Back to British, Back to Breeding, Back to Making Money
I am delighted to say that I enjoyed this year's conference immensely and I hope you all did too. Delegates fully participated in the debate, using every available opportunity to question and probe the speakers, while a record attendance of students impressed me with their incisive contribution to the discussion. My thanks are extended to Lucy Andrews of Holstein UK, who organised and encouraged their participation and I am pleased to report that we can expect their input to increase in future as a positive policy decision to encourage student attendance has been made by the Club's committee.
Putting the British Back into Breedingwas the theme for this year's conference, against which we considered who were our competitors for beef production; who influences our milk production processes and how we can best exploit both to the benefit of UK breeders. In my introduction before the conference I said the Club should get back to its roots and play its part in ensuring UK breeders are tooled and skilled to respond to these changes and exploit new technologies. This was addressed at the conference by traditional milk recording agencies and breed societies. An important keynote address by a poultry breeding company showed us how to respond to market signals quickly and how to use genetics to change animals. Accepting the differences between the two industries, I nevertheless hope that the cattle breeders present felt they could use and adapt the best the poultry breeding industry has to offer in their own approach.
This year we changed almost everything at the conference - something made possible by the record numbers attending last year's excellent programme organised by Duncan Pullar. We had debates on both days and a question time session after the Club dinner. At the debate I answered a question by stating that cattle breeders should not settle for mediocrity, but that they were more than capable of expertly managing high production animals. It is the role of the Club to provide a platform on which they can base their decisions and I hope those attending picked up something they could go back and apply to their own businesses.
It is easy for the incoming chairman to recommend change as it is not the chairman who does the work to see the change take effect! This role falls to Club Secretary Lesley Lewin, whose work has been tireless in bringing the conference seamlessly together. The Club Committee too has played an invaluable role, not least in stopping my more reckless ideas in their tracks! To both Lesley and the Committee, I am deeply indebted for helping and guiding me in my ambitions for the Club this year.
I believe these changes were well received over the two days of this 60th anniversary conference, and I hope the Club will continue to introduce change to ensure the event remains relevant and stimulating for at least another 60 years.
Mike Coffey
