News Items From 2022

75th British Cattle Breeding Conference designed to create discussion, debate and vision

British farmers are constantly being advised to scrutinise what they do and adapt according to market demands, but is this happening when it comes to cattle breeding? The 75th British Cattle Breeding conference will be held at Telford Hotel and Golf Resort, Shropshire, from Monday 23rd to Wednesday 25th January, and will bring together experience and science from across the industry in the UK and...

23^rd December 2022

Sponsors Feature - Hereford The sustainable choice

Over 9,000 pedigree Hereford calves are registered each year, which is up nearly 50 per cent compared to 10 years ago, while more than 185,000 Hereford sired progeny are recorded annually, up almost 90 percent in the same period. This rise in both pedigree and commercial use of the Hereford comes as beef producers increasingly realise the value of the breed in maintaining a sustainable system in ...

19^th December 2022

Sustainability through cross breeding

How can hybrid vigour benefit beef and dairy supply chains? Our expert speakers will explore the issues in the fourth session of the BCBC 2023 Conference. Benefits and insights of an integrated beef supply chain is the topic of Richard Phelps’s presentation opening the session. Richard is Group Agriculture Director for ABP UK and Managing Director of Blade Farming, and will outline how collaborat...

13^th December 2022

Sponsors Feature - Mole Valley Farmers

Mole Valley Farmers is the UK’s leading agricultural supply and rural retailing business and we are proud to be a sponsor of the British Cattle Breeding Club’s Annual Conference 2023. Founded in 1960 and still owned by farmers and trading with a cooperative ethos, Mole Valley Farmers works for the greater good of our farmer shareholders, helping them to improve their productivity, profitability a...

5^th December 2022

Return to Phenotype

Producing functional cattle which perform well and thrive in our farming systems is the focus of the third conference session at this year’s BCBC conference in January Improved herd health for increased fertility was the priority for a pilot project by Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC). Its Red Meat Development Programme supports beef farmers to work closely with vets on proactive anima...

25^th November 2022

Avoiding Carbon Tunnel Vision

Sustainable breeding is about more than net zero – profitability, welfare and consumer perception all need to be considered too. Our expert speakers will discuss the importance of avoiding tunnel vision in our second conference session in January The role of genetics in producing a resilient, forage efficient beef animal is the focus of Arron Nerbas’s presentation. Arron runs an intergenerational...

14^th November 2022

Is It Time for change?

With meat and milk production under growing scrutiny, the first session of the British Cattle Breeding Conference 2023 will ask: Is it time for change? Opening the Beef Day presentations Lucianne Allen, Sales and Marketing Director for Aubrey Allen, will explore how the industry is faring in the war against meat. Never one to shy away from a difficult conversation Lucianne, a former criminal barr...

21^st October 2022

BCBC Conference 2023 will challenge traditions

BCBC are pleased to announce plans for its next conference which will be held in Telford from Monday 23rd to Wednesday 25th January 2023. The theme of the conference is ‘Challenging Traditions’ with a programme designed to challenge thinking and promote discussion around how the industry can compete in the global marketplace. The event will also showcase how genetics and breeding practices can dr...

21^st August 2022

Professor Phil Garnsworthy announced the winner of the prestigious Sir John Hammond Award 2022 at the BSAS Conference

The Society (BSAS) is delighted to announce Professor Phil Garnsworthy as the recipient of the prestigious Sir John Hammond award 2022. The award was re-launched in 2021 in collaboration with the British Cattle Breeders Club (BCBC). Phil Garnsworthy is a highly celebrated figure within the global animal science community, for his extensive research and invaluable contribution to the field of anim...

3^rd May 2022

The UK dairy industry can be ‘part of the climate solution'

UK dairying has a ‘fantastic opportunity’ to lead the way and be part of the climate solution, said First Milk’s sustainability director Mark Brooking. Speaking at the BCBC conference in January he said that the dairy industry had been under attack from different sides. Government was favouring extensive production while retailers and consumers were demanding new approaches to issues such as graz...

6^th April 2022

‘UK agriculture is no longer contributing to an increase in global temperatures’ explains Professor Myles Allen

Increasing global methane emissions are a big driver of climate change, but UK agriculture is no longer contributing, Professor Myles Allen of Oxford University told the BCBC conference in January. “Livestock does contribute to global methane emissions. The obstacle we face is that the current way we measure the impact of methane on climate simply isn’t fit for purpose.” The notion of treating m...

1^st April 2022

Innovation is key for improved sustainability explains Prof Jonathan Statham

Beef farming is part of the solution to climate change and balancing sustainable food production, but innovation and change are needed to achieve the potential, said Professor Jonathan Statham, Chief Executive of RAFT Solutions and Chair of Bishopton Veterinary Group. He highlighted the role of fertility in improving sustainability of beef production. “Good fertility drives productivity, and ther...

29^th March 2022

Goals scored vs goals conceded – a climate change farm audit

“Climate change is real – it is staring us in the face,” said Ballymena beef farmer and vet Billy O’Kane. “The last seven years have been the warmest years recorded. If we don't sort this quickly our ability to inhabit the planet will change profoundly.” His concerns over climate change led him to undertake a carbon audit of his farm. “We hear all the time about the vilification of the cow. As a ...

22^nd March 2022

Big carbon savings to be made explains Seth Wareing, at January's BCBC conference

The right breed and management can reduce a beef herd’s carbon footprint by 40% according to Seth Wareing, Business Manager of Stabiliser Cattle Company. Over the years since the Stabiliser was developed much has been done to improve productivity, animal welfare and profitability, he explained. However, while those three factors were easy to measure, sustainability was lesser known, he said. “Are...

14^th March 2022

BCBC Welcomes Amy Hughes as Chair for 2022/2023

British Agriculture has never been more exciting or full of prospects as it is now. An industry, filled with passionate and determined people that are constantly pushing the boundaries in order to progress and thrive. The British Cattle Breeders Club provides a forum for science, technology and commercial cattle breeding to come together to transfer theory into practice. I am unbelievably proud to...

10^th March 2022

'Meat imaging technology turns perceived performance into proven performance' was one of the key messages from Desi Cicale, Meat Imaging USA

Meat imaging technology, which will soon be available in the UK, can help beef producers gain greater understanding of links between genetics and carcase quality. Desi Cicale, Wagyu breeder and CEO of Meat Imaging USA spoke to the BCBC conference about her experiences in Japan. She learned about carcase grading from representatives of Meat Imaging Japan which developed the camera technology. “Wh...

6^th March 2022

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness says Nigel Owens MBE

Former Rugby Union referee and beef farmer Nigel Owens spoke at Januarys BCBC conference, kindly sponsored by CRV It’s important to understand the value of mental health not just for individuals, but families and the wider industry, said former Rugby Union referee and beef farmer Nigel Owens. In his presentation Nigel described his own spiral into ‘dark dark’ depression in his mid-twenties over ...

2^nd March 2022

Register to Join AHDB Webinar: Pelvic scoring in suckler heifers - Thursday 24 February 7:00 – 8:00pm

Part of the AHDB Maternal Matters campaign looks at how to improve productivity and profitability in the suckler herd through the use of maternal traits. Difficult calvings have a huge impact on the performance of a suckler herd and have a detrimental effect on calf performance and cow fertility. Selecting bulls which have easy calving EBVs is one way to avoid them, however, getting your vet to pe...

17^th February 2022

Consumer demands are ‘real opportunity’ for UK farmers

Speaking at BCBC22 in January - Steve McLean, Head of Agriculture & Fisheries, Marks & Spencer “Farmers have a real opportunity to embrace change to the benefit of their business and to the UK consumer,” said Marks and Spencer’s Steve McLean. There were many challenges facing the food industry, with the environment perhaps being the most pressing. Independent assessments indicated that more t...

