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Go on! Yeah, yeah, yeah! Go on!
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00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:06,520
Like that?
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WHOOPING AND LAUGHING
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Look at me, I'm covered!
5
00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:15,600
'In the most remote places on Earth,
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'people depend on their animals
for survival.
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'A few years ago,
I moved to a farm in the Welsh hills
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'I've become fascinated by the bond
between shepherd and flock.
9
00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:35,520
'In Afghanistan and Peru,
I explored this relationship's
ancient origins.'
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I could have been standing here
500 years ago and witnessed
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00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:40,600
exactly that same scene.
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'Now I want to look
at the future of herding.'
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00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:47,480
There's some here Bob,
just on the right.
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'In Australia, animals are raised
on an epic scale.'
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They seem quite keen
to get off the truck.
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'Sheep are a global commodity.
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'And scientists are fast becoming
the new shepherds.'
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In my mind animal husbandry
should be something that's done
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as naturally as possible,
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00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,280
with really as little
intervention as possible.
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'Can the close connection between
herder and herded
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'survive in the modern world?'
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I'm about 700 or 800 kilometres
north of Perth,
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heading out into the bush.
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It is a harsh landscape.
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It's quite alien.
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It's so dry, it's rocky,
it's dusty, it's hot.
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There are snakes everywhere,
there are spiders that can put
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you in hospital, or in the morgue,
and it just doesn't look like
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a land that could support human
life, sheep, anything really.
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But somehow it does.
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Despite this barren landscape,
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Australia has become one of the
biggest sheep producers in the world
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I want to understand how,
against the odds,
35
00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,880
shepherds can thrive in a land
so different to my farm back home.
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I'm on my way to Meka, one of the
largest sheep stations in Australia.
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It covers nearly a million acres,
that's about the size of Kent,
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and is more than 200 miles
from the nearest big town.
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00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:41,320
This promises to be shepherding on
a scale beyond anything I've seen,
40
00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,760
but something seems to be missing.
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00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:47,720
What's extraordinary is we
have been on the farm property,
42
00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,320
we've crossed over
30 kilometres back
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00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,440
and I haven't seen
a single sheep yet.
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00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,040
Men in caps and shorts,
it's all looking very promising.
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Good afternoon, nice to see you.
Kerry Wark.
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00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:06,840
Hi, Kerry,
nice to see you.
47
00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:08,840
Thanks for rustling up
some sunshine for us,
48
00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,640
it was getting pretty cold in the UK
when we left.
49
00:03:11,640 --> 00:03:15,240
Plenty of that. We were hoping
is wasn't going to be too severe,
50
00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:18,320
we've had a couple
of 42s this last week.
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00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,920
Yeah, we could probably manage
without that.
52
00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,360
The station is run by manager
Bob Grinham,
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a West Australian stockman
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who's spent his whole
working life in the bush.
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And it's owned by businessman
Kerry Wark.
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00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:37,800
Incredibly, the huge property is
run by a team of just five people,
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looking after up to 25,000 sheep.
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It's going to be a fascinating
five days or so.
59
00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,160
I think it will be,
going to be interesting.
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00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,440
I'm going to be learning a lot,
I can feel it.
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00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:55,320
Stations like Meka are part
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of Australia's long
shepherding history.
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00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:03,320
The British brought sheep to the
country more than 200 years ago.
64
00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:07,080
Wool was the perfect export from
such a remote colony.
65
00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:12,040
It wouldn't perish on the long
journey back to the heart of Empire.
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00:04:12,040 --> 00:04:14,520
Early pioneers began to push inland,
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00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:18,080
driving their flocks
into the wild outback.
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00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:22,600
Meka's wool clothed imperial
soldiers in two world wars.
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00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,280
And the peak of the industry
came in the 1950s, with the massive
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00:04:26,280 --> 00:04:31,160
demand for wool from America
at outbreak of the Korean War.
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00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,160
Everybody went to war
in a cold country
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00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,920
and they needed woollen uniforms,
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00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:44,400
and the price of wool here
went to £1 a pound,
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00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,880
and that was three to four times what
it had ever been before and if you
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00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:54,760
were in the wool business in 1951/2
that's when fortunes were made.
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00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,960
We're talking a property like this
could have netted,
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00:04:57,960 --> 00:05:02,400
in today's money terms,
something like 10 million a year.
78
00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:04,280
Nobody could believe it,
79
00:05:04,280 --> 00:05:09,080
and the community was all full
of imported new cars, Cadillacs,
80
00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,200
Rollers were all over the place.
It was just...
81
00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:15,480
Australia had a boost like
you'd never believe in '51.
82
00:05:17,160 --> 00:05:20,040
But after the boom times
came the crash.
83
00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:24,440
In the 1970s and '80s, we started
swapping our woolly jumpers
84
00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:29,200
for polyester fleeces,
and the price of wool plummeted.
85
00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:32,320
Many stations had to
adapt to survive.
86
00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:35,600
Meka has been forced to
switch from wool to meat.
87
00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,400
I've come at a busy time of year.
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There's a few thousand sheep
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to be gathered
and processed for export.
90
00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:57,800
So everything we have driven across
91
00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:01,800
since we left the homestead is
the farm, basically.
92
00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,640
It's all part of this sheep station.
93
00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:07,520
You can drive for 100Ks to
the north or the northeast
94
00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,880
and you're still on
the stations, and 30k south.
95
00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,520
It's just unimaginable.
96
00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,400
Meka is divided into 40 paddocks,
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00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,000
vast fenced areas that hold
up to 2,000 sheep.
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00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,840
At the corner of each paddock is
a smaller field, called a trap,
99
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with drinking troughs that Bob
uses to corral the sheep.
100
00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,440
This morning we'll shake the traps
101
00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:32,400
and see what number of sheep
come in.
102
00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:35,880
It may be nothing or not many,
or they could all be there. Right.
103
00:06:35,880 --> 00:06:39,360
Bob only rounds up
his sheep about twice a year,
104
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so this is a rare chance
to get a good look at them.
105
00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:53,120
I was beginning to wonder whether
there were any sheep on this station
106
00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:57,360
I think that's the thing about
being in an area that is so huge
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00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:01,280
with quite thick, impenetrable bush.
108
00:07:01,280 --> 00:07:04,920
And here's the proof, there
are hundreds of these animals here,
109
00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:06,800
thousands of these animals here
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00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,480
but they managed to keep themselves
hidden for most of the day.
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Where do you want this one.
On there?
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00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:20,440
On this one here. Oh, sorry.
113
00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:27,160
It's always really eye-opening
to come to another person's farm
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00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:28,680
and see their set-up,
115
00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,480
and it's one of those very
difficult things where
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00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,600
you always feel in the way, because
everyone has such a good system,
117
00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,560
and if you don't know that system
you're just sort of standing there
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00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:40,880
holding a big hurdle and going,
"I don't know what to do with this."
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Are these an Australian
breed of sheep?
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00:07:51,760 --> 00:07:54,360
No, they're originally
from South Africa. Right.
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They're so different from our little
sort of woolly Welsh mountains.
122
00:07:58,200 --> 00:07:59,800
Yeah. That's right, yeah.
123
00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,200
These sheep are Damaras,
a desert breed
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00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:08,160
that thrives in the arid scrubland
of the Australian outback.
125
00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:13,200
To survive in these dry landscapes,
the Damara has developed
an unusual feature.
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00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,720
You can see very quickly that
Damara have got these fat tails,
127
00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,840
and look at that,
that's just a big fat store.
128
00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:25,840
Very similar fat
to what's in a camel's hump.
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00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:27,640
It supplements their...
130
00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,920
They sustain their well-being
with that fat in their tail.
131
00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:35,880
With most of their fat
stored in one place,
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00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:40,320
the Damaras' meat is very lean,
unlike our sheep back home
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00:08:40,320 --> 00:08:42,640
that store fat all over their body,
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00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,080
giving us the fatty meat
that we love.
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00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,960
They seem quite keen
to get off the truck!
136
00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:05,240
Compared to my little Welsh mountain
sheep, these are like wild animals.
137
00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,320
This helps them to cope
with such a harsh environment.
138
00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,800
But it makes them
an absolute nightmare to handle.
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Go on!
140
00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:19,360
Go on! Go on!
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00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,240
I've never known sheep
so willing to go backwards.
142
00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:29,480
Come on, girls, it's only a gate.
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00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:39,600
Bob divides the flock,
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00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,960
separating off the male lambs
that will be going to market.
145
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I don't even dare talk to Bob,
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00:09:47,560 --> 00:09:50,280
because you've got to concentrate
every second.
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00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:57,720
Once they're sorted, all the animals
are treated for parasites and worms,
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00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:00,320
a process known as drenching.
