A Swaledale ram made history last week when it was sold for £101,000. It was believed to be the first ram of any breed to be sold for a six-figure sum.

The 18-month-old Brackenber Bronco, owned by Arthur Slack of Stoneriggs, was sold at the Swaledale Sheep Breeders' Association C district ram sales at Kirkby Stephen.

Mr Slack described the sale as a "fantastic feeling." He added: "We lost 4,000 sheep during foot-and-mouth but luckily this ram's mother survived while she was carrying him."

Richard Hutchinson, Red-gate, bought the ram jointly with the Harrisons from Tailbert.

"It's like thoroughbred horses. Arabs pay millions for the best blood and it is the same with sheep," said Mr Hutchinson. "Prices have shot up since foot-and-mouth. The compensation payments do not cover how much we are having to pay."

Records were smashed throughout the sale with another ram also selling above the previous highest price of £50,000 when the Nelsons, Bull and Cave, sold their leading ram for £55,000 to Mossdale Farms and J A Alderson, Barras.

The second day of the sale averaged £2,259.40, beating the best-ever one day average by £830 and showing that the breed is still continuing to expand throughout Great Britain.