15^th February 2022

BSAS & BCBC - Sir John Hammond Award - Nominations Close 28th February

The Sir John Hammond Award, is awarded to those that have made significant contribution through research, teaching, knowledge exchange, breeding, farming, industry or affiliated professions. The award is highly selective and nominated candidates must be of high merit. Sir John Hammond was the first President of the British Society of Animal Science serving from 1944 to 1945, and he founded The Br...

9^th February 2022

Challenging times ahead, but many opportunities too – BCBC Conference

There are challenges and obstacles ahead for the ruminant sector, but opportunities are in abundance too. That was the overall message from speakers at the British Cattle Breeders Club (BCBC) annual conference ‘A Breath of Fresh Air’ this week. Just under 1,000 delegates from across the UK and beyond registered to attend the virtual conference which included 16 presentations by experts from acros...

28^th January 2022

Sarah Haire: Improving the sustainability of beef across the supply chain

A valuable insight into how sustainability can be improved across the beef supply chain is the focus of Sarah Haire’s presentation at the BCBC conference. Sarah is Head of Agriculture at Dawn Meats/Dunbia which has had sustainability at the heart of its business strategy for over 10 years. Working across the entire supply chain, Sarah’s role has involved collaborating with industry bodies such as...

21^st January 2022

Seth Wareing: The impact of management and breed on the carbon footprint of beef

The UK beef industry has an opportunity to deliver quality beef with a low carbon footprint, in a sustainable, ethical, and profitable manner for all members of the supply chain believes Seth Wareing of the Stabiliser Cattle Company. He will use his platform at the BCBC Conference 2022 to explore how using the best management practices and genetics makes this possible. With over 20 years’ experie...

21^st January 2022

Nigel Owens MBE: Building mental resilience for a positive farming future

“The mind is a powerful tool that can be positive and helpful, as well as negative and destructive,” says Nigel Owens MBE, beef farmer, keen advocate for mental health and the most capped referee in world rugby. At the 2022 BCBC conference Nigel will share his wisdom about building and nurturing mental resilience to allow us to grasp opportunities as they arise during this challenging, but exciti...

20^th January 2022

Steve McLean: Adapting to change in order to succeed

British agriculture is facing a period of substantial change, and how the livestock industry adapts to these changes will be key to its success. Speaking at the 2022 BCBC Conference, Steve McLean will bring a retailer’s perspective to these changes and the challenges they may bring. He will look at how environmental pressure, developments to agricultural support, new international trade arrangemen...

20^th January 2022

Sponsors Feature - ABP UK

At ABP, we work with thousands of farming families across the UK and understand the challenges and opportunities facing British Livestock farming in 2022. We’re proud of the partnerships we’ve built with our farmer suppliers and want to help them build sustainability businesses for the future. To that end ABP have invested significantly in research and development, working with leading academic p...

18^th January 2022

Speaker: Jude L. Capper (PhD, DSc (h.s.) ARAgS): What role do genetics play in improving sustainability?

The cattle industry has made huge gains in breeding and genetics over the past 70 years, from Sir John Hammond’s revolutionary work, including pioneering studies on artificial insemination, to the genomic tools and evaluations available today. In her keynote speech to the BCBC Conference 2022, Prof Jude Capper will consider how far these gains have brought us in terms of improving sustainability, ...

17^th January 2022

Dr Andy Borrowman & Kevin Tlucek: Ovum Pick Up (OPU)

Ovum Pick Up is a mature technology that can accelerate genetic progress and is now within reach of commercial dairy farms, believes Idaho vet Andy Borrowman. Ovum Pick Up (OPU) is a non-invasive technique for recovering oocytes or egg cells from the follicles of live cows. Once washed, sorted, and graded the oocytes are then In-Vitro fertilised and cultured before being frozen in individual stra...

16^th January 2022

Andrew Rutter: Using genetics to deliver a cow fit for purpose.