149
00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,120
If we didn't do this by the time
we muster next year in April,
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00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:05,360
half these ewes could be gone.
Really?
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00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:10,680
Steady, big boy.
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00:10:12,560 --> 00:10:14,120
Just give him two shots, that one.
153
00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:16,840
Two shots?
Yeah, because of his weight.
154
00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,640
'With so many sheep to deal with,
Bob has had to innovate.'
155
00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:28,360
I know a few people back at home
who would love one of these
hydraulic conveyor belts.
156
00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:31,800
They're great, aren't they?
It actually takes the hard work out
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00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:34,240
cos these sheep will injure you
in a race. Right.
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00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,040
If you get hit from behind
by a 100 kilo ram,
159
00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:42,040
it's not very pleasant if it gets
you between the shoulder blades. No.
160
00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:46,280
Although this still feels pretty
traditional, shepherding is now
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00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:50,760
a billion dollar industry,
run by entrepreneurs like Kerry.
162
00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:53,160
He made his fortune
in the oil business,
163
00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:56,480
but had always dreamed of
owning a sheep station.
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00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:59,720
After the price of wool collapsed,
Meka was struggling,
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00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:03,520
so Kerry bought it
and took on Bob as his manager.
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00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,680
Together, they've restocked Meka
with Damara sheep,
167
00:11:06,680 --> 00:11:10,640
and now supply the growing
meat market in the Middle East.
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00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:11,680
It's big business.
169
00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:16,280
The Middle East has become
quite wealthy with oil money,
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00:11:16,280 --> 00:11:18,360
they've had expanding
numbers of people
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00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:21,920
and they don't have the ability,
due to lack of pasture
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00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:25,400
or range lands, to increase
the numbers of sheep,
173
00:11:25,400 --> 00:11:27,960
fat tails, in that area.
174
00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:30,840
So we saw the opportunity
to take a breed of fat tail
175
00:11:30,840 --> 00:11:33,680
and to export it to the Middle East.
176
00:11:33,680 --> 00:11:36,040
The fat tails were
fetching a premium,
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00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:39,840
so if we could produce them in a
low-cost operating environment
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00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,360
then we would have a winning formula,
and we did take a risk.
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00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,680
I'm getting the feeling,
even at this very early stage,
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00:11:48,680 --> 00:11:50,920
that we're at a kind of crossroads.
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00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:55,000
A country that used to make all
its money from wool
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is now clearly not able
to do that any more
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00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,520
and I suppose the more
mobile-minded farmers,
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00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,360
instead of thinking that
their livelihood is over,
185
00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,080
they are thinking about
how they can make this land work
186
00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:11,240
and what breeds of sheep
will allow them to do that,
187
00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:14,120
keeping this great
Australian tradition
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00:12:14,120 --> 00:12:16,600
of sheep and sheep stations.
189
00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:35,680
It's Day Two.
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00:12:35,680 --> 00:12:39,800
I want to learn about the challenges
Bob and his team face
191
00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,480
raising livestock in one of
the toughest environments on Earth.
192
00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:47,160
In this parched landscape,
water is everything.
193
00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:49,960
At the corner of each paddock
is a windmill that pumps water
194
00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:53,880
from deep underground
into stone drinking troughs.
195
00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,480
Twice a week, Bob and his team
drive the length and breadth
196
00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,640
of the property to check
everything is working properly.
197
00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:02,360
Today, I'm helping out.
198
00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:10,040
There is nothing easy about farming
in this land, is there?
199
00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:13,240
No, not really. Everything is
sort of quite physical.
200
00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:18,200
It is hot, it's dusty and I guess
you can't take anything for granted?
201
00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:19,720
No, that's right, yeah.
202
00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,040
Nearly there.
It's quite warm in the wind,
203
00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:26,800
but it's not unpleasant,
you could work all day today.
204
00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:30,040
When it's 43 degrees at
eight o'clock in the morning,
205
00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:32,360
you know you've got to be home
by lunchtime otherwise
206
00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:34,920
your feet will start to burn
through the soles of your boots.
207
00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:36,440
That's usually time to go home.
208
00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:39,160
We always say if we can work
with the land, you're OK,
209
00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:40,800
but if you disrespect the country,
210
00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,640
it tends to teach you a lesson
and puts you back in your place.
211
00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:46,520
We're only a speck
on the whole landscape,
212
00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:49,240
so we get put in your spot
pretty smartly.
213
00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,240
Generally the rule of thumb is,
if anybody asks you,
214
00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,680
"Do you think it's clean enough?"
215
00:13:55,680 --> 00:13:58,840
I say taste the water and if
they say, "I can't drink that",
216
00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:00,480
I say, "Well, keep cleaning."
217
00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,800
Happy with that? I'd drink that.
Yeah, right-oh. It's very good.
218
00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:06,320
If I was a sheep,
I'd drink that water.
219
00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,120
Good.
HE LAUGHS
220
00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:16,800
This land is in an endless cycle of
drought, flash flood and wildfire.
221
00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,760
The last drought was
the most severe for a century
222
00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:22,520
and lasted for ten years.
223
00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:25,040
Thousands of farmers
gave up in despair,
224
00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:29,640
and those that stuck with it
saw their incomes more than halved.
225
00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,320
The stress proved too great
for some.
226
00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,600
Suicide in pastoral farming areas
is not uncommon,
227
00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:38,680
where it just gets too much.
228
00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,240
A lot of these places have been
four generations,
229
00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:45,520
and when you see people losing
everything they've worked for
230
00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:48,040
in their life,
and everything they believe in,
231
00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:52,280
it would be very depressing,
I imagine, for a lot of people.
232
00:14:54,120 --> 00:14:59,360
Given these enormous challenges,
what is it that keeps you here?
233
00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,760
Just tell me what it is
that is so entrancing
234
00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,720
about this place
and this way of life?
235
00:15:06,840 --> 00:15:09,200
I think it's just the open spaces.
236
00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:12,040
It's the freedom, I suppose, you're
away from all the stuff in town.
237
00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:13,960
Nobody judges you out here.
238
00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,800
It wouldn't matter
if you were an alcoholic,
239
00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,240
or you smoke a bit of mull,
or you did this, or you did that,
240
00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,600
as long as you're honest
and you work hard.
241
00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:28,160
People just accept you for who
you are, generally, out in the bush.
242
00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,240
A big storm blows
through in the night,
243
00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,560
soaking the land
with much-needed rain.
244
00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:45,080
Is this broken there,
or is it right down?
245
00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:47,920
'One of the windmills
has stopped pumping.
246
00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:51,560
'Without water,
the sheep will only last a few days.
247
00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:54,320
'So Bob and one of his team
get to work.'
248
00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,640
Ron's exceptionally handy
with the mechanical side of it.
249
00:15:57,640 --> 00:16:00,120
Much as he hates to admit it,
he's good at it.
250
00:16:00,120 --> 00:16:02,800
I'm a little bit big
to climb too high.
251
00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:04,240
Oh, Ron.
252
00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:05,960
Only maybe in a high wind.
253
00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:09,320
Well, you can see where he's climbed
up here, all the bent rails.
254
00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:11,080
LAUGHTER
255
00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:27,640
The more time I spend here,
256
00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,640
the more I'm growing to like
Bob and the other guys.
257
00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:33,720
I really respect their passion
for this way of life.
258
00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,880
And I've nothing but
admiration for the way they cope
259
00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:40,000
with working in such a remote place.
260
00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,920
They have to be able to do
everything because I suppose
261
00:16:42,920 --> 00:16:46,360
you can't just phone a plumber or
someone to fix a windmill and say,
262
00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:49,200
"Could you just nip out?", because
there is no nipping, you know?
263
00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,280
They're 100 miles from the nearest
anywhere and, you know,
264
00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:55,600
there's something I think sort of,
as I say, very admirable
265
00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:58,000
about people who are
that capable.
266
00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:02,960
Who can know their livestock,
and look after them,
267
00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,800
and produce great sheep, but also
understand how the weather works,
268
00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:12,680
understand what to do with
their land when it's flooding
or when there's drought.
269
00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:16,440
But also just be able to
fix an electric fence
270
00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:19,800
or re-put a battery in a car
if it's gone flat.
271
00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:25,320
These are proper multi-taskers,
and people say men can't multi-task,
272
00:17:25,320 --> 00:17:28,360
these ones can,
and they're quite good at it.
273
00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:32,880
But despite all their
resourcefulness, there's one problem
274
00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:36,640
that is threatening to overwhelm
everything at Meka.
275
00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,720
A plague of feral dogs
is savaging the flock.
276
00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:46,600
I just hate seeing our animals
being decimated like that.
277
00:17:50,360 --> 00:17:53,680
It's generally just the younger
dogs, one to three-year olds.
