Dr John E Moffitt CBE
Sadly, John Moffitt, noted British cattle breeder, died on 6 May 2008, aged 78.The cattle breeding industry has lost a leader, an innovator, a friend and a counsellor to many. Born on 11 September 1929 in Cumbria where he started farming, he will long be associated with Northumberland where he subsequently farmed. A very well attended memorial service was held for him in Hexham Abbey on 19 May.
John not only established the Hunday herd of Holstein-Friesians as a household name in the dairy industry but also played a key part in the affairs of the sector and as a pioneer over many years. He was Chairman of the Holstein Society in Britain, becoming its President in 1972 and then a life Vice-President. He served on the Board of ABRO (the Government’s Animal Breeding Research Organisation), later the Roslin Institute, for 25 years until 2001.
John chaired many other organisations including the Animal Data Centre, the Royal Association of British Farmers, the Milk Development Council (its first Chairman), the Government’s Engineering Research Institute at Silsoe and the British Cattle Breeders Club, of which he was President from 1997 to 2005. He was proud to have attended 41 of the Club’s events, including his first Conference in 1948. His book of personal notes and observations reviewing this period was published in 2006. He also recently produced his autobiography.
He was the main instigator and Chairman of Premier Breeders Ltd, successor to Cattle Breeders’ Services Ltd, which was the first private AI and embryo transfer company in the UK and pioneers of the MOET (multiple ovulation and embryo transfer) technologies; Premier was subsequently taken-over by Genus. John was also Chairman of Hunday Electronics, which won the Burke Trophy for technical developments from the Royal Agricultural Society of England at the Royal Show in 1979 and he established the Hunday Museum of Agricultural Bygones which won the Museum of the Year award in 1981.
Amongst many awards, in the UK John was made a CBE in 1979 for services to agriculture and received the Princess Royal Award for outstanding service to the dairy industry. He was International Personality of the Year at the World Dairy Expo (USA) in 1994.
John will long be remembered for his enthusiasm, leadership and good nature. He leaves his wife, Madge, who he married in 1953, a daughter Sue and son Peter, who now runs the family business.
Henry Lewis, BCBC President
