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British Cattle Breeders Club70th Anniversary Conference Review and Spring Newsletter 2018

A message from the new BCBC Chairman, Mrs Anya Westland

It is a huge privilege to have been elected Chairman ofthe British Cattle Breeders Club. I very much lookforward to the year ahead building on the success ofthe recent 70th Anniversary Conference which was veryinspiring and insightful particularly for the nextgeneration of farmers, breeders and scientists. The futureof our industry is in their hands and it was clearlydemonstrated by the passion, enthusiasm and positivityby both the speakers, conference attendees and themembers.

Continuing to evolve and strengthen co-operationwill be vitally important in light of increasing pressure onthe livestock industry from recent negative campaignsvia social media and other channels. As we look to thefuture we must continue to focus positive attention onthe cattle breeding industry that not only strives for highlevels of animal health, welfare and productionefficiency but also aims to deliver high quality andnutritious animal protein products.

As the BCBC committee prepares for the forth -coming year’s events, we will be fully aware of thesechallenges and opportunities that lie ahead in cattlebreeding and genetics. We will continue to securespeakers who will be informative, thought-provokingand challenging in order to present to you the latest

developments whilst, promoting our strengths andunique benefits of our industry.

Farmers, researchers, students and the agriculturalindustry continue to support the BCBC engaging in livelydiscussions and embracing the opportunity to informthemselves of the latest developments in research,technology and best farming practices to enhance thefuture of UK cattle breeding and genetics. I would urgeanyone with an interest in the UK cattle industry to joinus – the annual Club fee is only £35 and offersdiscounts for our annual two-and-a-half day conference,access to the conference reports, talking slides, farmwalks and a quarterly magazine - offering great valuefor money. I am really looking forward to welcoming andmeeting you at our 2019 conference.Anya Westland

www.cattlebreeders.org.uk

Date for your diary....The 2019 British Cattle Breeders Conference willbe held at its usual venue, The Telford Hotel & GolfResort in Shropshire, on 21-23 January.

22 SPRING 2018 | Cattle Breeder

Anya Westland

BCBC CommitteeMembers

Anya Westland (Chairman)

Mike Coffey (President)

Lucy Andrews-NodenCharlie AskewClive BrownTim ByrneAndy DoddGary EvansEmma JonesIain KerrAndy KingLaurence LoxamKirsty MooreRichard ParkDuncan PullarHenry RichardsonKaren Wonnacott

Spring Newsletter70th Anniversary Conference Review and Spring Newsletter 2018

Heidi Bradbury

Secretary: Heidi Bradbury: British Cattle Breeders ClubUnderhill FarmGlutton BridgeEarl SterndaleBuxtonDerbyshire SK17 0RNTel: 07966 032079email: [email protected]

Published by: Shepherd PublishingBurnt House Garden, North Common, North Chailey, East Sussex BN8 4DJTel: 01684 565533.Publisher: Howard Venters Editors: Heidi Bradbury and Wendy Short

Cattle Breeder | SPRING 2018 | 23

“An excellent Conference for 2018, with some veryinteresting presentations,” is how sponsor, SzymonNowa czek, described this year’s event. As marketingmanager of Yorkshire-based tag manufacturer, Caisley,he feels the Conference provides him with plenty ofopportunities for reaching out to the company’s targetaudience, as well as giving him a valuable personalupdate and overview of the cattle industry in general.

“It was also very encouraging to see so many youngpeople connected with farm ing at the conference andalso such a wide range of delegates, including manyfrom overseas,” said Mr Nowaczek.

“The papers on the advances in genetic manipu lationtechniques were particularly informative and plenty of

time was allowed for net -work ing. We will definitely besponsoring the British Cattle Breeders Conference nextyear.”

Planning for the 2019 Conference is alreadyunderway and we look forward to welcoming you toTelford from 21-23 January. The Conference is one ofthe highlights of the farming calendar, bringingtogether experts from around the globe, who offertheir perspectives on technical issues which are highlyrelevant to the UK cattle breeding industry. The Conference also hosts presentations from someof the best and most innovative farmers, both athome and abroad.

The Conference covers a two-and-a-half dayprogramme, which begins with a workshop session. In2018, this focused on the Breeding Strategies Post2020. On the second day, the programme coverstopics relevant to the beef sector, followed by theclub’s AGM and later in the evening the club’s annualdinner. The final day of the Conference is dedicated tothe dairy industry.

