Winter is coming, and as temperatures drop and snows fall, it’s important to keep your animals safe from the cold.
Dramatic footage shows the lengths two farmers went to do save their flock of sheep, who became trapped under a giant snow drift after a recent snowstorm.
First priority yesterday was checking the flock, 3 young rams were missing & could only find 6 ewes. My heart sank as fields, walls had been joined by drifts & gateways blocked. Ideal place for the sheep to take shelter. Droopsy emerging from there shelter spirits lifted #storm pic.twitter.com/1KlO4S6JsC
— Herdwicks of Highfields Farm (@highfieldsherdy) November 28, 2021
Nev Barker and his wife Kate are the operators of Highfields Farm in Staffordshire, England. Among the animals on their property is a flock of about 50 sheep.
But on Saturday, a huge snowstorm caused chaos on the farm, knocking out power for over two days. Nev told BBC that “all hell broke loose.”
Checking on the flock, the couple became concerned when they only saw six sheep, and saw much of the farm overwhelmed with 10-foot-high snow drifts. They feared most of their sheep were trapped or worse.
“The access into our fields was just thick with drifts,” Kate told the Daily Mail. “We were up to our waists, it was that deep we were just sinking. Panic set in.”
Thankfully, the couple soon discovered that most of the flock had made their way to the safety of the barn:
Luckily as we made our way back to the farm we never dreamt they would be here. This area usually fills & even from the house the gates were covered. Nev shouted 'there here' a quick count up & we started digging the back of the shed out to get them inside. Still some missing... pic.twitter.com/AyB9a4oFX6
— Herdwicks of Highfields Farm (@highfieldsherdy) November 28, 2021
Worried for all the flock, but Bracken is one of our youngest. Her first encounter with snow. Spirited & strong. As I came over the drift she greeted me with her 'baa' - relief, a hug, then battled on to rescue the others. #herdwick #cade #farming #peakdistrict #snow #winter pic.twitter.com/opBHS8KNPO
— Herdwicks of Highfields Farm (@highfieldsherdy) November 29, 2021
However, a few were still missing. The couple ventured out into the snow and searched for the missing members of the flock.
Soon, they discovered the sheep were trapped inside the snow drift. They rushed to dig out the freezing cold animals.
We started searching in the drift in front of the barn entrance. Prodding the drift every so often with our crooks. You can see how difficult the conditions were & how deep the sheep had become buried. Such a whirlwind of emotions, you have to dig deep literally and stay strong pic.twitter.com/ePkQsirHEr
— Herdwicks of Highfields Farm (@highfieldsherdy) November 29, 2021
The couple shared dramatic footage and photos of their desperate rescue. Saving the animals was no easy task.
“You can see how difficult the conditions were & how deep the sheep had become buried,” they wrote on Twitter. “Such a whirlwind of emotions, you have to dig deep literally and stay strong.”
Digging out #StormARWEN pic.twitter.com/T3jRKEOEie
— Herdwicks of Highfields Farm (@highfieldsherdy) November 29, 2021
Thankfully, they were able to get the three sheep out of the snow and bring them to safety. They were all unharmed, and rejoined their flock in the warmth of the barn.
Nev told BBC that their farm is still snowed in, but thankfully their power returned on Monday.
The sheep seem unfazed by their adventure in the snow: photos show them happily snacking on hay after “weathering the storm,” and the owners praised their “survival instinct.”
Thankful for the delivery of beautiful hay after they had weathered the storm. Grown from our own traditional hay meadows throughout the summer months. A wonderful satisfying scene to know they enjoy & appreciate what nature & farmer has provided. #snow #winterfeed #herdwicks pic.twitter.com/Eq2mR6UFSg
— Herdwicks of Highfields Farm (@highfieldsherdy) December 3, 2021
What a dramatic rescue! Thank you to these farmers for saving these sheep! We’re so glad the whole flock is safe now!
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