(cheery music) - [Narrator] In the heart of glorious north Yorkshire lies the quaint market town of Thirsk.

(cheery music) Here the world's most famous vet, James Herriot, lived, worked and wrote his best-selling books.

His former surgery and home are now a museum.

But his practice lives on near by.

(phone rings) - Good morning, Skeldale Veterinary Centre!

- We still feel that we've got that every ethos, you know, mixed with different type of animals.

You feel like you're part of the community rather than just being a professional who does his job and goes home.

That's a beauty!

The miracle of life!

- [Narrator] Julian Norton is the Yorkshire Vet.

- [Julian] It's a great place to be.

I don't think I'd want to be working or living anywhere else really.

- [Narrator] Julian runs the practice alongside partner and former Herriot trainee, Peter Wright.

- [Peter] I would've put me top on.

I'm not crazy to well turn disease.

(all laughing) - [Narrator] Here, together with Skeldale's dedicated team, - Look at you with that big tummy full of babies.

- [Narrator] They treat animals of all shapes, sizes, types and temperaments.

(pig screeching) - Oh Fi, you're being sick everywhere!

- [Narrator] It's definitely not glamorous, but it's varied.

- [Peter] He's a fine chap!

- Not the biggest testicles though.

- No, maybe not.

(both laughing) - [Narrator] It's rarely easy.

- Naughty!

- [Narrator] As the Yorkshire vet carries on the Herriot tradition, looking after all creatures great and small.

(regal music) (cheery music) - [Narrator] It's mid spring in Yorkshire.

Late lambs are gambling in the clover and calves are grazing the lush grass.

(upbeat music) Vet's call-outs are part of the daily work of the surgery.

(cheery music) Most visits are to familiar livestock, but today, Julian's been called out to a farm where they breed more exotic creatures.

(upbeat music) - There's a suspicion the male alpaca that we're going to visit this afternoon is not fertile.

The hard bit will be getting the sample.

What we need, in this case, is a female alpaca that's in season, and we need to intervene just at the right moment.

(upbeat music) - [Narrator] It's breeder Jackie's prize winner male that has the, well, problem.

- [Jackie] This is Lethario.

I mated him with eight girls last year and none of them got pregnant, so he's not living up to his name at the moment.

- Jackie, this is what we use for bulls when we collect samples from bulls.

Would that be useful?

With a bull you kind of use that to collect the sample- - Where does that go?

- So, the penis goes in there.

But that wouldn't be any good really, would it?

Probably not quite the same dimensions as a... - The thing is, is he doesn't get it right in.

- We'll miss, okay.

- Well we'll just use your technique then.

- [Narrator] To get Lethario's pulse racing, Jackie's chosen one of the prettiest alpacas, KiKi Dee.

- 'Cause she's not pregnant, she'll sit down hopefully, and play ball and hopefully let him do his stuff.

- [Jackie] Okay, can you shut the doors for me please?

- [Narrator] Apparently the best position for Alpacas is sitting down.

But Kiki doesn't seem to know that.

- Sit down.

- [Narrator] Jackie's waiting with her specially improvised sperm collector, a sandwich bag.

- He looks keen enough anyway, doesn't he?

- Yeah, yeah.

- [Narrator] Kiki's just not that into it.

- Looks like Lethario's feeling the pressure.

- [Narrator] Jackie brings in more females.

She's hoping a bit of competition might make KiKi more keen.

- [Julian] This is turning into veritable alpaca orgy.

- [Narrator] They get down to business and Jackie gets ready to pounce.

- I think we're on the purse of getting a sample.

- [Narrator] But the alpacas haven't been shorn yet and Lethario's fleece seems to be coming between them.

- Anything there?

Only a tiny sample unfortunately.

And it's mainly bubbles.

But between the bubbles, there's not any mobile sperm at all.

So, might get to watch more alpacas mating.

- Animals never do what you want them to do when you want them to do it.

And it is a bit early in the season.

- Slightly disappointing.

I think it would've nice to have got a more reliable sample, but I think it was always going to be a bit hit and miss.

- [Narrator] Julian will retest Lethario in a few weeks time.

Perhaps by then he might've got his mojo back.

(upbeat music) Back at the surgery there's a lot of dogs to be seen to.

One of them is an emergency.

- How old is she now?

- She's four.

- Not a very old mountain dog, either, are we?