The 2019 full conference programme andbookings details will be available in the autumn.

“Excellent Conference for 2018” says Syzmon of Caisley Eartags

SponsorshipOur regular sponsors find that the Conference, which attracts some of the most influential and knowledgeable expertswithin the cattle industry, offers an ideal platform for sharing information about their activities. There are several optionsavailable for getting involved; please contact our secretary, for more information on the 2019 sponsorship opportunities.

Join us at the 2019 British Cattle Breeders Conference21-23 January, Telford Hotel & Golf Resort, Telford, Shropshire

The BCBC would like to extend grateful thanks to the 2018 main Conference sponsors:

With grateful thanks to the following sponsors:ABP UK, Alltech, Asda, Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society, British Limousin Cattle Society, BVDFree, CaisleyEartag Ltd, DairyPro, Dovecote Park, Egenes, ForFarmers, Hereford Cattle Society, Neogen Europe, ShepherdPublishing, SRUC, VikingGenetics, Zoetis

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24 | SPRING 2018 | Cattle Breeder

All enquiries relating to the Conference,membership andsponsorship should bedirected to our BCBC secretary, Heidi Bradbury T: 07966 032079; E heidi.bradbury

@cattlebreeders.org.uk

Why not joinBCBC as amember?The BCBC welcomes enquiries fromprospective new members; Clubmembership is not a requirementfor attendance to the conference,but it does offer a substantialdiscount on the conferenceregistration fee. As well as providingtechnical insights, the event alsoprovides a great opportunity fornetworking.

Membership is just £35 per yearand offers the following benefits:• Discounted delegate fees at

the annual 2.5 day BritishCattle Breeders Conference

• Access to previous conferencepapers

• The chance to participate infarm walks

• A copy of the quarterlymagazine, Cattle Breeder, withtopical articles and information

• A copy of the Digest (theproceedings of the BritishCattle Breeders Conference)

70th Anniversary Conference Review and Spring Newsletter 2018

New ChairmanThe 2018 Conference saw the appointment ofAnya Westland, as the new BCBC chairman.Anya has worked at Myerscough Collegenear Preston in Lancashire since 2006.She lectures and researches mainly inlivestock science and agriculturalbusiness subjects at degree level. Sinceattending her first BCBC conference in2008 with a group of students, she hasbeen an enthusiastic supporter of theunique format of bringing researchers,

industry specialists and practical farmers whoinspire and motivate the future generation

in all aspects of the cattle industry. Anyatook over the chairmanship from AndyDodd, who has recently joinedWhiteAvon Consultancy, part of theFarm Consultancy Group as a DairyFarm Consultant, previously he worked

as AHDB Dairy’s Technical Manager forBreeding and Fertility, leading on delivery

of the Calf to Calving Initiative.

New Committee MembersThe BCBC Committee welcomed two new members at January’s AGM Dr Tim Byrneand Mrs Emma Jones

Tim grew up on a 400 hectaresheep and beef farm on the EastCoast of the North Island ofNew Zealand. His interest inagriculture led him to studyanimal science and genetics. Hethen worked for the Irish CattleBreeding Federation, before

completing a PhD study on the economics of geneticimprovement programmes while working as aconsultant for AbacusBio. Tim has a wealth of experiencein agriculture built over 15 years, with specifics skills ingenetics, production system economics, strategy andinvestment, and technology. Tim has combined thisscience and business expertise to deliver solutions allaround the globe including in New Zealand, Australia,Ireland, UK, Canada, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Poland. Timmoved from the companies’ office in Dunedin, NewZealand to set up AbacusBio in Edinburgh. He ispassionate about delivering solutions and tools to

agriculture and is keen to work with BCBC to createimpact in the UK cattle sector, and interact with scientistsand farmers through the BCBC forum.

Emma, a Cheshire dairy farmer,has a BSc (Hons) Degree in Agri-Food Market ing and BusinessStudies from Harper AdamsUniver sity College. Emma haspreviously worked at GenusBreeding, Holstein UK and NFU.In 2007, Emma joined Tesco astheir Dairy Agricultural Manager,

where she was responsible for Tesco’s Sustainable DairyGroup and the Tesco Dairy Centre of Excellence. Emmawas awarded a Trehane Scholarship to study milkmarketing around the world and also has a paperpublished in the Journal of Dairy Technology about thehealth properties of milk, in relation to MultipleSclerosis.

