‘Joining the Dots: From Blue Skies to Green Fields’
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The 2026 British Cattle Breeders Conference returns to Telford from 19-21 January and will be shining a spotlight on how research can be successfully put into practice on farm.
BCBC chair Dr Alex Brown says this year’s theme, ‘Joining the Dots: From Blue Skies to Green Fields’, was inspired by a growing frustration that valuable research often fails to reach the farmgate.
“Academics are under pressure to publish in peer-reviewed journals to attract funding – but in many cases that doesn’t directly help farmers,” explains Alex, a geneticist. “We expect this research to trickle down to boots on the ground, but various barriers often prevent innovations from reaching those who can implement change at a practical level.”
“At this year’s conference, we’re asking how we can better connect research with real-world farming and invite everyone to be part of that conversation.”
This year’s conference will feature more interactive sessions than ever before, kick starting on Monday with an interactive breeding workshop for vets and farmers – a first for BCBC. This practical session will equip attendees with the knowledge and confidence to discuss genetic improvement in dairy and beef cattle and build strong farm breeding plans.
Tuesday’s Beef Day will see a high-profile panel of farmers, funders and academics take to the stage to tackle the question of what’s hindering research from being adopted on farms – and how those barriers can be overcome.
Following this discussion, Dr Craig Lewis, Genetic Services Manager at the Pig Improvement Company (PIC), and this year’s Sir John Hammond Award recipient, will explore why innovation only matters when it’s applied at farm level. Nominations for the 2026 Sir John Hammond Award are open, for more information please visit BSAS Sir John Hammond Award
On Wednesday’s Dairy Day, a panel of beef and dairy farmers alongside vets will debate the pros and cons of using IVF in cattle breeding and offer practical insights into its use.
Meanwhile, Aled Davies from Pruex will unveil findings from a Welsh Government-funded trial investigating how biological treatment of slurry can cut ammonia emissions on dairy farms.
“Whatever your role in the value chain, from researcher to farmer, we hope you will leave the conference with the intention of putting innovation into action,” says Alex.