278
00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:56,680
They're like a fox on steroids,
they just kill and eat anything.
279
00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:01,840
We've actually found a ewe weener
with its liver removed,
280
00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,160
and it was obviously alive
while it was happening,
281
00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:06,440
with the amount of blood
that was on the ground.
282
00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:09,600
They'd pulled the liver out and
eaten that and just left the sheep.
283
00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,560
How much stock do you think
you lose through dogs?
284
00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:17,360
It could be up to 40%
out of a paddy.
285
00:18:17,360 --> 00:18:23,000
I mean, 40%, that's got to
be your profit margin plus, gone.
286
00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,520
And loss of production too.
287
00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:27,880
Those ewe lambs that are gone
won't have lambs,
288
00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,560
and the ewes that are gone
won't make any more lambs.
289
00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:32,600
You've got to replace
those ewes again,
290
00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:34,800
so it's not just a loss
of your sale,
291
00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,520
it's the actual replacement
of your sheep.
292
00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:41,520
Bob is trying to fight back
using a poison called 1080,
293
00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,320
which is derived from
a native plant.
294
00:18:44,320 --> 00:18:47,240
Indigenous wildlife
has a natural immunity,
295
00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:51,600
but it is lethal to introduced
species like these feral dogs.
296
00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:59,200
Nobody really enjoys killing things,
I don't think. I don't anyway.
297
00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,040
It's only more for the protection
of the animals.
298
00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,880
You feel a lot of anger
and hatred towards the dogs
299
00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,640
when you see your sheep
torn to shreds and still alive.
300
00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:12,040
But then you can feel
a little bit for the dog,
301
00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,440
because it's not really
his fault either, you know?
302
00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,040
It's just where we're at, I suppose.
It's just life.
303
00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:23,920
And if you don't do it,
what's the reality?
304
00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:26,080
If we don't get on top
of this dog problem,
305
00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:29,240
in the next 12 months
we'll be finished here.
306
00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,600
Bob and his team throw out
35,000 poison baits a year
307
00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:38,400
but the dogs are still winning.
308
00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:43,120
It's estimated that feral dogs
cause £45 million worth of damage
309
00:19:43,120 --> 00:19:46,040
to livestock a year in Australia.
310
00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:48,440
The numbers are just shocking.
311
00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:50,320
With losses on this scale,
312
00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:55,240
Meka will struggle to survive
in the cut-throat global market.
313
00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,760
It's the morning of the big muster,
314
00:19:59,760 --> 00:20:02,320
a day I've been
really looking forward to.
315
00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:06,760
Bob needs to round up 1,000
sheep from one of his paddocks
316
00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,120
to get them ready for export.
317
00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:14,120
A plane will help us to spot them
from the air. Bob briefs the team.
318
00:20:14,120 --> 00:20:17,400
OK, what's happening today, we're
doing a paddy called Wargon Paddy.
319
00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:21,760
We'll probably fly about 10Ks
to the east and there's a windmill
there called Evans.
320
00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:25,640
We'll have the two Kerrys and Ron
on the north side of the river
321
00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:27,960
and Trish and Cass,
Neil on the south side of the river.
322
00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:29,120
That's where we'll start.
323
00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:39,080
It's sort of extraordinary
that you need six bikes
324
00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:41,440
and an aeroplane just to gather
sheep from one paddock,
325
00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:43,400
but when the paddock
is ten kilometres long
326
00:20:43,400 --> 00:20:45,160
by four kilometres wide,
327
00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,520
that's why you need all this
machinery and man power.
328
00:20:55,200 --> 00:20:56,920
Bob and I take to the air.
329
00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:12,240
We fly back and forth
across the paddock,
330
00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:16,080
looking for mobs of sheep so we can
direct the bikes to round them up.
331
00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,880
So before people had
planes and motorbikes,
332
00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:39,800
how on earth did you start
mustering sheep on land this size?
333
00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:43,200
Yeah, on horseback,
they would spread out with quite
a number of horses
334
00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,800
and work in the same direction
we are, probably yelling
335
00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:50,280
and hawing or whatever just to get
the sheep to move on down.
336
00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:53,440
Unimaginable how it must have been
done with horses.
337
00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:58,360
It must have taken months and months
and months to cover this land.
338
00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:03,920
A constant team of people
out on horses looking for sheep.
339
00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:11,240
Riding the bikes through
this terrain is a skilled
and dangerous business.
340
00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:15,320
If you come off, it's a long way
to the nearest casualty department.
341
00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:20,400
And there are stories of deadly
snakes getting caught up
in the wheels.
342
00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:22,640
For once, I feel safer in the air!
343
00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:30,960
We've done about four or five
flights over the top end
of the paddock.
344
00:22:30,960 --> 00:22:35,320
I've seen two kangaroos.
No sheep yet.
345
00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:38,960
Finally, I spot some of the flock.
346
00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:43,560
Some here, Bob, just on the right,
just below us.
347
00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:50,240
Just off our right wing now,
probably 200 or 300 metres.
348
00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,680
I may just need to swing it round
to the left a little bit there.
349
00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:00,720
RADIO: 'All right.'
350
00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:11,760
Do you think they've got them all?
351
00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:15,600
I think we've pretty well
got most of them now.
352
00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:17,960
You can see the homestead
in the distance there, Kate,
353
00:23:17,960 --> 00:23:19,920
that's where we've got to
go back to.
354
00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:21,840
Yeah, it's quite a way.
355
00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:26,920
With the sheep gathered into one
large group, the plane's job
is done.
356
00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,160
The next stage happens
on the ground.
357
00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:38,560
Now the plan is to move them
back about a 10 kilometre run
358
00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:42,760
and the idea is just to persuade
them slowly down the road
359
00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,680
to one of the paddocks
right by the homestead.
360
00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:00,440
This is a pretty magnificent
feeling, I have to say,
361
00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:02,480
being out in the Australian bush.
362
00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:08,520
It's got to be 35 degrees.
Sheep, quad bike, dog,
363
00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,160
you're not going to get
a happier girl than that!
364
00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:32,240
And there's something just lovely
about being behind a herd of sheep.
365
00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:35,640
It's great, yeah. It is for us
when you see all the lambs here.
366
00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,200
When you're bringing them
in and there's no lambs, you know,
367
00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:40,000
like the dogs have killed them...
368
00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,880
Well, also because you see
your sheep so rarely,
369
00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:46,400
it must be quite a good sight
to know that they're out there.
370
00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,640
Yeah, and producing good lambs.
Yeah.
371
00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:55,920
It's a very well worked out system,
this, and clearly this is a team
372
00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:57,960
that have been working together
for a long time.
373
00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:02,000
They almost seem to work
telepathically.
374
00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:06,240
So although everyone's got radios,
everyone knows the sheep so well
375
00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:09,680
and reads them and knows exactly
where to go when.
376
00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:14,840
But managing this sheer number
of sheep takes an extraordinary
expertise.
377
00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:16,640
I'm in awe, really.
378
00:25:20,040 --> 00:25:24,200
The new Middle Eastern market
for fat-tailed Damaras has offered
379
00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:26,840
stations like Meka a lifeline.
380
00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:30,920
But it's come with a catch
live export.
381
00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:35,160
Buyers in the Middle East prefer
to slaughter their own animals.
382
00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:39,680
So all these sheep will be sent
live across the Indian Ocean
383
00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:42,240
in specially-designed ships.
384
00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:44,440
It's a controversial business.
385
00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:47,880
Many people believe it's cruel
and want it banned.
386
00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:52,520
There is no doubt, that 25, 30 years
ago when this trade started,
387
00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:54,960
it was not conducted very well.
388
00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:59,120
The first ships that took sheep
to the Middle East were very poor.
389
00:25:59,120 --> 00:26:03,640
Water wasn't provided adequately,
feed was spasmodic,
390
00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:06,960
there were problems with crowding
and smothering of sheep,
391
00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:09,320
ventilation was inadequate,
and so on.
392
00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,760
But what's happened
is the Australian government
393
00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:15,000
recognised those problems,
they introduced a shipping protocol
394
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:19,160
and a whole new breed
of vessels has come out.
395
00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:21,160
All the pens are a regulation size.
396
00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,440
There's a minimum size,
there's a maximum size.
397
00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,920
The stock have water all the time
through special feeders
398
00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:29,840
and they have pellet feed
the whole time.
399
00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:34,240
And they have forced ventilation
to all corners of the ship,
400
00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,120
so the whole situation's changed.
401
00:26:36,120 --> 00:26:38,480
Where in those days
they might have seen three,
402
00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:41,080
and in some very bad cases
up to 10% losses,
403
00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:44,800
today we're looking at
0.2, 0.3% losses.
404
00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:48,600
So do you feel comfortable
about the business you're in?
