麻豆社

The number of bluetongue cases since the first of July in the UK has now topped a thousand. That鈥檚 nearly three times the number of positive cases for the whole of the previous year to that date. How are farmers feeling about the UK鈥檚 largest-ever outbreak of this livestock disease?

There have been fears that livestock movement restrictions imposed to try to halt the spread of the outbreak could disrupt this autumn鈥檚 big sheep sales, which play a critical role in the shepherding year. One of UK鈥檚 biggest is Kelso Ram Sales, taking place later today in the Scottish Borders.

The National Sheep Association estimates that every year around 200 farmers are affected by sheep rustling. We hear from Laura and Sean Robinson in Cumbria, who realised they鈥檇 become victims of sheep rustlers with both rams and ewes missing from one of the fields they rent next to the busy A66.

Presented by Caz Graham and produced by Beatrice Fenton.