- [Narrator] Vet Sarah was brought up in the United States.

But her family roots are in Yorkshire.

Today she's examining Miley, the Burnese Mountain dog, brought in by owner Jill after being in labor for 24 hours.

- [Sarah] Oh, you can feel them kicking, huh?

- Been thinking she's gonna have them for a few days, but last night she was really, really unsettled.

She hasn't slept at all.

She's been panting all night, little darling.

- [Narrator] Miley's recent scan showed she could be carrying 3 puppies.

- I'm just gonna do a vaginal exam.

We'll have a look, right?

Oh, I know, kiddo.

Yeah, she's not overly open, so I can barely fit those two fingers in and if she was doing it properly, you should really be able to sort of fit the puppies with the fingers in.

And I think probably, for the best outcome for her and the best outcome for puppies, if we can just go in there and get them out with a cesarean.

- Yeah.

- [Sarah] Alright, I'll just go get the consent form.

Be right back.

- [Narrator] The longer she's in labor, the higher the risk for her and her pups.

(suspenseful music) - We'll get you set out there.

I'll go get one of the girls to make you a coffee, okay?

- [Narrator] An emergency cesarean is the only option for Miley and it's an anxious wait for owner Jill.

(suspenseful music) - One, two, three!

Oh, God (mumbles an exclamation).

- It's quite a long time for her to be in labor without doing anything.

Worst case scenario is that we get in there and all of the pups are dead.

(suspenseful music) - [Narrator] Still to come: - She looks quite friendly today!

- [Narrator] Julian meets a pig with attitude.

- You're a braver man than me if you'll go in with her.

- [Narrator] A cat who's life may be on the line.

- I think there's a number of abnormalities on this x-ray.

- [Narrator] And there's trouble down at the farm for two of the surgery's oldest clients.

- With the cows gone, the soul just goes out of the buildings.

- Two hundred years of being cows on here.

(cheery music) - [Narrator] In Yorkshire, farming's in the blood.

What's learned on the land is passed down from generation to generation.

(cheery music) Julian's being called out to visit one of the last of an ancient bloodline of pigs.

- They're called Mangalitsa pigs and they're very unusual because they're covered in wool.

- [Narrator] The aristocratic breed dates back hundreds of years.

During that, time they've established quite a reputation.

- You know, they're quite wild, quite dangerous.

Similar in temperament to wild boars in some ways.

And there is a serious risk of death, if not severe injury.

And I think they're quite hard to breed as well.

Now then, you're alright.

- [Narrator] Monica, the sow, has given birth to three piglets.

Two males and a female.

- So, how's thing's then Lisa, not so good?

- Well, not so good to be honest.

She hasn't bone with her food, she's knocked over all the water.

I've been trying to tempt her with a few bits and bobs and then she gets some bits of food into her, but that's about it.

She's in a right mood, I mean, this breed's quite vocal to start with.

But she's just really growly and grouchy and just not herself at all.

- She sounds very agitated, - She is.

- doesn't she though?

- She is.

- Have you been in with her at all to see the pigs?

- No, not really.

I've just watched them from here.

They seem to be doing alright.

They seem to be getting plenty milk from her.

It was her welfare I'm more concerned for, really.

- And how amenable is she to being examined?

At all or?

- You're a braver man than me if you'll go in with her.

- Are you going to say hello?

Hello, she looks quite friendly today.

Or is that deceptive?

Alright.

(Monica growls) - I'm thinking what on Earth are we going to do to get an examination of this pig.

Rather than stress her out too much and risk being attacked by those big, sharp tusks, - And crushing babies.

- And squashing the babies, of course, if we can inject her while she's in there.

Just with something to maybe stimulate her appetite, as much as anything.

- That would be good.

- You've got that injector, haven't you, for her?

- Yes, we've got the MasterJect, yeah.

You wanna try her with that?

- I think that might be the best thing to do if we can.

Lisa's got a special injecting device that means we can inject aggressive pigs from a distance so we don't need to get in right next to them.

And so we can do it from a safe distance.

- She's trying to keep them in there.

She sees us as predators, I think.

- She'll see me as a predator when I come here with my big spear.

Right, let me go and get loaded up.

- [Narrator] Lisa's been rearing Mangalitsa pigs for three years.

- Mangalitsa means a large pig.

And they carry about 50% lard, 50% meat.

It's very marbled, really tasty and the fat's really healthy.

