Shorefield Bullocks

James Brown of Octomore Farm working with the Shorefield bullocks near Bruichladdich at the weekend.

Trimming the bull's hooves - Octomore Farm

The hooves of cattle grow like human toenails and need to be trimmed - particularly if they are kept on soft ground.  Dolly and James therefore herd their Angus bull, which weighs more than a tonne, into a specially designed 'crush', or cage.

Once the bull is strapped in, the crush is tipped on its side using a hydraulic system powered by the Massey Ferguson.

The crush is provided by Stuart Ogle, a specialist from Galashiels.

Stuart then trims the hooves using a combination of knives and a sort of angle grinder.

The bull remains remarkably stress-free during the operation, which is of course completely painless.