If you were unable to attend our 2018 Conference inJanuary, you can catch up on the presentations, courtesyof Mole Valley Farmers, sponsors of the ‘Talking Slides’section of our website at www.cattlebreeders.org.ukPresentations are available from the last 4 conferences.

Further information is available on our websiteand you can follow us on Facebook and Twitter@CattleBreeders

British Cattle Breeders Conference 2018Presentations

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The Beef DayThe key themes for the beef day included breeding for success, embracing EBV’s and Genomics. Two interesting papers updated us on the value offocusing on these criteria in the beef herd.

Professor David KennyManaging Suckler Cows for OptimalFertility

Health and fertility are key to breeding for success,determining output and ultimately the profitability ofsuckler cow herds. Delegates were informed of recentstatistics relating to suckler herd fertility within theBCBC beef day programme.

Professor David Kenny’s presentation tackled theissue of suckler herd fertility and suggested there wassignificant room for improvement in suckler herds withinboth the UK and Ireland. National statistics published bythe Irish Cattle Breeding Federation, for example,indicated that an average of only eight calves were bornto every ten cows on an annual basis.

Meanwhile, the figure for calving interval was 400days overall and 385 for spring-calving herds. Thisshowed that many cows were failing to achieve the key

target of a 365-day calving interval said ProfessorKenny, who is based at the Animal and GrasslandResearch and Innovation Centre in County Meath,Ireland. Statistics for the UK showed a similar pattern.

“This level of inefficiency is estimated to cost Irishfarmers somewhere in the region of two Euros per day;mainly in feed costs, for each day that the calvinginterval is extended beyond 365 days,” he said.

“Calving heifers at two years is a key target for anefficient beef herd. However, only 20% have reachedthis goal in Irish herds within recent years. The nationalaverage is 32.5 months and the AHDB in the UKprovides a similar figure.

“While these results can largely be attributed topoor management practices, recent data suggests thatthis reproductive inefficiency may also have a geneticdimension. It is symptomatic, to some extent, of theemphasis on terminal, rather than maternal traits in thenational breeding programme.”

Professor Kenny covered the rearing of replacement

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heifers in detail in his paper, citing a study undertaken atTeagasc Grange in Ireland and funded by the IrishDepartment of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Itaimed to identify the effect of post-weaning manage -ment on a variety of breeds that are typically used inthe UK and Ireland. The trial used a total of 320 spring-born heifers, purchased from commercial herds andsired by an Angus (early-maturing breed) or Limousinbull (later-maturing breed), having been sourced fromboth beef and dairy herds.

Varying planes of nutrition were allocated to animalswithin the groups, with the aim of achieving growthrates of 1kg or 0.5kgs per day. On reaching maturity,the heifers were mated using AI while at grass, over a12-week breeding season. The results showed that damtype had no effect on maturity or age at first breeding,but pregnancy rates were higher for the dairy group,compared with the suckler-bred heifers.

Heifers sired by an early-maturing breed (pre -dominantly Angus), were younger at puberty and at firstbreeding, and had a higher pregnancy rate at six weeks,compared with the late-maturing (predominantlyLimousin) group, but sire breed did not influencepregnancy rate at 12 weeks of breeding. While age atfirst breeding was advanced for heifers on the higherwinter feed ration, the plane of nutrition had nosignificant effect on pregnancy rate after 12 weeks ofbreeding.

“The supplementary feeding of calves may only bereally practical after weaning; however, several studiessupport the theory that accelerated growth in youngcalves influences age at puberty to a much greaterextent than intervention during the rearing phase,” saidProfessor Kenny. “That is why we are currently lookingat the influence of early life nutrition during calf-rearingon the sexual maturation of heifers. We are alsoexamining the underlying biochemical regulation of thistrait, which will include the potential discovery ofgenetic markers.”

Alison Glasgow Genomics in Beef –Adding Value to the Supply Chain

An informative presentation within the beef dayprogramme on the use of genomics within the UK beefindustry, outlining progress made and the beefindustry’s opportunity to add significant value.

