Published at 05:34, Friday, 27 June 2008

BRAMPTON farmers Willie and John Whiteford saw prices rise by £800 a cow at the third reduction sale of their Middle Herd.

Doing good business: Willie Whiteford from Middle Farm, Brampton. The farm’s blended red and white and Ayrshire cattle sold for an average £2,319, a 50 per cent increase on the last sale in October

Their blended red and white and Ayrshire cattle sold for an average £2,319, an increase of around 50 per cent on their last sale in October.

The auction, held earlier this month at Beeston, was boosted by the current shortage of dairy cattle onto the market.

Buyers started gathering early in the morning and the ring was full when the sale started.

They came from Scotland, Northern Ireland and all over England.

The top price was 4,700 gns paid for H Supreme, who featured on the front cover of the catalogue.

She was bought by Tony Hack, of Ceredigion, who also paid 4,300gns for Mitzy Oranje Elegant.

Four other milkers broke the 3,000gns barrier out of a total 202 head sold.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk