Bird Flu - An Lot - Flu nan Eun

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An Lot/The Croft

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Documentary following Donald MacSween as he tries to make it as a full-time crofter.

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Donald MacSween

An Lot/The Croft: Bird Flu - An Lot - Flu nan Eun

An Lot - Flu nan Eun

BBC ALBA - An Lot/The Croft, Bird Flu - An Lot - Flu nan Eun

Prògram sònraichte mu dheidhinn flu nan eun. A special episode on the impact of bird flu. 

We return to An Lot in Ness, the most northerly part of Lewis with Donald Macsween or 'Sweeny' for a special programme about the impact of bird flu.

Tha sinn air ais air An Lot ann an Nis ann am fìor cheann a Tuath Leòdhais còmhla ri Dòmhnall Macsuain no “Sweeny” mar as fheàrr a dh’ aithnichear e airson prògram sònraichte mu dheidhinn cuspair a tha air a bhith gu mòr anns na naidheachdan bho chionn ghoirid agus a tha a’ toirt buaidh air iomadach croitear agus tuathanach chearcan – flu nan eun. 
Aig aon àm, bha na cearcan nam pàirt mhòr dhan teachd a-steach aig Sweeny, ach le na cunnartan a thaobh flu nan eun thar nam bliadhnaichean, tha e air a bhith a’ gearradh air ais. Anns a’ phrògram seo, tha sinne ag ionnsachadh mu mar a tha flu nan eun air greim fhaighinn air na cearcan aig Sweeny. Ciamar a tha an call seo a’ dol a thoirt buaidh air a’ bheatha mar chroitear an dèidh a bhith cumail chearcan agus a’ reic uighean fad naoi bliadhna?   

Thairis air a’ bhliadhna a chaidh seachad ann an Alba, chaidh ochd ceud mìle ’s seasgad chearc a chall air sgàth flu nan eun. Tha Sweeny a’ faighinn cothrom bruidhinn ris an tuathanach chearcan, Robert Chapman, air an tug flu nan eun buille chruaidh, is e a’ call dà cheud mìle cearc. Ciamar a tha an tuathanach seo air a bhith a’ dèiligeadh ri bhith a’ call àireamh mhòr de chearcan agus dè a’ chomhairle a th’ aige do Sweeny? Tha Sweeny cuideachd a’ gabhail ùine air falbh bhon lot is e a’ dol a Dhùn Èideann a bhruidhinn ri Sheila Voas, prìomh Lighiche-sprèidh na h-Alba, mu cò às a tha flu nan eun a’ tighinn agus mar a tha e air sgapadh cho luath. 

Feumaidh Sweeny fhèin a bhith a’ faiceallach nach glac e càil agus tha uallach air deuchainnean a dhèanamh air na mucan cuideachd, gun fhios nach robh gin de na cearcan faisg orra. Tha sinn còmhla ri Sweeny aig aon de na h-amannan as miosa dha air an Lot fhad ’s a tha e a’ tachairt.  Ciamar a tha e a’ dèiligeadh ri cùisean, ciamar a tha e a’ faireachdainn agus dè tha fainear dhan Lot mura bi cearcan aige? 
We return to An Lot in Ness, the most northerly part of Lewis with Donald Macsween or “Sweeny” as he is best known for a special programme about a subject, dominant in the news lately, which has had a devastating impact on many crofters and poultry farmers – bird flu. 

At one time, hens were a large part of Sweeny’s income, but with the dangers of bird flu he has been cutting back on the numbers he has been keeping over the years. In this programme, we learn about bird flu and how it has affected Sweeny’s hens. How is this devasting loss going to impact his life as a crofter after keeping hens and selling eggs for nine years? 

Over the last year in Scotland, 860, 000 poultry have been lost to bird flu. With that in mind, Sweeny gets the opportunity to speak to poultry farmer, Robert Chapman, whose farm has been hit really badly, losing 200,000 hens in one go. How is this farmer dealing with losing large numbers of hens and what advice does he have for Sweeny? 

Sweeny also takes time out to go to Edinburgh to speak to Sheila Voas, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland to learn about where bird flu comes from and why it has spread so quickly. He also has to take antiviral medication to make sure that he doesn’t pick up the virus himself and has a responsibility to test his pigs in case of any cross contamination. We spend time with him during one of the most worrying times on the croft. How does he deal with the situation, how does he feel and what lies ahead if he can’t keep hens? 

In Gaelic with English subtitles

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