The British Limousin Cattle Society’s (BLCS) technicalmanager, Alison Glasgow, demonstrated how the breedwas delivering opportunities for UK producers to gainadditional income from the genetics of their cattle, withher presentation showing how the exploitation of

Professor David Kenny

Target Reproductive Rates for Suckler CowHerds (Professor David Kenny)• 365-day calving-to-calving interval• Fewer than 5% of cows culled annually as

barren• Greater than 95% of cows which calve

weaning a calf• Heifers calving at an average 24 months• Target 80% of cows calving within 42 days• A replacement rate of 16-18%; each cow

should have a minimum of six calves over herlifetime

• The sustained genetic improvement of the cowherd will be achieved by selecting for traitslinked to reproduction, calving ability and calfweaning weight and the close alignment ofcalving date with pasture availability.


“Calving heifers attwo years is akey target for anefficient beefherd”

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added value from genetic difference had the potentialto impact on all parts of the supply chain.

“Across all breeds our most easily availableresource, genetics, has not been exploited by theindustry to the same degree as other areas of animalbreeding, feeding and management. The consequenceof this presents an essential and critical resource toexploit at a time when positive margins are becomingincreasingly difficult to achieve through good practicealone, and at a time when market instability demandsrapid response to change” stated Alison.

In 2014, the BLCS adopted a long range BreedImprovement Plan, which identifies a range of key areaswhere investment in genetic improvement will result ina population of market-relevant genetics that deliverkey income opportunities across the entire supply chain,she explained.

“Limousin commercial producers and breeders cannow use breeding values to select high performancegenetics for a range of abattoir traits including age toslaughter, carcase weight and for six prime cuts: fillet,strip loin, rump, topside, silverside and knuckle. Theresearch undertaken with SRUC and ABP food Group indelivering these GEBVs uncovered that for carcasesweighing the same, and allocated the same EUROPgrade for conformation, the difference in weight of striploin alone varied by around 2kgs. When the combineddifference between all six cuts was examined, thedifference in retail value between the top and bottomthird of animals, again with the same weight andEUROP grade, was in the region of £150/head. This is anincome opportunity where the genetics that produceresults can now be identified and captured.”

The research also demonstrated that animals withtop 1% genetics for age to slaughter have the potentialto finish around six weeks faster than those in thebottom 1%, simply due to the fact they have inherited

faster finishing genetics, she added. At a modest £1.80per day finishing cost, this suggests that the faster-finishing animals could be worth £80 more than theirslower contemporaries.

The wide use of Limousin as a suckler dam in theUK challenges the breed to deliver genetics thatproduce what it takes to be a productive, efficient, costeffective cow, she told delegates. In conjunction withSRUC the research undertaken to develop the GEBVsfor female fertility and calf survival traits, launched lastyear, also revealed the opportunity to harness someadded value. SRUC work has identified cost savings inthe region of £42/year per cow mated from successfulannual calvings.

“Limousin is the primary breed in the current BeefFeed Efficiency Scheme co-funded by DEFRA and AHDB.Work on feed intake and efficiency carried out to datein the UK is suggesting cost saving advantages fromfeed efficient cattle in the region of £30-40 over a 180-day feeding period; around 20% of the total feed costs.

“For over 20 years, the Limousin has been the singlemost dominant breed in the UK. It has critical masswithin the sector and, as such, change at genetic levelwill undoubtedly make its mark. While it is unrealistic toanticipate that any sector player can capture and exploitall available benefits, adding value from genetics isclear-cut,” said Mrs Glasgow.

Commenting on Mrs Glasgow’s presentation, BCBCChairman Andy Dodd said:

“It is great to see the Limousin Society developingand now using genomics within the beef industry. Wehave already seen the benefits in genetic gain withinthe Holstein breed since the introduction of genomicsin 2012. This new approach will enable UK farmers toaccurately and efficiently supply cattle that are suited tothe market and therefore maximise their financialopportunities.”

Alison Glasgow


“Adding valuefrom genetics isclear-cut”

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Heather Wildman

70th Anniversary Conference Review and Spring Newsletter 201870th Anniversary Conference Review and Spring Newsletter 2018

Heather Wildman

Grass Roots Succession, how to getthe next generation involved

Succession, for many, is a mythical concept; farmerspromise their sons or daughters that the farm will be theirsone day, but is that goal genuinely shared by all parties?Mrs Wildman asked the audience.

She urged farming families who are looking ahead tothe older generation’s retirement not to be afraid to ask forprofessional help, in order to make plans for the future.Goals, dreams and ambitions should be identified andcommunicated clearly among all relevant family members,she said. Priority should be given to anyone who would beinvolved and impacted by forthcoming changes and thoselinked to future property ownership.

Preparation should be made for what she described as“The 6 Ds.”

