A CURRENT champion herd from near Kirkby Stephen is to be dispersed and sold for the first time.

The complete dispersal of the award winning Bowberhill Holsteins will be conducted by Harrison & Hetherington at Borderway Mart, providing breeders with the opportunity to invest in some world class genetics.

Malcolm and Jean Hutchinson, of Redgate Farm, Kaber, have decided to disperse the herd, after a lifetime of impressive achievements in the dairy industry.

Such awards included the Master Breeder Award in 2017 and top prize in the Border and Lakeland Herd Competition.

With 100 milking cows and 115 young stock on offer, dairy farmers have this rare opportunity to tap into some incredible cow families – such as Barb, Blossom, Mandy, Roxy, Lulu and Midge to name a few.

An impressive 26 Excellent, 51 Very Goods, (19 are Very Good two year olds) 4 Good Plus cows and 23 Good Plus two year olds will be for sale.

H&H dairy auctioneer, Glyn Lucas, explains: "The Bowberhill dispersal is truly a unique opportunity for dairy farmers to tap into some world leading cow families. The pedigrees are all complete with generations of either Excellent or Very Goods uninterrupted.

"The Hutchinsons are testament that the investment in top quality pedigree stock pays off, having been prolific sellers of pedigree animals for many years and leading dairy farmers in the UK.

"This is a must attend event and I’m very confident that everyone will be more than impressed with these modern Holsteins. No less than 45 Mogul daughters sell, the mammary systems on these cows are world class and among the best we have ever sold at Borderway."

The dispersal will see a new era of farming at Redgate Farm, with son Richard, and wife Catherine, turning their whole focus to their pedigree sheep enterprise, which compromises of Kirkby Redgate Bluefaced Leicesters, the Dolphinseat Swaledale and Howgillfoot Suffolk pedigree flocks. Daughter, Lois, along with her husband Richard are Cumbrian vets, so the family’s involvement in Cumbrian farming promises to continue through the next generations.

The auction will take place in Friday March 16 with guest auctioneer Tom Brooksbank (Norton & Brooksbank), at Carlisle.