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Green Genes - Revolutionising cattle breeding for a sustainable future' is the theme of the 2024 British Cattle Breeding Conference, as chosen by our Chair Ben Harman.  

'As an industry, we must accept our role in reducing climate change and make best use of the science and technology that is available to us in order to improve efficiencies both at animal and whole business level. With this in mind, the theme of the 2024 conference will tackle the argument for reduction head on and propose that a more sustainable answer is to adapt our cattle and our practices to reduce emissions and improve both sequestration and biodiversity on our farms, whilst maintaining profitable businesses and thriving rural communities.' explains Ben

This year’s BCBC keynote speakers will include:

• Professor John Gilliland, farmer and special adviser for AHDB, will talk about the Accelerating Ruminant Carbon Zero (ARCZero) project that he is leading. The project comprises seven farms in Northern Ireland that are undertaking carbon audits, including the assessment of carbon stocks within soils and trees, with the aim of identifying where future management can be changed to accelerate their move towards net zero.
• Beef farmer Duncan Morrison, from Aberdeenshire, will reveal how he is running a profitable 240-head suckler herd that is delivering environmental credentials.
• Professor Elizabeth Magowan, from the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), will present the findings of a recent study that examined how the cattle industry can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions at a farm and national level.
• Professor Alice Stanton, clinician-scientist, will explain why policymakers and scientists should be wary of reports advocating dramatic reductions or exclusions of red meat and dairy.
• Bjørg Heringstad, a research scientist at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and Geno Breeding, will present the latest results of their green cow project aimed at breeding feed-efficient Norwegian Red cows.

The 2024 conference will run from Monday 22nd - Wednesday 24th January at the Telford Hotel & Golf Resort in Shropshire.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available, please contact the secretary for further details.