“These are death, disability, disaster/disease, divorce,disagreements and debt,” said Mrs Wildman, who is themanaging director of Saviour Associates advisory service,based in Dumfries.

“I would advise all farming families to start planningnow, because the earlier preparation begins, then thegreater the number of options that are likely to beavailable. Think of succession planning as a process, ratherthan an event; it will take time and effort. Maintaining apositive attitude can also make a huge difference, asattitudes are contagious.”

One of the first steps was to put together a financialanalysis of the business; both past and present, togetherwith a set of business projections¸ she advised. The subjectof succession planning was also worthy of extensiveresearch. Once preparations had been made, the familyshould schedule a series of meetings and these could beassisted by bringing in the expertise of an objective, third-party facilitator.

“A good starting point is for each individual to set outtheir goals, based on their values and priorities. Then thetricky issue of the fair, versus equal, division of the farmshould be addressed; this should be decided fairly early onin the process.

“Another initial aim should be to prepare a legal willand power of attorney. A will can provide guidance on howthe estate should be settled, while power of attorney willset out procedures, should medical intervention berequired. Tax implications should also be taken intoaccount, but they should not be regarded as the

most important element.”Mrs Wildman stressed the importance of keeping a

written record of meetings, with a designated individualmade responsible for taking notes; again, the best personto take on this role was a third party. Meetings should beheld at a neutral location, in preference to sitting roundthe kitchen table, she added.

“I would encourage all family members to attendsuccession planning meetings. Feedback suggests thatwhen family members feel excluded, relationships can bedamaged as a result, although some families prefer in-lawsto be excluded from the process.

“There will be times when parties do not agree and itcan be very helpful to have a prior discussion, to determinehow any disagreements might be dealt with. Some familiesfind that a voting process is useful, while others opt tobring in a third party mediator.

“Not everyone will get what they want in a businessmeeting and a discussion does not always implyconsensus. However, giving everyone the opportunity toask questions and to listen to all views will help towardsunderstanding the plan for succession and acceptingwhatever ultimate decision is reached,” said Mrs Wildman.

Matthew JacksonMy Story – From City to Cows

The British Farming Awards, New Entrant – Against AllOdds, 2017 winner Matthew Jackson gave an inspir ationaland compelling presentation on his journey from growingup in the city of Manchester to now, at 29 years old, livingin North Wales and milking 400 cows.

Mr Jackson discovered his passion for agricultureduring camping holidays in North Wales as a schoolboy.At 15, he went to work on a dairy and sheep holding nearthe family’s favourite camp site and from there went on tofind additional farm work in the area. A spell in NewZealand as a sheep shearer was followed by a return tothe UK, where he met up with members of a farmingpartnership milking 1100 cows on a low input system nearhis North Wales home.

“By that time, I knew that I enjoyed milking cows andI was pleased when I was offered a full-time position onthe farm, on the condition that I went back to NZ andreceived further training,” said Mr Jackson. “I hopped backon a plane and spent six months working with a 400-cowJersey herd on New Zealand’s South Island.

“The main emphasis was on milk from grass and

“Think ofsuccessionplanning as aprocess ratherthan an event, itwill take timeand effort”

The following two papers from the final session on the beef day sparked considerable interest, manyquestions and lively debate particularly from the younger members of the audience looking to settheir goals and achieve their dreams.

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ensuring that the cows remained fertile. This taught methe importance of monitoring grass and correctly allocatingquality feed. The Jerseys were small and efficient grassconverters and I learned more than I had thought possible,studying a subject that had interested me and that I wasnow passionate about.”

It was 2008 when Mr Jackson started work on thedairy farm as a junior herdsman, expanding hisknowledge by joining local discussion groups, which hefound highly useful. He used his wages to buy a batch of20 weaned heifer calves and took on the tenancy of aneight-acre area of poor quality grassland, which heimproved through rotational grazing. His low-costrearing system returned him a profit of £7,000 thefollowing spring.

Spurred on by his financial success, Mr Jacksoninvested the money in almost 50 weaned heifer calves andrented additional land, realising a similar level of profit perhead and expanding his own business over the next fewyears. The inspiration provided by his visit to New Zealandthen fuelled another trip to the country; this time fundedby a bursary award which included a trip to Australia,where he also looked at dairy farms. On this occasion, heincreased his knowledge about contract heifer rearing,share farming and cow leasing.

