Kelvin Fletcher has revealed that a vet described the lambing season as the worst she had ever known as he and his wife, Liz, struggled with heartbreaking losses on their Cheshire farm.
The former Emmerdale actor shared the difficult update on ITV's Fletcher's Family Farm, which follows the couple's life on the farm and airs on Sundays.
Six of first 10 lambs died
Kelvin said six of their first 10 lambs had died, marking their worst start to lambing yet. Liz said she did not think they had previously lost so many lambs in a single season.
A visit from the vet brought a bleak assessment of conditions on nearby farms. According to Kelvin, she had been seeing a range of birthing complications across the area, including prolapses, unusually large lambs, and ringwomb, where the cervix does not open sufficiently for a lamb to be born.
"It's the worst lambing she's ever known," Kelvin said, reports the Mirror. Although the wider picture was distressing, hearing that other farmers were facing similar difficulties offered the couple some reassurance that they were not to blame.
Reassurance in shared struggles
Kelvin explained: "So many issues. So when you hear that, it's a little bit easier to stomach, really, that it's not you. You've done nothing wrong."
Earlier in the episode, he had described how four years of experience had helped them establish a routine for lambing. This year, however, some of their ewes had been producing particularly large newborns, making deliveries more difficult.
Despite the losses, Liz pointed to the surviving lambs as a reminder of the joy farming could still bring. "That's the thing. There are highs and lows, and when the highs are good, they're really good," she said, drawing attention to a little lamb sleeping nearby.
Reflections on farm life
Kelvin also reflected on what their home meant to him during an early start, watching the sunrise while the rest of the family slept. He recalled how buying the property had once been a dream. Five years on, he felt they had built the life he had hoped for, despite the challenges along the way.
"I can't imagine a life now without this little farm, without this space. Home has never felt as important. Hopefully, it'll be in our family for generations to come," he said.
The former Emmerdale star added, "That landscape is absolutely breathtaking. The beauty there still catches you out. Even though I've seen this before, dozens of times, I've done this, it still seems to get better every time."
"This is just our little piece of heaven on earth. Our little patch, the Fletcher patch. It means a lot, it means everything really. I think the kids have just adapted to this life just so well, and I just think they're so at home here. They're just proper farm kids. They're just proper outdoor kids, and I'm so proud of them."
Fletcher's Family Farm airs on Sunday at 11.30am on ITV.
