
bottles]
Right, here goes
So that's that
And then they fill up again.
You put the next six in.
Well yeah, you do this
It's filled them up to
the right level
Those ones are pretty good
Well if we...
Let these five go through
And that one will catch up
next time
[conveyor belt starts up]
[clunking of bottles]
[hydraulic pistons]
They're all filling quite well
now
We're bottling in the new
bottling plant
We've done 200 in 25 minutes
Yeah, okay bye.
Willy Wonka bottle, that one.
It's a Willy Wonka bottle,
it hasn't got any markings on
it
Anybody who gets to see the
Willy Wonka bottle can come
and see the Hook milk factory
- Come in
- Hello
See what you think
Oh my goodness!
- Haven't you seen it before?
- No!
- It's all sensitised?
- Yeah, and they all fill
to the right level.
Oh my word!
This is amazing!
Well, we started half an hour
ago
And you've done 200 in...?
We've done nearly 300,
haven't we?
300 in half an hour?
Yeah, you can all have a go
Hold on, hold on... oh yeah,
you can press it now, go on
That's it.
What's the red button do, dad?
- What does that button do?
- Uhum, yeah...
Alright, press the green
one again!
That's it!
Where' the milk coming from?
It's pumping it in all the
time.
Press the red one
- Hey?
- Where's it from?
- It's pumping straight
from the milk tank.
- Cool!
Alright, okay,
push that forward Giles!
Push it right forward, more,
more, as far as you can reach
You got it, now pull it back
Now press the two green ones!
Yeah, result!
You can do this job!
That's it! Six more bottles,
boys.
Press the two green ones again,
well done, that's it Giles!
I'm pretty pleased with it really.
It's going to change
things quite a lot.
And it does seem a bit more
professional suddenly.
[thud] Ow!
That was my head, that was.
- It's not the right height,
is it mate?
- No.
Right then!
[moo-ing and bellows]
You're not coming out today,
you lot aren't. Only this lot.
You're the lucky ones,
aren't you?
That's got you all stirred up
Look at this one
She's biting my elbow
Saying "come on!",
weren't you?
You're going to keep biting my
elbow telling me to get on
with it?
She is literally having a go
at my elbow then
Reminding me that I was...
Come on then, come on then!
You're coming out now then?
I know, I know.
Alright, let's open some gates!
We're just going to let you
into the yard for a start
You're not going into the
field straight away
[cows bellowing]
Alright then girls.
Are you ready to go out then?
Ready for playtime?
[excited moo-ing]
Aren't I rotten, hey?
In all winter, haven't you?
Now you want to go out, don't
you?
And you are wondering why
I'm not letting you out
Are you going to come out then?
Are you ready Myrtle, to come
out?
Come on then!
Come on then! Take your time!
[contented moo-ing]
Look at Nelly!
They picked up some dust
coming through here,
didn't they?
[Steve moo-s]
Come on then girls,
come on then!
Come on Ida, that's it, c
ome on girl
You're missing the fun
Come on then, this way
[excited moo-ing continues]
Here we are.
come on then, come on then
Hello girl
Hello Ida
Alright, let's put a halter on
you first
Hello girl
That's it. You've had this done
to you a few times,
haven't you, hey?
- Do you want her standing up?
- No, fine.
That's it, okay. Good girl,
Ida!
Do you want to stay down
here today then?
I don't really remember
you being ill
- Have you seen her passing
any dung?
- Yes, it's been very liquid.
- Her breathing is a bit...
there's a bit of effort there.
- Yeah?
Nosey lot over there.
They wondering what's
happened to you.
There's quite a lot of
noise coming through.
I'm not sure if it's definitely her
heart, but if it is
then it's really fast.
Right.
A bit strange.
So she's not giving us many
clues at the moment.
No. She is definitely in pain
And I'm a bit worried about
that odd noise.
Possibly a wire.
- A wire?
- Yes, as in she's eaten a
wire.
If she has eaten a bit of wire
or something like that
- there's not much you can do
about it, is there?
- No.
A little bit dirty, but not
very.
Could she've eaten a bit of
plastic or something like
that?
Would that do it?
It's normally a wire,
because it perforates through
Especially if I can hear
strange heart sounds
It might be that it worked
its way from the rumen
into the heart
Into the region of the heart
Blimey!
Come on, Ida!
Oh, you're on my foot!
Steve reassures Ida
Good girl
Are you in?
Is it anything to do with her age,
do you think? Because she's 12.
- It could be heart failure.
Possibly.
- Yeah?
But it doesn't explain the pain
Normally a pain like that,
combined with heart noises,
is generally a wire.
But all you can do really is try
and feed her up.
Try the anti-inflammatory
and see if that gets
her eating a bit more.
Yeah, yeah.
We'll check on her in a couple
of days and see how she's
doing.
Okay.
- Fingers crossed.
- Yeah.
Thanks, Nicky.
[skylarks singing in sky]
[vehicle approaches]
Hello, Ida!
How are you this
morning then, hey?
These flies are a pain,
aren't they?
I'm going to give you a
drink of this stuff
[glugging]
Good girl.
Keep swallowing.
Try and get your rumen
going a bit.
[cow grunts]
You're not happy,
are you, hey?
You're not happy.
You're just not happy,
are you?
You're not even
chewing your cud.
[buzz of flies]
Hello Mike. Just a quick one
Have you got a
metal detector?
Come on then. Out you come.
- She's stayed in the shade,
hasn't she?
- Yeah
That's intelligent
The rumen really is...
Yeah, in there.
[faint beeps]
- That's a lot, isn't it?
- Yeah.
[beeps increase]
It starts up here somewhere.
Yeah, but it does come right
up in here, the rumen.
Yeah, so it goes in there.
No, it's right up in her neck!
It's even up here!
I wonder if it's something
in her throat then?
It's right up here.
[beeps increase]
It starts there.
[beeps continue]
Maybe that's why she's not
eating? If there is a bit of
wire in her gullet.
Well Ida?
Try not to stand on my foot!
I'm going to phone the vet,
I think.
You need to nose her
- Gosh, she's been eating
a lot of mud.
- A lot of mud?
She must have!
Mouth's full of mud!
No. I got down to there
Which I'm actually quite
surprised I did
- Nothing.
- Nothing? Okay.
I mean she still
looks quite good
Just that she is so hollow
I wonder where she's
hiding today?
Oh, she's over there, I think.
I've got something a bit
different for you today, girl.
I got you some yogurty milk
I'll give you your jabs first
I know you won't like it
Sorry about this, girl.
Good girl
I'll give you a dose now
See what you think of that girl.
Do you want a drink?
Or shall we tube you?
Here we are.
Don't you fancy that?
You don't really, do you?
Let's see. What's that then?
[Ida grunts and moans]
You're making a few more
grunts and groany noises
today, aren't you?
Have a drink?
Do you want to have a drink?
Have a little taste!
[Ida groans]
You're not happy, are you, hey?
You're not happy today, are
you?
Not want a drink of water?
Water! Do you want some?
[Ida groans]
I didn't bring you any
cake down, did I?
You might have eaten
a bit of cake.
I didn't think about that.
You just don't fancy it,
do you?
I have to leave you I'm afraid.
I've got to be
somewhere else really.
See you later, alright?
[Ida groans]
[Steve sniffs]
[wind in the grass]
Hello, I've got a dead cow
which I'd like to be
collected, please.
[sighs]
In a way it's nice that she died
down on the marsh, with all
the other cows around her
She didn't die alone down there
She had all the milking herd
around her last night
All her mates
Today she's going to be
picked up and be
taken off the farm
So it's the end of an era
really
[sniffs]
Yes she was a symbol of
what we do really
She epitomised what
we try to do
Not a great producing cow,
lived a long happy life
And had a great relationship
with us all on the farm
She was just a lovely cow
But all the cows,
when they go, it's the end of
one of the characters
Because they're all characters
And when they go you
lose that character
But then as time passes you
have happy memories
Like her mum, her mum was
fantastic and it was very sad,
when her mum went
But then later on, you just have
happy memories of the cow
And then you just think:
yeah, Ida, she was a great
cow,
she was one of our lovely cows
And then characters who aren't
even born yet come to the fore
And it all happens again
So like everything on the farm,
it's a cycle
You've got to appreciate the
bad moments to enjoy
the good and vice versa
It's not an even thing all the
time
Yeah, but she, she had a good
life
She's the only cow that's been
to Eastbourne, for example
But yeah, life moves on. It'll be
another Ida or another Kitty
Or one of the others,
that takes the mantle
Becomes the new
queen of the herd
We'll wait and see who
the lucky lady is.
[birds in full song]
[gate opening]
Morning girls!
Are you all here, are you?
Are you all up here?
Let you in the milking parlour,
I think.
Looks like you are all up here!
Blimey!
Mind yourselves!