“By 2012, I was using the information I had learned tolease-out 50 in-calf heifers for two years,” he said. “Thisallowed me to retain equity, while sticking to my mainobjective; which was to avoid becoming complacent.

“I had realised that in order to continue growing mybusiness, I would need to borrow money and I had takencare to build a good relationship with my bank. Each yearI would discuss my plans with my bank adviser anddemonstrate that I was making steady progress. Thishelped me to secure my first £30,000 loan, which I usedto buy more livestock. At this point, my fiancée and I hadone child and we were expecting our second. I also had afull-time job and therefore I had to find ways of managingmy time effectively.”

The year 2013 saw Mr Jackson being appointed asmanager of the 300ha farm, by which time the familyowned in its own right 50 leased cows, 109 bulling heifersand 110 weaned heifer calves.

“I had started thinking about share-farming andrealised that I would soon have to either sell or lease outall of my livestock before calving, or find a way to be ableto milk my cattle in my own right.”

Fate stepped in at this stage and Mr Jackson was luckyenough to be offered a 50:50 share farming agreementon a dairy farm. He was asked to oversee the conversionof a 100ha green field site, with the first milking taking

place in 2014. The farm had 350 crossbred heifers, whichwere put through a 24:48 Waikato parlour, specificallydesigned to be operated by one-person. He currently worksthere alongside one full-time member of staff, with reliefhelp during calving.

Never one to turn down any opportunity to learn moreabout dairy farming he once again travelled to NewZealand; this time as a member of the ‘Positive FarmersTour.’

“This trip provided me with complete clarity on the typeof system we should run,” he commented. “I was awarethat complacency could strike and therefore needed aneven lower cost, robust and efficient grazing system, fit towithstand fierce volatility, and which would notcompromise our long term personal and business goals.

“The visit allowed delegates exclusive access to thecompany of New Zealand’s top 2% performing dairyfarmers. It allowed me to broaden my network and I havegained great friendships and a wealth of knowledge alongthe way.”

Fast-forward to 2016 and cow numbers have increasedto 400, with Mr Jackson describing the business as a “leanmachine” which generates cash and surplus stock andallows him to think on a wide scale. His thirst forknowledge continues to drive him forward.

“I have never been good at goal setting or having avision of what our lives will look like in the future, so I tookpart in a course on wealth creation. This really got methinking and completely changed my perspective oncertain issues. I used to be completely driven and focusedby money, whether that was right or wrong. I now knowexactly what I am going to achieve and why I want toachieve it.

“The course made me realise what I do and do notvalue, what is and is not important and how I definewealth; not just in terms of money, but also in terms offamily, friends and relationships.

“We are still driving on, paying debt and looking toexpand. I keep an open mind to all types of systems anddifferent formations of joint ventures, as long as theymatch certain criteria and do not compromise people,family time and progression.

“I spent a lot of time networking in 2017 and lookingfor opportunities to create pathways for ambitiousindividuals and to offer them a stepping stone into theindustry. This concept applies equally to people who arechoosing to either exit or take a step back, and who wouldlike to see their hard work being continued.

“For 2018, my short term goal is to locate a secondunit, as well as to be involved in other people’sprogression, share the cake and give back to society.

Matthew Jackson


“I was awarecomplacencycould strike andtherefore neededan even lowercost, robust andefficient grazingsystem fit towithstand fiercevolatility”

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Lars Nielsen

The Scandinavian BreedingExperience

An engaging and stimulating insight to the breedingexperience of Scandinavia generating a successfulbalance between health and production within theirdairy herds.

Lars Nielsen of Viking Genetics described howScandinavian dairy farmers and the wider industry hadcome together, in order to cut down on the use ofantibiotics in the national herd. The group of countries,he explained, had the lowest recorded usage in theEuropean Union, although BCBC chairman, Andy Doddwas quick to point out that the UK dairy industry alsoscored highly and was fast catching up with Scandinaviaon the EU scoreboard on antibiotic usage.

Scandinavia had achieved these results whilstmaintaining the figures for the highest 305-day milkyield per cow within the EU, said Mr Nielsen. In Sweden,the average cow yield was almost 9,800kgs, with figuresof 9,705kgs and 9,542kgs for Denmark and Finlandrespectively. He attributed the progress that had beenachieved to a breeding policy which used the NordicTotal Merit (NTM) index. It encompasses 60 sub-traits,which are then combined into a total of 14 main traits.