It's high in manured saturates, omega-3.

It's just absolutely brilliant.

It's sort of the waggy with pigs, really.

- [Narrator] To get Monica fighting fit, Julian has to get her to eat.

The syringe is packed full of vitamins and a tonic to boost her appetite.

- Once that big needle goes into her neck, then she's going to up very rapidly.

So I'll need to make a very hasty departure.

Feel like a warrior going into war, don't you, with this spear?

I could get in there and do it, can I?

Or would that be dangerous?

- I would leave the gate up.

(both laughing) - Okay.

(curious music) - And, so, I'd be literally just... - Shove it into her and run for your life.

- Seriously?

Run for my life?

Is it going to be that bad?

(Monica screaching and Julian yelling) You like that?

- Yeah!

(both laughing) - Monica, sorry about that old girl.

She is quick, isn't she, Lisa, you're right!

- She is, fun isn't it?

- Yeah, fun!

I mean, she doesn't look that polly does she (mumbles)?

(Monica grunts) Hopefully that will help.

That was a good full dose, that I've issued.

- Yeah.

- That would've been very, very dangerous for me to have gone in there.

- Oh, she'd have killed ya.

(Monica growling) - I'll keep out the way.

She doesn't like me.

- [Julian] Do you think we should leave her alone now?

- I think we should maybe leave her.

- Let her calm herself down.

- The last thing we want is to let her get too het up.

- Come back and check on her later.

- Good enough.

- [Narrator] With the hope that Monica's appetite will return, Julian heads back to the safety of the surgery.

(Monica grunting) (cheery music) - [Narrator] Earlier, we met Miley.

- Oh, you can feel them kicking, huh?

- [Narrator] The pregnant Bernese Mountain dog.

- Best outcome for her and best outcome for puppies, if we can just go in there and get them out with a cesarean.

- [Narrator] She's been in labor for more than 24 hours.

- Worst case scenario is that we get in there and all of the pups are dead.

(suspenseful music) - [Narrator] On her recent scan, they spotted three puppies.

- [Sarah] We diagnose pregnancies by ultrasound scan.

And because ultrasound scans are a moving picture, it can be very difficult to tell exactly how many are there.

(suspenseful music) - This is the uterus.

See a little person just there.

We need to get the things out enough and we can get to everyone.

(suspenseful music) - [Narrator] The first pup is out.

It's Nurse Rachel's job to coax him into life.

- It's a good sound.

Wanna give me second puppy?

- [Narrator] With the second, pup the problem is clear.

- [Sarah] Sorry.

- [Rachel] Breach?

- [Sarah] Breach, yeah, that's why we weren't doing anything.

So that one was backwards.

And he will be the reason why no one else could come, 'cause we were backwards.

(puppy yowling) - [Narrator] That's two big, healthy pups delivered.

- Another breach.

- [Narrator] There's another.

Number three.

- [Rachel] No wonder, they were shifted.

- [Narrator] But here's number four!

- She's a big dog, she has a big uterus.

- [Narrator] And another.

- You can see the size of the pups and the size of the dog.

There's a lot of moving about that we have to do to be able reach everyone.

- [Narrator] And another!

They just keep coming.

- Can't imagine we have anyone left after this one.

- Is there one more?

- [Sarah] Yes.

(cheerful music) - [Narrator] Jill's yet to find out the total.

Even Rachel has to do a double check.

- (mumbles) Eight.

Wait, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, yeah.

Suspect you are the smallest, or are ya?

Little boy, you are the runt!

- [Narrator] Mother and puppies are all safe and well.

- So there were three on scan, you have eight.

- Oh really?

(Sarah laughing) Oh, darling.

- So she's a bit tired.

She's still coming around from her anesthetic.

- Oh, sweetheart.

- [Sarah] She did very, very well.

- Hi darling, you okay sweetheart?

Aw, good girl.

(puppies whining and people talking over each other) - [Sarah] Is this yours?

You've done very well.

(Jill mumbling) - Good girl, yeah you're good girl.

(Jill and Sarah talking at the same time) - You're a clever little girl.

We don't want nobody to be left out.

- [Sarah] It'll help her feel better as well, getting rid of some of that milk that's building up.

Then we will get you all home.

(happy music) (puppies whining) (upbeat music) - [Narrator] The lush pastures around Thirsk have been grazed by dairy cattle for hundreds of years.