405
00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:52,680
I feel comfortable about
the shipping that we're going to.
406
00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:56,920
One of the problems that exists,
and I don't know how you combat it,
407
00:26:56,920 --> 00:27:00,000
is that they do sell out
to a domestic market
408
00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:04,720
where residents of major cities,
Cairo or wherever,
409
00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:09,400
take sheep and they take them home
for ceremonial purposes
410
00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,720
where they kill the sheep at home
and barbecue them
411
00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:16,920
for the gathered family and they
just don't do it very well.
412
00:27:16,920 --> 00:27:18,400
They're not sheep people.
413
00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,280
And the fact that some sheep
get sold into that market,
414
00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:22,920
yes, I am concerned.
415
00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,280
I mean, do the animal
activists have a point,
416
00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:29,360
that there's surely better ways
of supplying the Middle East
417
00:27:29,360 --> 00:27:32,360
with meat, sending them
as carcasses?
418
00:27:32,360 --> 00:27:36,640
The market doesn't want carcasses,
so that's not an option yet.
419
00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:38,440
Will it take carcasses?
420
00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:42,040
We believe it will one day,
but it doesn't take them today
421
00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:46,520
in the quantities of the meat
that's going into that country.
422
00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:51,840
They prefer live meat over
carcasses at this point in time.
423
00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:55,800
'The future of Meka
may be uncertain, but Bob and Kerry
424
00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:59,240
'are determined to overcome
the latest challenge to face
425
00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:02,480
'the sheep-herding business
in Western Australia.'
426
00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:05,440
So do you feel relatively optimistic
about the future,
427
00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:10,920
even though there are all the issues
with the live meat trade?
428
00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:11,960
Yeah, I think so,
429
00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:14,200
if you think positive
and just keep pushing forward,
430
00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:17,000
you know, one door closes
and generally another one opens.
431
00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:21,440
But if you go negative, you tend
to stall and flounder a bit.
432
00:28:21,440 --> 00:28:25,120
Yeah, I know it's hard to stay
optimistic in this industry,
433
00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:26,840
but, yeah, you've got to!
434
00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:28,280
THEY LAUGH
435
00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:30,920
Positive!
The power of positive thinking.
436
00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:39,320
It's just kind of overwhelming
and awe-inspiring at the same time
437
00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:44,040
just to handle this number
of sheep in this size of land.
438
00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:49,880
One of life's moments really, where
you sort of get a flash of insight
439
00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:55,800
into why people like Bob and Ron and
Kerry just love this land so much.
440
00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:58,960
There is something
just extraordinarily exhilarating
441
00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:03,320
about being out in all this space.
And it feels so untamed,
442
00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:06,560
and yet there you are trying
somehow to be part of it
443
00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:10,640
and it's really compelling.
444
00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:15,200
And you can see why Bob
says he'll go sometimes to town
445
00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:19,800
and after four or five days he's
just desperate to get back here.
446
00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:24,560
And I get that. I mean, it's hot,
it's dusty, it's inhospitable,
447
00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:29,240
and this is an exhausting life
and I've done five days of it,
448
00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:31,680
Bob's done 40 years.
449
00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:35,120
But I can see why he loves it.
450
00:29:47,720 --> 00:29:49,720
As I drive back to Perth,
451
00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,720
I learn that live export
is in the news again.
452
00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:57,160
NEWS REPORT: 'Australia's live export
trade is facing yet another crisis
453
00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:59,920
'with thousands of sheep exported
to the Middle East
454
00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:03,400
'apparently clubbed,
stabbed and buried alive.'
455
00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:07,200
Footage of Australian sheep and
cattle being inhumanely slaughtered
456
00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:11,160
in foreign abattoirs has been
broadcast on Australian TV
457
00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:14,560
and the animal rights groups
are renewing their calls
458
00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:16,720
for a complete ban.
459
00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,760
I want to find out more about
this business for myself,
460
00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:23,400
so after days of phone calls, we've
got permission to film at one of
461
00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:29,000
Western Australia's biggest live
sheep exporters, Emanuel Exports.
462
00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:33,000
Livestock manager Mike Curnick
shows me where the sheep are kept
463
00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:35,560
before being shipped abroad.
464
00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:39,080
On a normal day we'd probably
receive 25, 30,000 sheep.
465
00:30:39,080 --> 00:30:42,320
Just the numbers here,
that's the thing
I can't get my head around.
466
00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:45,800
It's just the sheer numbers
that everyone is dealing with.
467
00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:48,360
If the boats take
60 or 70,000 sheep.
468
00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:51,280
The idea is to get the sheep in here
and acclimatize them to the boats
469
00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:53,280
and the pallets
and the conditions onboard.
470
00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:55,400
There's a requirement
that they've got to be here
471
00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,400
for six or seven days
before they can be loaded.
472
00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,760
And it also gives us a chance
to put them into their lines
473
00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:03,760
and their weights and their types and
prepare them for travel, basically.
474
00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:06,240
'The sheep will be checked
by a government vet
475
00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:10,040
'before making the two to three week
journey to the Middle East.'
476
00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:16,760
To the uninitiated eye,
this looks like a very crowded shed.
477
00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:19,360
It may look crowded,
but to us it looks un-crowded.
478
00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:22,240
Like here, they're quite content,
there's a lot of room.
479
00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:25,200
If you actually walk through there,
there'd be a lot of room in there.
480
00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:27,160
They're continually fed pellets,
481
00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:29,720
that's done automatically
through these augers.
482
00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:33,640
So they've got feed and water
24 hours a day, seven days a week.
483
00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:38,880
'I wasn't too sure what to expect
here, but the sheep look relaxed
484
00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:40,480
'and well-treated.'
485
00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:46,000
There is a battle going on currently
between the live export trade
486
00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,240
and local animal rights activists.
487
00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,080
What would you say to them?
488
00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:54,240
You're a livestock man, do you feel
comfortable about what you do?
489
00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:56,440
I feel very comfortable
about what I do.
490
00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:59,560
From time to time, things may not
go according to plan,
491
00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:01,880
but that happens in human life
and all walks of life.
492
00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:03,320
Everybody's got their opinion.
493
00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:06,080
I think the more you know about it,
the more you try and learn
494
00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:08,360
about it and understand it.
495
00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,200
And if you do have a different point
of view, that's fine.
496
00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,320
But I think sometimes you've got to
come up with some alternatives
497
00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:18,840
as well to solve the problems
that you perceive are there.
498
00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:21,480
You know, nothing pleases us more
than to see the sheep walk out
499
00:32:21,480 --> 00:32:24,880
of here in 100% healthy order
and condition.
500
00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:30,440
'In 2012, Australia exported nearly
2.5 million live sheep
501
00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:33,160
'worth almost
a quarter of billion pounds.
502
00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:37,280
'Farmers say it's become
the backbone of the rural economy.'
503
00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:39,320
If something did happen
to the live sheep trade,
504
00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:42,040
it would be the end
of the sheep farming industry,
505
00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:45,040
particularly in Western Australia
where we've got a small population
506
00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:47,360
and a high sheep population.
507
00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:51,400
But I think that while
we continue to improve it,
508
00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,680
I think there's a chance
it'll keep going for a long time.
509
00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:03,560
I'm in a bit of a quandary.
510
00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:09,400
My gut tells me that I would
rather not see the live export
of any animal.
511
00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:14,680
You know, in an ideal world, sheep,
cattle would be dispatched
512
00:33:14,680 --> 00:33:18,160
in local, small abattoirs
close to farms.
513
00:33:18,160 --> 00:33:20,480
But, you know, we don't live
in an ideal world
514
00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:24,440
and it seems that in Australia
that really isn't an option.
515
00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:28,800
Maybe the answer is that
if there is a market in places
516
00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:33,200
like the Middle East and
other countries for live animals,
517
00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,440
it's better that they come
from places like Australia
518
00:33:36,440 --> 00:33:41,320
where welfare standards are high,
where regulations are tight
and in place.
519
00:33:41,320 --> 00:33:43,840
Because if they
don't come from here,
520
00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:46,880
presumably they're going to look
elsewhere to other countries
521
00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:50,800
who can produce live animals,
but perhaps not with the same
522
00:33:50,800 --> 00:33:54,840
high standards that they produce
in countries like Australia.
523
00:33:54,840 --> 00:34:00,360
If it were banned here, perhaps
that would be doing a worse job
524
00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:04,200
for animal welfare
than by not banning it.
525
00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,880
There doesn't seem to be
any simple answer, really.
526
00:34:08,040 --> 00:34:13,240
The Middle East isn't the only place
with a growing demand for sheep.
527
00:34:13,240 --> 00:34:16,760
Across the developing world,
rising standards of living
528
00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:19,560
mean more people are eating meat.