Changes at Clayhanger Farm, near Haslington in Cheshire, have led to a dramatic improvement in the performance and efficiency of its 400 strong herd of Holsteins. Partner and herd manager Andrew Rutter joined his family business after nearly 20 years working for a genetics company. He set himself the remit of producing a cow which was more efficient and profitable, had less environmental impact an...

15^th January 2022

Sponsors Feature - AHDB - Shape the future of Beef, Lamb and Dairy

Levy payers are at the heart of everything we do, so it’s only right that we give you a greater voice in how we spend your levy. In April 2022, we’ll be asking all eligible levy payers to shape our work and priorities. Your views will help guide what we deliver over the next five years. You can find a breakdown on how we currently spend your levy on our website ahdb.org.uk/beef-and-lamb-what-do-i...

15^th January 2022

Sponsors Feature - ADF Milking: Stress-Free Milking for You and Your Cows. James Lywood from Battlehurst Farm talks to Karen Wonnacott about his experience with ADF Milking’s InVent

ADF Milking have recently launched their new technology, InVent, building upon the proven results of their automated dipping and flushing technology. ADF InVent now raises the bar further with the integration of intelligent teat-by-teat liner venting – in a lightweight, reliable cluster. The new ADF InVent milking cluster continuously controls vacuum levels on each teat individually - resulting in...

13^th January 2022

Speaker 2022 - Desi Cicale: Advanced Carcase Grading Technology

Meat imaging expert Desi Cicale will demonstrate advanced carcase grading technology and explain the potential benefits it can bring UK producers. Desi is founder and CEO of Meat Imaging USA which brought grading technology developed by MIJ (Meat Image) Japan to the USA. She will explain the science behind imagery, how it captures carcase data and how it can benefit farmers. Desi will show the MI...

12^th January 2022

Sponsors Feature - Paragon Advanced Breeding: Accelerating herd improvement using ET and IVF

A guide to advanced breeding techniques from Paragon Advanced Breeding, one of the UK’s leading bovine Embryo Transfer and IVF companies. Veterinary science is continually advancing and offers farmers the ability to improve herd genetics more rapidly. There are two highly effective techniques: Multiple ovulation embryo transfer (MOET) and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) MOET MOET has been around ...

11^th January 2022

Speakers 2022 - Prof Myles Allen: Methane, Agriculture and Climate

Recently described as ‘the physicist behind net zero’ Myles Allen has been studying global climate change for 30 years. He developed the methods used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2001 to quantify the size of human influence on observed and projected changes in global temperature, work that earned him the Appleton Medal and Prize from the Institute of Physics in 2010. ...

10^th January 2022

Speaker 2022 - Claire Phyn: Unlocking the secrets to improving cow fertility

New Zealand senior scientist Dr Claire Phyn will outline key findings from a long-term research programme investigating novel traits to improve genetic merit for fertility to delegates at the BCBC Conference. She will be diving into the science and, in particular, looking at the potential to use earlier-in-life phenotypes, such as timing of puberty, as predictor traits to accelerate genetic impro...

10^th January 2022

Sponsors Feature - AHDB - Driving profitability in the suckler herd through the use of maternal traits

AHDB’s Maternal Matters campaign, which launched in September last year, highlights the connection between maternal performance and profitability in the suckler herd. The aim of the campaign is to promote the production of heifers that are efficient, profitable and fit for the future. With the changes in agricultural payments around the corner, there has never been a more appropriate time to focu...

6^th January 2022

Looking forward to January 2022's virtual BCBC conference - Message from the Chair, Dr Karen Wonnacott

In just 7 weeks time the next British Cattle Breeders Conference will be held virtually, on Tuesday 25th January 2022. Following on from the resounding success of our first ever virtual Conference, we took the difficult decision to opt for the same format again this year. With so much uncertainty still surrounding Covid-19, we felt it was the safest decision for our speakers, delegates and for the...

6^th December 2021