Peter's returning to two of his favorite clients.

A couple who spent most of their lives with cows and each other.

- We wouldn't swap one another for the world.

(proud music) These are my pals.

All of them.

There's no better than a good old cow.

- [Narrator] Steve and Jeanie Green married nearly 40 years ago.

- [Jeanie] We're happy enough.

Get up in the mornin' and enjoy the day, whatever it throws at me.

I'm happy and grateful to be alive.

- [Narrator] The couple's dairy farm has been their livelihood and life's work.

But it's a life that's taken its toll.

(sad music) - [Peter] Steve had to go into a hospital soon after an operation and sadly, they said at his age he won't be able to continue looking after his cows.

Jeanie rang me at home this morning in floods of tears to say we're to go down and examine them for pregnancy because the cows are going to have to be sold.

(sad music) Steve was on this farm when James Herriot came to Thirsk.

It's a very sad day.

Very sad for all of us.

Because there aren't many people left like Steve and Jeanie.

- [Narrator] Peter's been their vet and friend since his days as a trainee with James Herriot.

- [Jeanie] Known him since '82.

And I think the world of that lad, and that lad knows, don't you son?

- [Peter] You're making me blush now Jean.

- [Jeanie] Oh, you (Jeanie mumbles) - [Peter] These animals, they're not here for productive, economical purposes.

They're just mates of Steve's.

- [Narrator] If the cows are in calf, they'll fetch a better price at auction.

- This is the only farm I come to where people put me gloves on for me.

Right, how's Steve?

- He's alright.

He's waiting for them lot to tell 'im.

I'm just gonna ring him back now and see what's happening.

'Cause they were supposed to ring me back 'cause they were waiting for two surgeons to see him.

- [Narrator] Steve's gone into hospital with a hernia.

- Who's this?

- Peanut.

- Peanut.

She's pregnant, Jeanie, in the right horn.

Eight weeks pregnant.

- [Jeanie] Hello?

To find out about Mr. Green, please?

- [Peter] Now she's probably about nine weeks Jean.

- [Narrator] Two cows are in calf.

- Yeah, but I want to know what is going on!

(Jean yells) - [Narrator] Steve can't leave hospital yet.

- Just let me know will ya?

- [Narrator] For Jean, it's just too much.

- Very upsetting Jean.

- I can't bear this.

(sad music) - [Narrator] The cows will go to auction later this week.

All of them are pregnant.

But for Steve and Jeanie, it's the end of a way of life.

(Jeanie talking to the cow) - I think this building, when these cows are gone, it'll be a bit like a mortuary a little.

They're sold, when the cows go out and the soul just goes out of the building.

There's nowhere else now where cows stand in stalls.

This was the last one.

So it's the end of an era.

End of an era, very sad.

(cheery music) - [Narrator] Back in the surgery, more patients are waiting.

Next on the list is a cat who's lost her usual spark.

- So this is Lucy who's a 10-year-old cat that's been vomiting on a regular basis.

There's an awful lot of reasons why cats can be sick.

When it comes to the diagnosis, it's very much like being a detective.

Well, we're going to do some x-rays today.

- [Narrator] While Julian tries to find out Lucy's problem, her owners, Veronica and Martin, are left waiting at home.

- I've worked for animals all me life.

I've had them all me life, but I've never had a cat.

She's our little girl and she's just wonderful.

Somewhat different so I'm attached to her.

There's one word: lost.

(Veronica sadly mumbles) Yeah, okay.

- Obviously with Lucy lying on her side, backbone there, pelvis there, back legs, tail.

Those are the intestines in here.

For one of two things that aren't quite normal on this x-ray.

Though they're fairly subtle signs, there's tiny little bits of kinda calcified deposit in the middle of the bowel.

Which is often indicative of slow progress through the intestines.

You can the large intestine is deviated downwards.

Which usually means something's pushing from above, so I think there's a number of abnormalities on this x-ray.

(sad music) To take things further, in terms of diagnosis, we would need to do exploratory surgery to see what's happening in the abdomen.

Hey Martin, it's Julian here.

Just a word about Lucy, we've done some x-rays.

And it looks like there's a mass in her abdomen, which I think is a lymph node that's enlarged.

- [Narrator] Lucy's owners give Julian permission to operate.

(suspenseful music) - [Martin] She means that much to us.

We've gone for the operation and hopefully, everything could come out rosey.

