Countryfile: Adam Henson on sending ewes off to market
Countryfile viewers all issued the same complaint as they tuned in to watch the latest BBC instalment which saw Matt Baker helping with a peatland health check while learning that the historic draining of the Fens for agriculture had a lasting environmental impact.
Anita Rani also explored the wildlife safari on the Great Fen to find out about an ambitious fenland restoration project. Plus, Adam Henson checked up on the breeding ewes at his Cotswolds farm.
However, after Adam explained he had to send 15 ewes off to slaughter, fans weren't happy about it, with one branding the segment as "brutal".
Taking to X one fan fumed: "A low point? Countryfile." "Adam pretends to be a farmer," another fan commented while a third added: "I don't think the future is bright for the ewes that don't make the grade #countryfile."
Someone else said: "They mean they’re sending them to Tesco et al #countryfile."
"Jesus. Brutal #countryfile," a fifth viewer complained.
"And that’s why I’m now a veggie.. #countryfile," one went on while another stated: "If we want to help farmers, we'd be better off spending our taxes focusing on cattle-based measures rather than slaughtering tens of thousands of iconic #wildlife species every year now, to no great avail." (sic)
Explaining why he had to make the difficult decision, Adam began: "Farming is all about cycles, and four months on from lambing once again, we're busy with the sheep.
"In this field, we've got some lambs that were born back in February from our early lambing flock, and they're now living independently from their mums, they no longer need her milk anymore.
"So they've been what's called weaned and they're living on grass and they're perfectly happy in there. And then over here are their mums, so these are the weaned ewes that will now go back to the Ram this autumn to give birth in spring 2025.
"And what we've got to do is get this flock in and check them over and make sure they're all fit and healthy, ready to go back to the ranch."
Adam continued: "Each year, all sheep farmers expect to have to replace some of their older or unproductive ewes.
"So today we're sorting through half of our breeding flock.... around 150 sheep. I'd expect 25 percent of these to be unsuitable to breed again. Today. I'm hoping it's less."
However, after checking his flock, Adam realised he had to let 15 of them go.
Countryfile is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
