A FARMING family from South Herefordshire have proved they have a winning formula when it comes to cattle.

Henry and Esther Rudge, of Ballingham Court, won the Hereford Cattle Society national Suckler Herd of the Year 2015.

The couple's farm, with encompasses 320 acres in hand and a further 230 acres which is either rented or managed from around the village, is where they operate their business.

There, they farm two suckler herds, one made up of 70 primarily Holstein x British Blues and the other comprising 30 pedigree Herefords.

Mrs Rudge said: "The competition is for people who use the Hereford cattle on their suckler herds. We entered for the local area and won the regional competition. Then we went forward to the national and we won that.

"We were really surprised and felt really unworthy. They said it was because, for us, one of the key things is looking at what the market wants because we feel its important to produce something that the customer wants.

"You want them to come back and you want more and so it's not just about producing as much as you possibly can, it's thinking about the flavour and how it's produced. "That's more sustainable. You can do something for a quick sale but it won't necessarily produce the best product."

The couple also farm cereals, forage maize, have orchards, organic vegetables and a flock of 300 Lleyn-cross ewes at Ballingham Court.