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Farming Today: Farming Today This Week

Farming Today This Week

28/01/2012

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, Farming Today This Week

Confused crops and bewildered wildlife - how the mild winter is affecting the countryside.

Charlotte Smith hears about the effect of this winter's warm temperatures on wildlife, plants, crops and livestock.

This winter's warm weather is affecting wildlife, plants, crops and livestock across the UK. January has been two degrees celsius warmer on average, and follows a similarly warm December. Charlotte Smith visits Ragley Hall Estate in Warwickshire to discover how this alters woodlands, confuses crops and improves lambing.

The mild weather means that there are plenty of berries for birds to eat and many species are thriving. Angela Frain visits Lower Smite Farm which is owned by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. She joins Steve Bloomfield and Caroline Corsie to search for birds, bugs and worms.

The warm temperatures also means that there is more food for farmland pests. Clare Freeman joins Peter Crowther from Rutland Pest Control to visit a mice infested farm in Northamptonshire. At the other end of the country, John Picken who farms near St Andrews tells Charlotte that they are struggling from too much rain.

Farmers are even changing the way that they care for their livestock because of the warm weather. Emma Weatherill visits Shropshire farmer Malcolm Roberts who is keeping his cows outside to calf.

Presented by Charlotte Smith. Produced by Emma Weatherill.

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