Author Topic: Farming on TV (Read 6650 times)

waterbuffalofarmer · « **Reply #15 on:** March 23, 2016, 06:36:24 pm »

My favourite farming couple are the hill farmers george and sybil, I really love their way of life and how they struggle through it all.

Clarebelle · « **Reply #16 on:** March 23, 2016, 07:39:48 pm »

I am enjoying the programme and so is my daughter which is great but I can't say I enjoyed watching 'jumbo' struggle to support his own weight after four days with the emphasis on what a potentially great breeding bull he might be. I guess that is 'this farming life' though, commercially driven genetics which put less emphasis on a calf who is up in minutes, cows who are good natured enough to not need tying up etc. I don't know, I guess I'm just not a fan of these Arnold Schwarzenegger bulls!

shygirl · « **Reply #17 on:** March 23, 2016, 07:56:31 pm »

loving the programme. loving Cybil too.

john and helen · « **Reply #18 on:** March 23, 2016, 09:44:18 pm »

loving all of them…so different in so many ways.yet still the same goal

HappyHippy · « **Reply #19 on:** March 23, 2016, 11:57:09 pm »

Quote from: Clarebelle on March 23, 2016, 07:39:48 pm

I am enjoying the programme and so is my daughter which is great but I can't say I enjoyed watching 'jumbo' struggle to support his own weight after four days with the emphasis on what a potentially great breeding bull he might be. I guess that is 'this farming life' though, commercially driven genetics which put less emphasis on a calf who is up in minutes, cows who are good natured enough to not need tying up etc. I don't know, I guess I'm just not a fan of these Arnold Schwarzenegger bulls!

I don't think they deliberately bred him to be a big calf. I'm sure they'd said that his mum had calved the previous year and lost the calf, so she was in great condition when she conceived and didn't have a calf sooking from her so the calf she was carrying had loads of goodness and did lots of growing - I was on the edge of my seat when they were calving him, it's a great programme

Clarebelle · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2016, 06:45:56 am »

Yes, I do totally get that. I know there was an explanation for why he was so big, the bit that bothered me about it was when the narrator said the guy would be hoping jumbo might be the next big bull or whatever and I just thought, hmm, he can't even stand up after 4 four days, Im not sure he's prime breeding material. It makes me think they prize quantity (of muscle) over quality.

Anyway, perhaps a debate for another thread

I am really enjoying the programme though there is a nice variety and different scales/methods of farming, very interesting.