529
00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:23,800
What was once an occasional treat
is becoming an everyday meal.
530
00:34:23,800 --> 00:34:27,000
And global population as a whole
is growing fast.
531
00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:29,400
It's predicted that by 2050,
532
00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:32,840
there will be two billion
more mouths to feed.
533
00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:36,000
Australia,
with its huge empty spaces,
534
00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:39,880
is well-placed to supply
these new markets.
535
00:34:39,880 --> 00:34:42,320
But if it's going to keep pace
with demand,
536
00:34:42,320 --> 00:34:44,080
it's going to have to innovate.
537
00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:50,680
I'm travelling to South Australia,
538
00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:54,120
the country's agricultural
heartland, to a breeding centre
539
00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:57,920
120 miles south east of Adelaide.
540
00:34:57,920 --> 00:35:01,560
I'm going to meet a farmer who is
pioneering genetic technology
541
00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:05,400
that could keep Australia at
the vanguard of the sheep industry.
542
00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:10,600
I do feel slightly
uncomfortable with this.
543
00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:14,320
Like any of these sort
of techniques,
544
00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:18,640
we tend to think of in
a very negative way
545
00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:21,680
and I'm afraid I would join
that camp.
546
00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:25,320
So I need to really keep an open
mind because I don't know enough
about them.
547
00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:27,560
I don't know enough
about these techniques,
548
00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:33,600
I don't know really
what the plus sides are,
as well as the disadvantages.
549
00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:38,680
So it's going to be a kind of
interesting, but I suspect quite
challenging few days.
550
00:35:41,240 --> 00:35:43,080
'This is Andrew Michael.
551
00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:46,680
'He's on a mission to create
a flock of super sheep.'
552
00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:48,320
So is it all happening in here?
553
00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:51,240
Yeah, it is, it's underway
and going beautifully.
554
00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,680
It's an unnerving scene
inside the shed.
555
00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:04,880
I've never seen sheep
being handled like this before.
556
00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:11,720
This is a cutting-edge technique
called embryo transfer.
557
00:36:11,720 --> 00:36:15,240
These sedated ewes are the pick
of Andrew's flock.
558
00:36:15,240 --> 00:36:18,520
Two weeks ago, they were given
natural hormones
559
00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:21,080
to make them release multiple eggs.
560
00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:27,320
Then they were artificially
inseminated with semen
from Andrew's top rams.
561
00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:30,000
Now they're about
to have their eggs removed.
562
00:36:35,920 --> 00:36:40,960
Those ewes will have thousands and
thousands of eggs in their lifetime.
563
00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:44,000
What we're doing is just making
one little period where we maximise
564
00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:48,160
the number of eggs released
and we're actually fertilizing those
at one time.
565
00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:52,000
So our best genetics,
the best sheep available,
566
00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:55,480
could instead of giving us
eight lambs, could give us 100 lambs.
567
00:36:55,480 --> 00:36:57,800
So, financially, that makes sense.
568
00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:01,880
Yes, and it gives us a bigger pool
of genetics to select from.
569
00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:04,320
We do our breeding
on a pyramid system.
570
00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:08,440
So we're trying to maximise
the group of sheep at the top.
571
00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:13,200
So the more that we can advance
our genetics, the more everyone wins.
572
00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:15,960
'In a neighbouring shed,
semen is being collected
573
00:37:15,960 --> 00:37:19,040
'for the next round
of artificial insemination.
574
00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:22,960
'Just like the alpaca I saw in Peru,
an artificial vagina
575
00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:27,000
'will trick the male into thinking
he's mating with a female.'
576
00:37:27,000 --> 00:37:30,800
So the semen will basically be
collected in that glass receptacle?
577
00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:35,800
The ram will ejaculate into there
and it will all fall down into that.
578
00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:39,080
OK, so the rams will come in,
see four pretty girls,
579
00:37:39,080 --> 00:37:41,200
get a whiff of the right sort
of pheromones...
580
00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:42,840
The right hormones and all that,
yeah.
581
00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:45,320
"I know what my job is
and I'm about to do it!"
582
00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:46,360
THEY LAUGH
583
00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:49,360
And then you'll just
interrupt proceedings
at the exact right moment.
584
00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:50,680
The exact right moment!
585
00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:52,640
OK, Helen, I'll let you
get on with it.
586
00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:55,120
He obviously likes
the look of those girls.
587
00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:06,280
He just can't decide which one!
588
00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:08,280
Maybe he doesn't like an audience.
589
00:38:12,440 --> 00:38:15,280
That was it? So he's ejaculated
into that. Yes. Really?
590
00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:17,400
Once he works, it's quite quick.
591
00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:20,880
Suddenly all the men in my life
are feeling really
good about themselves!
592
00:38:20,880 --> 00:38:22,440
THEY LAUGH
593
00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:26,240
So you can see the ejaculation.
594
00:38:26,240 --> 00:38:28,840
He's given about a mil,
about 0.8 of a mil there.
595
00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:31,760
So that's got to be kept
in the temperature obviously
596
00:38:31,760 --> 00:38:34,280
and out of daylight.
So that's him done.
597
00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:37,880
That's him done. There's not a lot
of romance in it, is there?!
598
00:38:37,880 --> 00:38:39,400
No, not a lot of sweet talk.
599
00:38:42,440 --> 00:38:46,640
'Back with the ewes next door,
veterinary surgeon Margie Trowbridge
600
00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:50,520
'is removing their eggs using
a process known as flushing.'
601
00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:54,680
So this is the uterus
coming out now?
602
00:38:54,680 --> 00:38:57,320
This is her uterus coming out.
Two horns of the uterus.
603
00:38:57,320 --> 00:39:01,440
She's an adult ewe, she's lambed
before, so it's a nice robust size.
604
00:39:01,440 --> 00:39:04,600
What we're going to do is push fluid
from the top in down through there,
605
00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:06,400
through this catheter into a dish.
606
00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:11,080
So we now aim to put this
specialised flushing solution...
607
00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:16,840
So any eggs will come out with that
solution into the Petri dish? Yes.
608
00:39:16,840 --> 00:39:20,600
So now I understand the term
flushing. Flushing, exactly.
609
00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:22,440
It is literally that. It is.
610
00:39:23,880 --> 00:39:27,760
Is there any resistance
to this sort of procedure,
611
00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:29,440
are there people
that are against it?
612
00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:31,840
A lot of people don't understand it.
613
00:39:31,840 --> 00:39:34,120
I guess there'd be people
who would think a ewe
614
00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:36,640
shouldn't be subjected to surgery.
615
00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:40,440
It is progress and you can't stop it.
616
00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:45,640
And I guess there would be some that
would not approve of what we do,
617
00:39:45,640 --> 00:39:49,400
even collecting ram semen
or inseminating ewes.
618
00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:52,080
They think it's unnatural
and it shouldn't be done.
619
00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:54,920
But it's the human condition,
isn't it?
620
00:39:54,920 --> 00:39:57,240
To keep progressing and survive.
621
00:39:59,000 --> 00:40:01,880
And the ewes, once they've
had this procedure,
622
00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:05,240
can they then carry on with
an entirely natural breeding life?
623
00:40:05,240 --> 00:40:08,000
Absolutely. Absolutely.
These girls will...
624
00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:11,080
Andrew will probably join them
again very soon,
625
00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:14,840
and they'll have a lamb
within their normal breeding time.
626
00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:19,120
Probably within the same season
as they would without having
undergone this procedure.
627
00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:23,520
So you're happy? That went well?
Yes, I'm happy.
628
00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:27,000
She's started to recover from her
anaesthetic. Yeah, so she's good.
629
00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:28,680
She's good? She's good to go.
630
00:40:32,320 --> 00:40:34,800
So the eggs that have been
flushed from that ewe
631
00:40:34,800 --> 00:40:38,600
into the Petri dish
are now in this lab with Bill.
632
00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:43,880
So there's an embryo there
that's fertilized.
633
00:40:43,880 --> 00:40:45,760
Can I have a peep? Yeah, sure.
634
00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:50,920
Wow. That's extraordinary!
635
00:40:50,920 --> 00:40:55,160
So I am looking at the very, very,
very early development of a lamb?
636
00:40:55,160 --> 00:40:57,960
Yes. That's right, that's a lamb.
637
00:40:57,960 --> 00:40:59,680
I'm just going to take it out.
638
00:40:59,680 --> 00:41:04,520
How many eggs is sort of
the average that you might find
639
00:41:04,520 --> 00:41:06,160
that are fertilised?
640
00:41:06,160 --> 00:41:08,440
I think you'd say six or seven
per ewe on average,
641
00:41:08,440 --> 00:41:10,040
but there's a great variation.
