Mountain Vets

It is autumn in the Mourne mountains, a rural area in the east of Northern Ireland where animals outnumber people. A local pedigree sheep breeder has phoned in with an emergency, one of his prize ewes is having difficulty in labour.

A pregnant dog is rushed in to surgery. Cocker spaniel Tilly has been in labour for 12 hours and is struggling to give birth. It is a potentially life-threatening situation, and vet Maurice decides to perform an urgent caesarean section.

It is late winter in the Mourne mountains. Despite a blanket of snow covering the stunning landscape, the farms are working hard as the early lambing season is underway. Molly the West Highland terrier has been brought in with a mysterious sore.

With winter giving way to spring, and the year's earliest lambs and calves born, the vets begin to feel the pressure as they enter their busiest period. In Castlewellan, the Castle Vets team receive up to 50 call-outs every day.

It is the height of spring in the Mourne Mountains. Local vet Jennie is on the road, heading to a friend's farm a mile from where she grew up. A young calf has developed a serious limp, and farmer Kyle is hoping Jennie can find out what is wrong.

At the foot of the mountains is the market town of Castlewellan. It is home to the Castle Vets practice, where the team is being kept busy by the rush of newborns. Terry, one of the senior vets, is on a call-out to a local farm.