Ulster Television to feature Limavady rapeseed producer

Next week’s episode, ‘Rare Breed: A Farming Year,’ will air on Monday (January 27) at 8pm and shows Richard Kane under some pressure as the wet and cold weather means his rapeseed crop is behind schedule; however the worse is yet to come as artic weather cripples much of the country.

The unprecedented weather could not come at a worse time for the featured sheep farmers in Ballymena as lambing season is now in full swing with the lambs arriving thick and fast during one of the coldest nights on record.

With sheds overflowing, farmers are racing to rescue thousands of sheep that are buried in snowdrifts.

Harry Sinclair leaves his farm in the Sperrins to see some of the worst affected areas in Dromara and Rathfriland where flocks are being wiped-out.

It could take years for many farms to recover from the winter storm – for others it could mean the end.

Elsewhere, James Alexander near Toomebrige demonstrates the global appeal of the Agri-food industry here as he ships 65 weaned calves to Italy.

The Wilsons in Fermanagh attempt to strengthen their pedigree Hereford herd when they buy a new bull from County Offaly.

At Drew McConnell’s dairy farm near Omagh they’re planning for new arrivals.

UTV’s new series of Rare Breed - A Farming Year has been out in all weathers and on every type of farm to bring viewers the very best of Ulster’s farms and farming families.

Viewers can also follow all the action online by tweeting along with ‘@utv’ during the show using the hashtag #rarebreed.

The series is produced for UTV by local independent production company Crawford McCann.