642
00:41:10,040 --> 00:41:12,360
You can see we've had a 16
643
00:41:12,360 --> 00:41:16,400
and we've had one ewe that gave us
four unfertilized.
644
00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:20,720
So it's not a failsafe method.
It won't work sometimes?
645
00:41:20,720 --> 00:41:24,520
Yeah. It's nature, you know.
It's what happens.
646
00:41:24,520 --> 00:41:28,760
But, you know,
with proper care and management
647
00:41:28,760 --> 00:41:30,880
and a bit of adjustment
to programmes,
648
00:41:30,880 --> 00:41:33,520
you can get a cost-effective result
for your client.
649
00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:35,760
But nature always has the last say.
650
00:41:41,960 --> 00:41:46,120
Next morning, at Andrew's farm,
the fertilized eggs are implanted
651
00:41:46,120 --> 00:41:50,720
into surrogate mothers,
genetically lower quality ewes that,
652
00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:54,920
in five months' time, will give
birth to top quality lambs.
653
00:42:00,840 --> 00:42:02,480
Hup! Hup!
654
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:03,880
Round you go.
655
00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:07,640
Andrew has the conviction of a man
who has seen the future.
656
00:42:07,640 --> 00:42:11,640
He's creating the ultimate,
off-the-shelf designer sheep
657
00:42:11,640 --> 00:42:14,880
and revolutionizing
the sheep-breeding industry.
658
00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:20,600
If we can identify a sheep in here
that's got the genes
659
00:42:20,600 --> 00:42:23,800
that are going to be the best
in the world,
660
00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:29,880
the difference that can make
to the industry is just so important.
661
00:42:29,880 --> 00:42:33,200
For many years, Andrew has been
measuring and recording
662
00:42:33,200 --> 00:42:37,920
the vital statistics of his sheep,
creating a detailed database.
663
00:42:37,920 --> 00:42:41,360
Which ones have the leanest meat,
the healthiest fats,
664
00:42:41,360 --> 00:42:43,640
produce the best wool.
665
00:42:43,640 --> 00:42:48,480
Thing is, I can see the surface
on this ram has got the right
wool structures.
666
00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:51,080
If you run your finger on that, Kate,
and feel how soft it is.
667
00:42:51,080 --> 00:42:53,400
KATE GASPS
I'd wear that right now.
668
00:42:53,400 --> 00:42:57,960
That would do into a beautiful
yarn for any sort of fabric.
669
00:42:57,960 --> 00:43:02,000
We could do knickers and bras
in this, it's that good!
670
00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:03,400
KATE LAUGHS
671
00:43:03,400 --> 00:43:05,560
You can do the knitting!
672
00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:09,160
'DNA testing has moved things on
significantly.
673
00:43:09,160 --> 00:43:13,320
'Andrew is now able to guarantee
clients that by buying semen
674
00:43:13,320 --> 00:43:15,320
'or fertilized embryos
from his animals,
675
00:43:15,320 --> 00:43:19,760
'they're getting exactly the genes
needed to improve their flock.'
676
00:43:19,760 --> 00:43:25,160
All they need to be able to tell you
everything, from how quickly
677
00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:29,040
the sheep might grow, what the
wool might be that it produces,
678
00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:32,920
whether it's got omega-3s in the
meat, its zinc levels, everything.
679
00:43:32,920 --> 00:43:37,440
It'll tell us 51 different traits.
That's extraordinary.
680
00:43:37,440 --> 00:43:38,680
So from that blood,
681
00:43:38,680 --> 00:43:41,080
I'll be able to tell you how much
fleece it will have
682
00:43:41,080 --> 00:43:44,680
and what micron it will be.
Everything. Without even shearing it.
683
00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:46,440
God, it is cutting edge, isn't it?
684
00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:52,760
I mean, it has the potential
to totally change the whole flock
in Australia.
685
00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:54,480
Yeah.
686
00:43:54,480 --> 00:43:57,480
Using embryo transfer,
this does seem to be a quick
687
00:43:57,480 --> 00:44:01,480
and effective way of producing
sheep with the best meat and wool.
688
00:44:01,480 --> 00:44:06,920
Incredibly, Andrew's also breeding
animals which have
more efficient stomachs.
689
00:44:06,920 --> 00:44:10,200
Food conversion is the one untapped
thing within our industry.
690
00:44:10,200 --> 00:44:12,480
Food conversion is basically
the amount of food in,
691
00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:13,800
for the production of meat.
692
00:44:13,800 --> 00:44:18,160
The variations are as big
as 22 kilograms of food in,
693
00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:20,080
to one kilogram of meat.
694
00:44:20,080 --> 00:44:24,360
The average is seven to nine
kilograms but there's been animals
695
00:44:24,360 --> 00:44:28,520
tested down to 2.8 kilograms of food
in for one kilogram of meat.
696
00:44:28,520 --> 00:44:32,360
So that has two advantages, one
is that we produce a lot more meat,
697
00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:36,120
but we eat a lot less feed,
so we can then utilise our pastures
698
00:44:36,120 --> 00:44:38,840
and our environment better
but produce more meat.
699
00:44:38,840 --> 00:44:40,480
It's really the way of the future.
700
00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:49,000
Food conversion is the key challenge
facing the global meat industry.
701
00:44:49,000 --> 00:44:52,960
Compared to vegetable proteins,
like soya and lentils,
702
00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:56,680
producing meat requires
a huge amount of land, food,
703
00:44:56,680 --> 00:45:00,920
energy and water, all of which
are already in short supply.
704
00:45:03,160 --> 00:45:06,160
Get around, get right around.
705
00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:11,320
But if we can breed animals
that use food more efficiently,
706
00:45:11,320 --> 00:45:15,960
then perhaps there is
a more sustainable future
for meat production.
707
00:45:16,960 --> 00:45:20,520
I wasn't sure what to expect
from these last couple of days.
708
00:45:20,520 --> 00:45:23,840
I don't know whether it was going
to be something that made me
709
00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:27,560
feel uncomfortable because, in my
mind, animal husbandry should be
710
00:45:27,560 --> 00:45:30,840
something that's done
as naturally as possible
711
00:45:30,840 --> 00:45:34,080
with really as little intervention
as possible
712
00:45:34,080 --> 00:45:37,920
and actually what I've learnt
is that what Andrew
713
00:45:37,920 --> 00:45:42,440
and breeders like him are doing
is working with nature.
714
00:45:44,680 --> 00:45:46,520
They're speeding the process up
715
00:45:46,520 --> 00:45:50,320
by using things like artificial
insemination and embryo transfer
716
00:45:50,320 --> 00:45:54,640
but the process is still natural,
they're still looking at animals
717
00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:57,320
and saying that's a good one
and if we put it
718
00:45:57,320 --> 00:46:00,400
with another good one,
we're going to get good offspring
719
00:46:00,400 --> 00:46:03,640
and that's what I do and much
smaller scale farmers do
720
00:46:03,640 --> 00:46:06,040
to ensure that we have
better animals.
721
00:46:06,040 --> 00:46:09,200
They're just doing it in a way
that's more scientific
722
00:46:09,200 --> 00:46:10,680
and more provable.
723
00:46:13,320 --> 00:46:16,200
It's really impressive
and it does feel like
724
00:46:16,200 --> 00:46:19,480
if there is to be a future in
farming and a future
725
00:46:19,480 --> 00:46:22,880
in food production that is going
to be meaningful
726
00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:24,760
for the world population,
727
00:46:24,760 --> 00:46:27,760
this is the sort of thing that we
have to think about
728
00:46:27,760 --> 00:46:29,760
adopting on a much bigger scale.
729
00:46:31,320 --> 00:46:34,400
This might just be the start
of what we have to do
730
00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:36,040
to meet demand for food.
731
00:46:36,040 --> 00:46:39,880
Scientists are pushing the
boundaries of what's possible
in agriculture,
732
00:46:39,880 --> 00:46:43,320
and shaping the way
we'll farm in the future.
733
00:46:43,320 --> 00:46:47,200
Using genetic modification,
scientists are able to create
734
00:46:47,200 --> 00:46:51,000
new strains of plants and animals
that will grow more quickly,
735
00:46:51,000 --> 00:46:55,160
produce more food, in tougher
conditions, using fewer resources.
736
00:46:56,640 --> 00:47:00,120
It's up to us to decide
whether we go down this path,
737
00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:01,520
or choose another way.
738
00:47:06,080 --> 00:47:09,040
My travels among herders
are nearly over.
739
00:47:09,040 --> 00:47:10,960
But before I leave Australia,
740
00:47:10,960 --> 00:47:13,440
there's one last place
I want to visit,
741
00:47:13,440 --> 00:47:16,080
a farm where they have
a very different approach
742
00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:17,840
to the rearing of animals.
