Mission & History

Our Mission Statement

The Club aims to improve the breeding of livestock by promoting knowledge.

  • By collecting, collating and distributing available information and data of practical and scientific interest.
  • By promoting the exchange of all such information and data amongst breeders of cattle at home and overseas.
BCBC Memorandum & Articles of Association

A Brief History

The British Cattle Breeders Club was founded by the late Sir John Hammond in 1946. Its aim then, as now, was to provide a forum for exchange between scientists and breeders of beef and dairy cattle.

Over the years this has developed into the annual British Cattle Breeders Conference, now re-titled the British Cattle Conference. Each year papers are given by leading scientists, breeders, industry specialists and veterinarians. With the current cutbacks in research spending the conferences become even more important as a forum for the discussion and presentation of new and developing ideas. On many occasions such new ideas in agriculture have been discussed here first (originally in Cambridge and now Telford) long before becoming common knowledge and many technological advances have been launched at the Conference.

In its more recent history the conference has become a truly international occasion, providing delegates with a unique opportunity of meeting other breeders and scientists, from the UK and overseas, in a warm and friendly environment. With the conference filling the hotel there are many opportunities for discussion in both formal and informal circumstances. Non-members are always welcome too.

A proceedings, called the Digest, is published after every conference and back-copies are available too. The Digest is free to delegates and to members and is also available to purchase.

Officers, Past and Present

President History

2023
Mr Duncan Sinclair
2017
Professor Mike Coffey
2011
Dr Maurice Bichard OBE
2005
Mr W Henry E. Lewis
1997
Mr John E. Moffitt CBE
1990
Sir Richard Trehane
1988
Dr Tim Rowson OBE
1965
Professor Alan Robertson OBE
1956
Sir John Hammond CBE and Mr George Odlum

Chairmen History

2024
Andrew King
2023
Ben Harman
2022
Amy Hughes
2021
Dr Karen Wonnacott
2020
Clive Brown
2019
Laurence Loxam
2018
Mrs Anya Westland
2017
Andrew Dodd
2016
Iain Kerr
2015
Roger Trewhella
2014
Philip Hadley
2013
Neil Darwent
2012
Philip Halhead
2011
Duncan Sinclair
2010
Lucy Andrews
2009
Rob Wills
2008
Paul Westaway
2007
Dr Mike Coffey
2006
Dr Duncan Pullar
2005
David Hewitt
2004
Philip Kirkham
2003
Mark Roberts
2002
Christopher Norton
2001
John Downing
2000
Henry Lewis
1999
Chris Watson
1998
Tony Blackburn
1996
Miss Sybil Edwards
1995
Tom Brooksbank
1994
Geoff Spiby
1993
Dr Geoff Simm
1992
Barrie Audis
1991
Chris Bourchier
1990
Mike Trevena
1989
Malcolm J. Peasnall
1988
Peter G. Padfield
1987
J. R. Mulholland
1986
B. P. Pringle
1985
Richard Linnell
1984
Sir Richard Trehane
1983
D. J. Bright
1982
J. E. Moffitt
1981
J. M. Johnston
1980
Dr J. W. B. King
1979
D. A. Nutting
1978
H. W. S. Teverson
1977
David Allen
1976
T. A. Varnham
1975
J. W. Parsons
1974
Mrs S. Thompson-Coon
1973
J. A. Moss
1972
N. J. D. Nickalls
1971
R. G. Galling
1970
Miss M. Macrae
1969
P. Dixon-Smith
1968
H. N. Haldin / P. Dixon-Smith
1967
H. N. Haldin
1966
Miss J. H. Barry
1965
E. J. Wynter
1964
F. J. Coney
1963
M. O. K. Day
1962
E. J. Boston
1960
Brevit-Colonel S. V. Misa
1958
Major C. Wheaton-Smith
1957
C. B. Cooper
1954
Peter Redfern
1953
Mrs D. M. Wainwright
1952
B. H. Theobald
1949
R. H. Howard

Secretaries History

2015
Heidi Bradbury
2000
Lesley Lewin
1999
Janet Padfield
1994
Malcolm Peasnall
1962
Colin R. Stains
1960
Rex Evans
1957
Miss H. Craig-Kelly
1950
Edward Rumens
1949
R H Holmes