But, it's a fact of life, animals are animals.

We've got to accept what happens.

We know Julian and the rest of the team will do the best.

- [Narrator] Coming up, life for the Green's is about to change forever.

- Bye Spotty, bye Lola, bye Bobtail.

- [Narrator] And we find out what's troubling Lucy.

- [Julian] Veronica's very attached to Lucy, so I'm really hopeful we can sort things out.

(sad music and birds chirping) - [Narrator] It's a bittersweet day at Green's farm.

- You man it?

- Yeah.

- [Narrator] Steve's out of hospital.

- Can you just bring me that?

(Steve mumbles) - [Narrator] But this life must change.

- I'm very heartbroke, really.

But (mumbles), it'd be a bit much for me in winter.

(cows mooing) - Two hundred years of being cows on here.

I just can't cope.

- [Narrator] Jean can't manage alone.

So they're saying farewell to their dairy herd.

(sad music) (Jean yells instructions) The cows will be sold at auction later this afternoon.

- Four come out here, - Yeah.

three come out that way.

You better shut the gate.

(sad music) Do you want to let her out for the last time?

(Jeanie talking in the background) - [Narrator] After a lifetime together, it's not easy to say goodbye.

(sad music) I'm gonna miss you's.

She's slow, just be careful with her.

(sad music) (Jeanie crying) - [Jeanie] Bye Giraffe, bye Spotty, bye Lola, bye Bobtail.

(Jeanie cries) - [Narrator] The couple still have other animals.

But the herd's been at the center of their lives.

(truck starts and Jeanie cries) - Bye, cows!

- [Narrator] As the cows set off for a new life, Steve and Jeanie are left with a lifetime of memories.

(sad music) - I love them cows like loving kids.

That's the end of the matter.

- We've still got these (mumbles) - I know, but I liked the old girls, I did.

- The old girls were me favorite.

I wonder what kind of home they'll get.

They won't be treated like we did.

(Jeanie cries) (sad music) (mysterious music) - [Narrator] It's time for the daily dose of lost and homeless pets.

- Hello!

Somebody has a doggy here.

- Yeah, the telephone number on his collar.

- But no answer?

- But there's no answer.

- I'll just put this slip lead on him.

- Okay.

- Come on, good boy!

Rachel, could you?

- [Rachel] Stand real still for me.

There is a phone number on his collar and they've tried ringing it - [Rachel] Yes.

He's microchipped.

So he should have an owner.

We're just finding out, at the moment.

(dog barks) (sad music) - [Julian] Come on, Lucy.

- [Narrator] Earlier, we met Lucy.

- Crikey, you're a heavy cat.

- [Narrator] She's not keeping her food down.

Now, she's having an op to find out why.

Lucy's been Martin and Veronica's pet for 11 years, after they found her as a stray.

- [Martin] Just somehow got attached to us both.

(mumbles) but we've both grown to her.

(sad music) She's part of us, she's like a little baby.

That's how I can describe it.

She's a baby for us.

She's a real lovely cat.

Lovely nature and I love her to pieces.

- [Narrator] Julian's hoping the mass he's seen on Lucy's x-ray will respond to treatment.

(sad music) - [Julian] Always in cats, there's always quite a large amount of subcutaneous fat.

This isn't looking very good, unfortunately.

There's a large tumor that's underneath the large intestine and extending quite a long way in both directions towards the anus area.

And there's also lots of little secondaries dotted through the rest of the abdomen.

Ordinarily we could remove the mass and remove the intestines but other problems, 'cause it's so far down to the large intestine, that's not going to be surgically viable either.

So this is not good, unfortunately.

- [Narrator] The cancer has spread too far.

- I'll need to speak to Martin and Veronica and see what they want to do.

At best, we can hope for palliative kind of treatment.

But there isn't any hope of surgical cure in this case.

- [Narrator] While Rachel makes Lucy comfortable, Julian has to break the news.

- [Julian] It's not great, unfortunately.

There's quite a big tumor that's derived from the lymph node and it's cancerous and it's not going to be possible to remove that because it's too close to the rectum.

We can use some palliative treatment.

It's a steroid treatment that can sometimes reduce the rate of growth of these tumors.

If nothing else, it might give Veronica time to kinda come to terms with things.

Right, she's a lovely little cat, isn't she?

And I think, you know, we've got to do what we can.

