In just 7 weeks time the next British Cattle Breeders Conference will be held virtually, on Tuesday 25th January 2022. Following on from the resounding success of our first ever virtual Conference, we took the difficult decision to opt for the same format again this year. With so much uncertainty still surrounding Covid-19, we felt it was the safest decision for our speakers, delegates and for the future of the Club. It goes without saying that I will be very sad not to be seeing you all in person!
It is a huge honour and privilege to be Chairman of the Club this year and I am so looking forward to A Breath of Fresh Air the theme chosen for the conference, which will reflect on the club’s aspiration to focus on positivity, resilience and opportunity. We have secured some incredible speakers from home and abroad and look forward to delving deeper into the technological advancements and practical applications of science to move forward breeding and genetics, as well as discussing important subjects for our industry such as mental health and resilience. We have a great evening panel lined up for you too, hosted by our very own President, Professor Mike Coffey so please do join in for the discussion on the Future of Cattle Breeding: 2030 and beyond.
It has been a challenging time for everyone, but we hope that we have developed a Conference programme that will provide a great platform for exchanging new ideas, generating debate and discussion, and meeting old and new friends (albeit virtually)!
As a Club, we pride ourselves on attracting a huge diversity of farmers, researchers, students, lecturers and industry professionals, in addition to the next generation of young people looking to make their way into the industry. This provides the perfect opportunity for discussing and sharing ideas, challenging and encouraging debate and driving businesses forward. Our speakers this year will push the breeding, genetics, and environmental envelope even further and will take sound science and show us how to put it into practice on farm.
I would like to thank all our sponsors for their support, which has enabled us to deliver the Conference, and also all of those who have supported us as we adapt to the new platforms and technologies in our ever-changing world! Many thanks to our speakers, session chairs and technical support behind the scenes and thank you also to the BCBC Committee, particularly my Vice Chair, Amy Hughes, Treasurer, Andy Dodd and our amazingly patient and fantastic Club Secretary, Heidi Bradbury, who has managed to pull everyone and everything together in very challenging circumstances.
I believe that it is a fantastic time to be involved in beef and dairy and we have a great many opportunities to capitalise on. I hope that you enjoy BCBC 2022 A Breath of Fresh Air and that you log out feeling enthused, motivated, informed and inspired to embrace the technological developments, strive to keep moving forward and feel (as I most certainly do) very lucky to be working in our fantastic cattle industry!
BCBC Chair - Dr Karen Wonnacott
View the full programme and register your place today