743
00:47:19,400 --> 00:47:22,520
Hello, hi. Good morning.
744
00:47:22,520 --> 00:47:23,680
Hello, nice to meet you.
745
00:47:23,680 --> 00:47:25,080
Nice to meet you, I'm Kate.
746
00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:27,000
Nice to meet you, Kate, I'm Michelle.
747
00:47:27,000 --> 00:47:29,640
This is Phil and Michelle Lally.
748
00:47:29,640 --> 00:47:32,960
What a beautiful farm.
Your garden is amazing.
749
00:47:32,960 --> 00:47:36,280
Oh, thank you. And it's a very
beautiful part of Australia.
750
00:47:36,280 --> 00:47:38,640
Thank you, we love it here.
751
00:47:38,640 --> 00:47:40,880
Their company, Savannah Lambs,
752
00:47:40,880 --> 00:47:44,880
works almost 2,000 acres of mixed
farm in the Clare Valley
753
00:47:44,880 --> 00:47:46,960
and it regularly wins prizes
754
00:47:46,960 --> 00:47:50,720
for producing some of
the finest meat in Australia.
755
00:47:50,720 --> 00:47:52,400
Phil trained as a winemaker
756
00:47:52,400 --> 00:47:56,880
and spent years travelling the world
making fine Pinot Noirs,
757
00:47:56,880 --> 00:48:00,640
before returning home to take over
the family farm.
758
00:48:00,640 --> 00:48:04,920
But he has an unusual approach
to human-sheep interaction.
759
00:48:04,920 --> 00:48:09,200
If we walk gently towards them,
you go two or three metres.
760
00:48:09,200 --> 00:48:11,720
Then they'll probably
think about turning around.
761
00:48:11,720 --> 00:48:14,760
One's turned here,
you stick an arm out this way
762
00:48:14,760 --> 00:48:16,920
and the rest of them
will turn around.
763
00:48:16,920 --> 00:48:18,160
They like their space,
764
00:48:18,160 --> 00:48:20,800
they also know that if you
maintain that distance
765
00:48:20,800 --> 00:48:23,760
and we maintain that distance
then everybody's happy.
766
00:48:23,760 --> 00:48:27,920
It's a nice quiet process
and they're willing to oblige.
767
00:48:27,920 --> 00:48:31,360
It's making sure that that process
of handling those animals
768
00:48:31,360 --> 00:48:36,320
is as stress free and as calm
and as quiet as possible.
769
00:48:36,320 --> 00:48:39,440
We don't use motorbikes
and we don't use dogs
770
00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:43,200
and we don't use any sort of
electric prod or any way
771
00:48:43,200 --> 00:48:46,720
of moving an animal
or forcing an animal at all.
772
00:48:46,720 --> 00:48:49,360
It's about providing them
with an exit point
773
00:48:49,360 --> 00:48:52,040
and standing in the right place
at the right time
774
00:48:52,040 --> 00:48:56,000
and when an animal feels
comfortable it's not stressed.
775
00:48:56,000 --> 00:48:59,560
You seem, even at this very
early stage of meeting you,
776
00:48:59,560 --> 00:49:03,480
to be a strange mix of thinking
about trying to produce
777
00:49:03,480 --> 00:49:07,240
the very best product you can,
but also if I may say it,
778
00:49:07,240 --> 00:49:10,080
being kind of slightly hippy dippy
about things as well.
779
00:49:10,080 --> 00:49:13,920
Yeah, I guess now we've
come to understand and realise
780
00:49:13,920 --> 00:49:16,640
that taking that
hippy dippy approach
781
00:49:16,640 --> 00:49:19,000
is commercially a benefit for us
782
00:49:19,000 --> 00:49:23,760
and it's something we realised years
ago that why not let the animals
783
00:49:23,760 --> 00:49:26,640
do what they want to do
and work that into our system,
784
00:49:26,640 --> 00:49:27,920
rather than forcing.
785
00:49:27,920 --> 00:49:32,360
It was a big changing moment for us
786
00:49:32,360 --> 00:49:34,680
in the way we handle our animals.
787
00:49:35,920 --> 00:49:38,640
A lot of hungry mouths to feed.
I know.
788
00:49:38,640 --> 00:49:41,680
When we have our normal 40 in here,
it's so loud.
789
00:49:43,400 --> 00:49:45,920
Key to their philosophy
is hand rearing lambs
790
00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:49,240
that have become separated
from their mothers in the field,
791
00:49:49,240 --> 00:49:53,800
something that doesn't often happen
on vast Australian farms.
792
00:49:53,800 --> 00:49:58,040
Touch and care and love
and noises that their mums make,
793
00:49:58,040 --> 00:49:59,680
we make back to them.
794
00:49:59,680 --> 00:50:03,360
Right. So we've sat and observed
the girls out in the paddock
795
00:50:03,360 --> 00:50:07,480
and they sort of do a bit of
a "mmm mmm" noise
796
00:50:07,480 --> 00:50:10,320
and we do that with them
and they instantly calm down.
797
00:50:10,320 --> 00:50:13,840
Sometimes they get born
and mum might get scared or flighty
798
00:50:13,840 --> 00:50:16,960
and run off or they'll get separated
and this little fellow
799
00:50:16,960 --> 00:50:20,160
might have been out there
screaming his lungs out all night.
800
00:50:20,160 --> 00:50:22,400
So the first thing
he wants is just a cuddle,
801
00:50:22,400 --> 00:50:25,560
because he's just a little kid
really, he's just like a baby.
802
00:50:25,560 --> 00:50:29,120
And do you find it hard
when you hand rear them,
803
00:50:29,120 --> 00:50:32,160
particularly in that
very hands-on way
804
00:50:32,160 --> 00:50:36,080
that they find it difficult to
integrate back into the flock,
805
00:50:36,080 --> 00:50:38,520
to effectively go and be
a real sheep again?
806
00:50:38,520 --> 00:50:40,920
I think that these guys
have got their own character
807
00:50:40,920 --> 00:50:43,280
because they've been
allowed to be independent,
808
00:50:43,280 --> 00:50:46,640
so they haven't had mum explaining
to them what they have to do.
809
00:50:46,640 --> 00:50:48,840
When they go out into the paddock
with the others,
810
00:50:48,840 --> 00:50:50,040
they become born leaders.
811
00:50:50,040 --> 00:50:52,680
They help us teaching
the other lambs,
812
00:50:52,680 --> 00:50:56,400
through what we call
their sheep speak, that we're OK,
813
00:50:56,400 --> 00:50:58,600
we're not going to hurt them.
814
00:51:00,120 --> 00:51:02,200
Cuddling is important here.
815
00:51:02,200 --> 00:51:06,000
The Lallys are convinced that sheep
respond to human contact,
816
00:51:06,000 --> 00:51:08,880
but there is sound
business sense too.
817
00:51:11,160 --> 00:51:15,600
A happy lamb will give you a tenderer
and more juicy product
818
00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:19,640
so we make sure that in their natural
environments we look after them
819
00:51:19,640 --> 00:51:25,720
like we do and at the end of the day
from a commercial point of view,
820
00:51:25,720 --> 00:51:29,720
the product's better,
people get a better product.
821
00:51:29,720 --> 00:51:31,320
They might pay a little bit more
822
00:51:31,320 --> 00:51:34,480
but we're certainly not triple
the price or anything like that.
823
00:51:36,520 --> 00:51:39,960
Underpinning everything
is good animal husbandry.
824
00:51:39,960 --> 00:51:42,800
They're not as hippy dippy
as they might look.
825
00:51:42,800 --> 00:51:44,480
They buy in the very best stock,
826
00:51:44,480 --> 00:51:49,000
and have invested heavily
in state-of-the-art
farm infrastructure.
827
00:51:49,000 --> 00:51:52,760
Also, they take great care over
what they feed their flock.
828
00:51:53,920 --> 00:51:56,160
At key stages in their development,
829
00:51:56,160 --> 00:51:58,920
these sheep are given
a specially blended food
830
00:51:58,920 --> 00:52:03,080
that allows their stomach lining
to develop a larger surface area.
831
00:52:03,080 --> 00:52:07,640
This creates highly efficient sheep
that can convert food into meat
832
00:52:07,640 --> 00:52:10,360
and wool at an extraordinary rate.
833
00:52:10,360 --> 00:52:12,280
We look at it like an elite athlete,
834
00:52:12,280 --> 00:52:14,480
where to perform
at the highest level
835
00:52:14,480 --> 00:52:17,880
you need to have the right intake,
the right ingredients,
836
00:52:17,880 --> 00:52:21,480
the right food to sustain
high energy.