- [Narrator] Lucy's owners take Julian's advice.

The steroids will give her a better quality of life for the time she has left.

(cheery music and birds chirping) - [Narrator] Earlier on, a lost Labrador was handed into the surgery.

- He's quite a big, stocky lad, isn't he?

- [Narrator] Because he was microchipped, it wasn't hard for the nurses to track down his owner.

(dog barks) - A black dog, Branson.

- Branson.

- Yes.

- Do you know to take (mumbles) (mumbles response) - He'll run to ya.

- Well, how've you been doing?

Very grateful, whoever brought him in.

- Right.

- And thank you very much.

- [Narrator] It turns out Branson's quite an escape artist.

- Sort of a trick with the handle at the back of the van.

And he gone wanders and I don't know where.

It's very good that somebody's obviously brought him in.

Thank you very much!

(cheerful music) - [Narrator] Thirsk's lifeblood is farming.

And it's auction is at the heart of rural life.

Machinery and stock change hands here.

(people talking) - Hello, Peanut.

- [Narrator] But today, it's Jeanie's life that's changing.

- Come on, have a banana, that's it.

- [Narrator] She's come to say goodbye to her cows.

(cows mooing) - Hey, Peanut, quiet.

Don't want no noise from you neither.

They know that you and I both watch.

Yeah, they know.

Oh, they know when you're upset.

Here, Fester.

You're beautiful, aren't you?

Ah, you know it's end that road, don't you darling?

I just hope they get a good home and not ill treated.

They don't need it.

Treat them with respect and it'll look after you.

(sad music) It's a sad day girls.

- [Narrator] Jeanie's cows are about to come onto the hangar.

- 50 bid, 250, 280 anybody?

- Hi, ya, son.

- [Narrator] An old friend is on hand to support her.

- How's things, alright?

- I didn't know whether you could bare to stay, to be honest.

- Well, I've got to do.

- Seven, 20, 15, 18.

- [Peter] I felt as if I had to come if I could because these cows were Steve and Jeanie's life really.

And it is the end of era and I just came to support her.

And I think that's what matters.

They knew it was somewhat wrong this morning.

They did.

I'm glad you've come.

(sad music) - [Narrator] Jeanie wants the sale to be on her own terms.

- [Auction Worker] Go on, girl, hurry.

- [Jeanie] Two-one-eight, this is Peanut.

Peanut!

- [Narrator] There's one last thing she has to do for her beloved herd.

- I want to do it, mate.

I want to do it meself please?

(suspenseful music) Hello Bobtail.

British Blue.

Tony, this is Sprocket.

(auctioneer speaking quickly) Right.

(auctioneer speaking quickly) (bittersweet music) Oh yeah, I'll give you (mumbles).

- 518, 518 anybody, 518 anybody, 519.

- Bye Giraffe, goodbye old girl.

(sad music) - But thanks for coming anyhow, mate.

- Well, anyway, we'll see you soon.

- See you soon Pete, take care love.

- [Peter] Hopefully they've gone on to a good home.

And I think that's what matters.

Jean and Steve would want them to go to a good home, so I hope they've got one.

- See ya babies, I'll see ya (mumbles).

- [Narrator] Coming up, - [Julian] You're a good lad - [Narrator] Can Lethario finally live up to his name?

- He's a real gentleman.

- [Narrator] And the Green's begin life without their dairy herd.

- Well, I'm glad to see you look well.

Maybe it's because you have less work to do, is it?

- [Narrator] Stoats are frisking in the meadows.

Ducks are dabbling in the stream.

Yorkshire is teeming with life.

But not for all creatures great and small.

- [Jackie] This is Lethario.

- [Narrator] Earlier, we met a stud alpaca who's been firing blanks.

- I think we're on the purse of getting a sample.

- [Narrator] Despite putting his all into it, he didn't make the grade in his fertility test.

- [Julian] It's mainly bubbles.

(silly music) - [Narrator] Now he's been transformed.

With a new haircut, he's off to woo the ladies again.

- Hi, Julian!

- Morning Jackie, you alright?

- How are you?

- Yeah, good yeah?

- I've caught Lethario and the girl, Corona.

So she's ready and willing.

She's been teasing him quite a lot, so I think it won't take long.

- Lethario's obviously a very good, quality kind of stud, isn't he?

- He's a champion fleece.

- So if he's fertile today, then he's got another kind of go.