“In the NTM index, all of the traits featured are ofeconomic importance, with the weightings distributed50% for health and fertility, 30% for production and20% for conformation,” reported Mr Nielsen.

“A general health index has been in operation for 40years based on veterinary registrations of more than 80diseases. The registration process to track mastitisresistance began in 1982, with a hoof health datacollection scheme introduced in 2003.”

Mr Nielsen provided figures related to other issueswhich are tracked by dairy farmers in the three countries,in order to provide information for the central database.Some 85% of the total cow population was registered tosupply fertility data, while 40% contributed to the hoofhealth records project. A new electronic system had beencreated, to encourage professional hoof trimmers toparticipate in the hoof health scheme. Hoof trimmingprofessionals recorded information on foot health whileon farm. The data is sent automatically to a centraldatabase where participating farmers are given access

The overall success of the Nordic breedingprogramme was demonstrated by Mr Nielsen, whoexplained that in 2001, the disease incidence of cows inthe recording scheme was set at 35 cases per 100 cowsand by 2016 just 20 cases was achieved resulting in a44% decrease of cases.

“The strength of the registration system in the Nordic

The Dairy DayThe key themes for the dairy day looked towards aprofitable future with health and welfare seen as keyto success and the issues surrounding genome editing.

Lars Nielsen


“In the NTMindex, all of thetraits featuredare of economicimportance”

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Professor John Dupré

countries is that the data is based on a high proportionof cows in a variety of environmental situations, ratherthan simply using information from selected herds.Breeding is far more successful when a directionselection of traits is made towards targeting geneticprogress, rather than simply relying on correlatedmeasurements, such as somatic cell count, legs and feetand immunity,” added Mr Nielsen.

The final three papers of the conference onthe topic of gene editing ‘Ethics v. Tech-nology’ were provocative and informativegiving delegates an insight to this complexarea.

Professor John Dupré Ethical issues in genome editing oflivestock

Professor John Dupré from the Centre for the Study ofLife Sciences at the University of Exeter predicted thatin the “fairly near future,” it would be possible to makesignificant changes to the genomes of most livestockspecies. These changes would be achieved with a veryhigh degree of precision and with the “rapidly-decreasing” probability of any unwanted effects. Thetechnology being used by the majority of molecularbiologists was the CRISPR-Cas9 system of DNAsequencing.

The scope for scientists to affect phenotypes throughgenomic manipulation however, would remain highlyvariable. Ethical concerns had already been expressedabout the use of genetic manipulation and is likely tocontinue. Professor Dupré felt it was important to makeclear to the public the limitations and possibilities linked

to both present and future developments. Mediapublicity had led to speculation which, in some instances,went beyond the realistic capabilities of science.

“While I anticipate ever greater precision in themanipulation of genomes, I do not feel that this will leadto comparable ability to control phenotypes. Wherephenotypic traits depend wholly or largely on a singlegene of very large effect, it will be possible to induce orprevent this effect, but only a very small proportion oftraits fall within this category”.

“Traits depend on many genes and many aspects ofthe environment in which the organism develops, so theeffects achievable with genomic editing will be quitelimited. Professor Dupré cited the enhancement of TBresistance as an example of the gene editing technique.Chinese scientists added an additional copy of a geneknown to be associated with high TB resistance which,further enhanced the resistance of cattle without anyadverse side effects. This procedure was not expected toeliminate bovine TB altogether, but it was anticipatedthat the development would have a significant andpositive effect in the battle against the disease.

Traditional animal breeding practices had wroughtmany changes to various animal species and not all hadhad a positive effect on welfare, he pointed out, forexample, very high-yielding cows, which are prone tomastitis.

“If the goals of husbandry are taken as given andsubject to the inescapable pressures of economiccompetition, for example, then modifying animals tobetter fit the conditions determined by these goals mightbe an effective way of improving animal welfare.”

He added that gene editing might also address someof the current environmental concerns.

“Changes to cattle types that enable moreenvironmentally-friendly production systems on land thatis ill-suited to alternative uses will probably be more


“Gene editingmight alsoaddress some ofthe currentenvironmentalconcerns”

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warmly received, compared with changes which favourhigher intensity methods. The genome editing of plantcrops has been promoted as an essential part of theeffort to address future global food needs, and it isprobable that the same argument will be applied to thegene editing of livestock.”