837
00:52:21,480 --> 00:52:24,320
With a lamb and our sheep,
they're ruminant animals,
838
00:52:24,320 --> 00:52:26,080
so they have four stomachs
839
00:52:26,080 --> 00:52:30,360
and they have the ability for those
stomachs to be developed and become
840
00:52:30,360 --> 00:52:34,400
more efficient at food conversion
which means when they get fed
841
00:52:34,400 --> 00:52:38,400
a kilo of food, rather than half of
that food going out the back
842
00:52:38,400 --> 00:52:42,720
in the form of waste, we've now been
able to get rates of absorption
843
00:52:42,720 --> 00:52:46,280
to around 90-95%
into the animal's system
844
00:52:46,280 --> 00:52:49,840
which then increases
their growth rates.
845
00:52:49,840 --> 00:52:52,280
They grow more wool
and they mature at a younger age
846
00:52:52,280 --> 00:52:53,720
and grow a lot faster.
847
00:52:53,720 --> 00:52:56,120
We think sort of super
sheep of the future.
848
00:53:00,040 --> 00:53:05,000
Every day, Phil spends some quality
time communing with his flock.
849
00:53:07,200 --> 00:53:10,840
Tell me about this sheep,
that seems very friendly indeed.
850
00:53:10,840 --> 00:53:13,720
Nudge was special,
he was a premature lamb
851
00:53:13,720 --> 00:53:16,960
and was so small he couldn't
reach mum to drink.
852
00:53:16,960 --> 00:53:19,920
Normally in the past, he would have
been left in the paddock to die,
853
00:53:19,920 --> 00:53:23,760
so we identified him early and
picked him up and hand raised him
854
00:53:23,760 --> 00:53:27,000
and he's never ever forgotten
that ability or that process
855
00:53:27,000 --> 00:53:30,480
of being hand fed from a young age
where he would come up
856
00:53:30,480 --> 00:53:32,400
and nudge you to get a bottle.
857
00:53:32,400 --> 00:53:35,640
He is now the matriarch
of our entire sheep flock.
858
00:53:35,640 --> 00:53:37,360
He's a leader and he's a character
859
00:53:37,360 --> 00:53:39,360
and he's a beautiful,
beautiful animal
860
00:53:39,360 --> 00:53:42,280
that would have never survived
unless we'd intervened.
861
00:53:42,280 --> 00:53:45,520
But now he's paid us back in kind
year after year after year
862
00:53:45,520 --> 00:53:48,720
where when we have to move the lambs
in to weigh them,
863
00:53:48,720 --> 00:53:52,920
which is just part of the process
for selecting lambs to go to market
864
00:53:52,920 --> 00:53:55,960
and place that product,
Nudge will walk to the gates
865
00:53:55,960 --> 00:54:00,560
and everything follows because
he is the leader of the flock
866
00:54:00,560 --> 00:54:03,480
which looks up to him
for directions.
867
00:54:03,480 --> 00:54:05,880
His contribution has been fantastic
868
00:54:05,880 --> 00:54:09,280
and we hope he's around
for many more years yet.
869
00:54:09,280 --> 00:54:12,920
But the young lambs that
we've been feeding today,
870
00:54:12,920 --> 00:54:14,840
are they the sort of Nudges
of the future?
871
00:54:14,840 --> 00:54:16,960
Absolutely they are. Yeah, they are.
872
00:54:23,400 --> 00:54:26,440
I wasn't entirely sure how practical
they were going to be.
873
00:54:26,440 --> 00:54:30,120
I did think that this might be
a sort of slightly utopian style
874
00:54:30,120 --> 00:54:34,560
of farming that was lovely and it
worked for them but that it wouldn't
875
00:54:34,560 --> 00:54:40,160
be something that could be kind
of more widely commercially viable,
876
00:54:40,160 --> 00:54:44,160
but these guys are very practical.
They have to make a living.
877
00:54:44,160 --> 00:54:47,520
They're doing a lot of things
that other farmers do.
878
00:54:47,520 --> 00:54:50,800
They're choosing animals
based on the right genetics,
879
00:54:50,800 --> 00:54:53,400
they're making
very conscious decisions,
880
00:54:53,400 --> 00:54:56,800
but it's just very interesting
that they're clearly getting
881
00:54:56,800 --> 00:55:00,440
extremely good results and therefore
high prices for the product
882
00:55:00,440 --> 00:55:02,960
that they're producing,
883
00:55:02,960 --> 00:55:08,920
but managing them in a way
that feels frankly kind of lovely.
884
00:55:12,720 --> 00:55:15,440
This looks absolutely fantastic.
885
00:55:15,440 --> 00:55:20,440
Thank you. OK, we need to eat this
meat. OK. I want to hear your....
886
00:55:20,440 --> 00:55:22,400
My opinion. Your opinion.
887
00:55:22,400 --> 00:55:24,320
Let's put it to the test.
888
00:55:28,960 --> 00:55:31,080
That really is delicious.
889
00:55:31,080 --> 00:55:36,040
So full of flavour, but has
a really nice texture as well,
890
00:55:36,040 --> 00:55:39,160
sort of soft and it's delicious.
891
00:55:41,080 --> 00:55:44,480
The Lallys believe that their
low-stress method produces
892
00:55:44,480 --> 00:55:46,400
more tender and tasty meat,
893
00:55:46,400 --> 00:55:49,920
and clients all over Australia
are more than happy
894
00:55:49,920 --> 00:55:51,560
to pay a premium for it.
895
00:55:53,040 --> 00:55:54,960
As I leave Savannah Lamb,
896
00:55:54,960 --> 00:55:59,080
I feel a surge of optimism
about the future of herding.
897
00:55:59,080 --> 00:56:02,400
While I don't think Phil
and Michelle have the solution
898
00:56:02,400 --> 00:56:06,120
to the global food crisis, I do
think they have something else.
899
00:56:06,120 --> 00:56:10,000
They're forging a great business
by blending old and new,
900
00:56:10,000 --> 00:56:14,720
combining scientific research with
good old-fashioned shepherding.
901
00:56:14,720 --> 00:56:19,000
And in a world where farmers are
having to scale up just to get by,
902
00:56:19,000 --> 00:56:23,120
Phil and Michelle are staying small
and focusing on quality,
903
00:56:23,120 --> 00:56:25,920
and that gives me hope
for the future.
904
00:56:25,920 --> 00:56:28,480
It's been a long
eye-opening journey
905
00:56:28,480 --> 00:56:31,520
from the mountain shepherds
in Afghanistan
906
00:56:31,520 --> 00:56:34,000
to the huge-scale farms
in Australia,
907
00:56:34,000 --> 00:56:39,920
and along the way I've felt
both elated and enlightened
908
00:56:39,920 --> 00:56:47,040
and sometimes just failed to see
that there can be any future at all
909
00:56:47,040 --> 00:56:50,200
for the ancient tradition
of herding.
910
00:56:53,520 --> 00:56:57,120
In Afghanistan, I saw the origins
of shepherding -
911
00:56:57,120 --> 00:57:02,000
proud people struggling to survive,
utterly dependent on their animals,
912
00:57:02,000 --> 00:57:05,520
as their ancestors have been
for thousands of years.
913
00:57:09,240 --> 00:57:12,760
The alpaca herders of the high Andes
were at a crossroads,
914
00:57:12,760 --> 00:57:15,920
an ancient people entering
the modern world,
915
00:57:15,920 --> 00:57:19,040
having to choose between
tradition and progress.
916
00:57:21,840 --> 00:57:27,160
And the Australian shepherds,
with their vast farms
and hi tech methods,
917
00:57:27,160 --> 00:57:29,640
are the face of herding's future.
918
00:57:29,640 --> 00:57:34,200
With all the challenges of the next
few decades, it feels inevitable
919
00:57:34,200 --> 00:57:39,320
that we will have to embrace new
technologies and industrial farming,
920
00:57:39,320 --> 00:57:42,760
with all the ethical
and moral dilemmas they bring.
921
00:57:42,760 --> 00:57:44,960
I suspect, like it or not,
922
00:57:44,960 --> 00:57:48,560
scientists will become
the new farmers,
923
00:57:48,560 --> 00:57:54,200
but I hope that there may also be
a place for a more traditional way
924
00:57:54,200 --> 00:57:57,800
of raising livestock
and producing meat
925
00:57:57,800 --> 00:58:01,400
and I also hope that in
our insatiable desire
926
00:58:01,400 --> 00:58:03,600
for plentiful, cheap food,
927
00:58:03,600 --> 00:58:08,160
we won't lose that ancient bond
between animal and herder
928
00:58:08,160 --> 00:58:11,760
that has sustained the human race
for over 10,000 years.
929
00:58:14,280 --> 00:58:15,680
By looking to our past,
930
00:58:15,680 --> 00:58:19,640
perhaps we can solve
some of the problems of our future.
931
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Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
83141
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