- Yeah, yeah, he'll have got a few years of enjoyable work to do.

- [Narrator] Lethario and his new date, Corona, are introduced.

- Well, the whole situation looks a bit more promising than last time.

Wait, look, excellent.

What a boy!

- [Narrator] Lethario's seduction skills are starting to work.

- [Julian] Oh yeah, good lad!

Corona looks very content there, doesn't she?

- [Jackie] Yeah, she won't go now 'till he's finished.

So when his back goes curved, that means he's made contact.

So he's actually got inside the girl now.

- This is going a lot better than last time.

The lack of fleece has probably made all the difference to his desire.

(island-like music) I'm admiring his composure under all this pressure.

- Sometimes it can be quite boisterous with the girls, but he's a real gentleman.

And he usually lasts quite a long time.

- [Julian] Does he?

- [Jackie] Yeah.

- It's quite a civilized affair really.

And, as you can see, Nirvana is open and she is wanting to get in and be next.

- [Julian] So if you've got a pen with lots of females and you've got a stud that's as handsome as Lethario, - [Jackie] Mmhmm?

- [Julian] Are all the females just lying down?

- Yeah, they will just come and sit by the fence and wait to be next.

It's quite exhausting for the boys.

- That doesn't look very exhausting, does it now?

I'm hoping that I can just put the pipette in and get a sample out.

(hopeful music) - Moment of truth.

- [Julian] The first sample there.

- Quite nervous now.

- And there's not any movement at all I'm afraid.

- Not a good sign.

- Now, in a normal sample, you should be looking about 75% of those sperms should be moving in a forward direction.

- And there're very few of them.

- There's very few there.

- [Narrator] Lethario could be short on healthy sperm.

But the second slide will seal his fate.

- That's not good either, I'm afraid.

They're nearly all dead.

Sad news for Lethario.

That's, I fear, the end of his breeding days.

- That's a blur obviously 'cause I had hoped it would be good news.

- [Narrator] Lethario has been and well and truly fleeced.

He's lost his shaggy coat and now he's being permanently relieved of all stud duties.

- I probably will keep him, he's one of my favorites.

He's going to be a pack boy.

I think he would've preferred to be a herd sire, had he been given the choice 'cause he obviously enjoyed that.

That was the last one he'll ever do.

(happy music) - [Narrator] There's a rhythm to rural life.

Everything has it's season.

Peter is returning to the Green's farm.

- Two hundred years of cows being on here.

(happy music) I'll miss you's.

- [Narrator] Much has changed since their cows were sold.

- Bye Giraffe, goodbye old girl.

- [Narrator] As their vet and friend, he wants to find out how they're coping.

(suspenseful music) - We don't much see so much of them now since the cows went.

So I thought I'd just see how they're getting on and seeing if morale was picking up a bit.

Good morning, Mr and Mrs Green!

- Here you are sir!

(both mumble) That's why they call me Jean 'cause I'm a genius.

- You're jokes don't get any better, Mrs. Green.

- Well, that is right.

- Well I've got to say, you look well.

Maybe it's because you have less work to do, is it?

- [Narrator] Selling their cows has lightened the work load.

- Split a few logs for me fire.

- [Narrator] For Steve, at least.

- Aw, you're beautiful aren't ya?

The English sort of gorgeous.

- They're still sad because they've been doing it for so long and they've just always been there.

But things change, things move on, they're adapting.

And life's much easier for them now.

They're very happy.

Money doesn't make them happy.

What they've got there makes them happy.

And I think it's a lesson to us all lot, really.

- Yeah, he loves me.

- Careful.

- He loves me not.

- I'm feeling a lot better now, I'm getting there.

- What's in your head man?

- [Steve] Life on the farm still sort of carries on.

(Jeanie and Steve laughing) - [Narrator] Next time, on the Yorkshire Vet.

- I think we should take that eye out.

- Do you?

- [Narrator] Julian meets a dog with failing sight and crippling pain.

- [Julian] It's not the most visually aesthetic bit of surgery.

Gets worse, is all.

- [Narrator] There's drama down on the farm at a midnight calving.

- [Julian] It's not a small one, no.

It's a big one.

(cow mooing) - I brought Peggy the Wonder dog back.

- [Narrator] And one of our Burnese Mountain puppies develops an unusual appetite.

- She thought it'd be fun to chew through (mumbles).

(happy music)