Professor Dupré drew several conclusions linked tothe ethical issues surrounding gene editing. “The intelli -gent discussion of issues raised by genome editing firstrequires countering of common misunderstandings ofthe nature of the genome,” he told the audience. “Givena realistic understanding of the subject, there should beno clear objection to the technique.

“There may, however, be various specific concernsabout animal welfare. These are best addressed byrobust regulatory procedures. If genome editing isdefended on the basis of concerns about future globalfood supplies, it is hard to avoid wider questions aboutthe appropriate role of animals in the global food chain.It will therefore be harder to separate the issue frommuch wider, geopolitical discussions.”

Dr Chris ProudfootEditing the Future of Livestock

Dr Chris Proudfoot of the Roslin Institute in Edinburghstated that whatever the outcome of progress on thegenome editing of livestock, scientists would need to setclear goals before the first animal of its type was broughtto the commercial market. The technique would need tooffer clear benefits, in terms of animal welfare, theenvironment and to the consumer.

“We need to make sure that the science behind themodels is well-considered, genome editing is an

“extremely powerful tool.” said Dr Proudfoot, amolecular biologist. “Due diligence would dictate thatwe check for possible unintended consequences ofgenome editing. For example, in developing pigs that areresistant to one particular disease, we must check thatwe have not inadvertently made them susceptible toother diseases.

“The technique has opened up an enormous wealthof possibilities and has the potential to have a hugeimpact on the livestock industry. If we can utilise it to itsfullest extent, we must have a system where theregulations are based on science, not politics.”

In many cases, Chris explained, genome editorssimply accelerate the breeding process. One major issuesurrounding the technique is how it will be classified bythe regulators; it could be viewed either as a novelbreeding technology, or as an advanced geneticmodification technology. It was possible, he suggested,that the animal that was produced through the use ofthe scientific procedure would be regulated, and not thetechnology.

Chris also mentioned a report published by theEuropean Academies Science Advisory Council, whichstated that livestock breeding should be governed by thesame principal that had been proposed for plantbreeding; to regulate the trait, as opposed to thetechnology. Nevertheless, he noted, the report did notconfirm whether organisms produced by genome editingwould be subject to the existing genetic modificationcontrols.

“The interpretation of the EU definition whatconstitutes a regulated genetic modification organism isnot straightforward. As a result, the Council’s report willno doubt prompt further discussion as to the appropriateapproach to be followed at EU level,” said Dr Proudfoot.

Dr Chris Proudfoot

70th Anniversary Conference Review and Spring Newsletter 201870th Anniversary Conference Review and Spring Newsletter 2018

Genome editingis an "extremelypowerful tool"



Spring Newsletter

January’s conference celebrated the club’s 70thAnniversary. The Club was founded by Sir JohnHammond and George Odlum, and in January 1948 thefirst BCBC conference was held at Cambridge. The clubcontinues to thrive, linking practical cattle breeding withscience through delivering informative and inspiringpapers to the beef and dairy industry through its annualconference and digest publication.

The 2018 conference welcomed delegates on thiscelebratory occasion, consisting of past Presidents,Chairmen, committee and club members along withfuture potential Chairmen and first time delegates.

It was an honour to welcome two of the club’s PastPresident’s Henry Lewis and Dr Maurice Bichard, alongwith Professor Mike Coffey, the club’s current President.

Henry Lewis spoke during the 70th Anniversarydinner highlighting the many milestones, key notespeakers and prestigious members who have contributedto the clubs impressive history including how he himselfbecame involved. Henry concluded by urging delegates

and members to continue the progression of the cluband the cattle breeding industry by going out into theworld and continuing to promote ourselves. ProfessorMike Coffey continued by congratulating the club on itscontinued success. Mike then reached out to the youngergeneration, encouragingthem to grasp theopportunities in a new andexciting future for cattlebreeding, genetics andtechnology. The 2019BCBC conference will aimto capitalise on thepositivity, passion andinspiration of the 70thanniversary celebrationsthrough its worldrenowned forum forknowledge exchange. Our congratulations to the British Cattle

Breeders’ Club. You can have your 70thanniversary cake and eat it….


BCBC Celebrates 70th Anniversary '70 years of BCBC, a landmarkevent in the club’s historymarked by the presence ofthree Club Presidents; Dr Maurice Bichard, Prof. Mike Coffey and Henry Lewis(l-r)

date for your diary - british cattle breeders club€¦ · british cattle breeders club 70th...

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