British cow 'Posh Spice' sells for $358K, becomes world's most expensive heifer

LONDON: A cow bred in central England has sold for £262,000 ($358,000, 299,000 euros), a world best for its breed and more than double the British and European records. The world-beating bovine -- named after Posh Spice from the 1990s pop group the Spice Girls -- sold last Friday, the British Limousin Cattle Society said. The Limousin heifer from Shropshire, whose full name is Wilodge Poshspice, comes from a line of record holders. The pedigree cow's mother, Milbrook Gingerspice -- also named after a Spice Girl -- was the previous UK and European record holder following a 2014 sale.

According to the BBC, the breeder Christine Williams said the sale was like "winning the lottery", and described the size of the winning bid as "mind blowing". Williams added that the record-holding one-year-old was "smart and stylish" and attributed the high price to a certain 'x-factor'. The cattle society said the attraction of the cow had been its "stunning visual appeal" and a "pedigree packed full of breeding lines".

"The society is delighted to offer its congratulations to the team at Wilodge for this incredible iconic achievement that marks a wealth of breeding over the decades," British Limousin Cattle Society breed secretary Will Ketley said. "I would also like to thank all the buyers that made this sale a fantastic success for not only the breeders but the breed itself."