HEREFORDSHIRE livestock farmers have seen success in a national cattle society competition.

The county competitors took away a host of accolades for their longhorn herd.

Ian and Lorraine Salmon, of Crossbrook Farm, Moreton Eye, Leominster, won the Sheppy Cider Trophy for the best small herd and Woodlander Cup for the best junior heifer in the Mid-West Longhorn Breeders 2014 Herd Competition.

They took the trophies after winning the small herd category, junior heifer title and also came second in the senior cow competition.

Mr and Mrs Salmon’s animals also took three third places in the junior cow, senior heifer and youngstock categories.

Their 40-strong Durham Herd is based on the at the 66 acre farm they rent from Herefordshire Council and they also have 180 breeding ewes at the business.

Mr Salmon, a Bromyard and Leominster NFU member, said he started the herd as a hobby in 2005 when managing an agricultural college farm on the edge of Durham.

The herd increased five years later when the couple achieved an ambition to farm in our own right as tenants of Herefordshire Council.

Prizes were also won by Roger Lee of How Caple, Hereford, who took the senior heifer and young stock prize before taking the Elsworthy Plate for best senior heifer and Tripps Trophy for best young stock.

Mr Lee, a Ross on Wye NFU member, and his How Caple herd also came second in the large herd competition and his animal, Kirklan Harris, came fourth in the senior bull competition.

Ross NFU member Mark O’Brien and Liz Vice who run the Woolhope Herd, at Woolhope, came second in the small herd competition while Dave and Chris Preece who have the Slough Herd, at Stoke Prior, Leominster, came third in the junior heifer competition.

There are currently 13 registered herds of English Longhorn cattle in Herefordshire and the breed is well known for its ease of calving, meat quality and good temperament.