December 12, 2003

 

 

Overseas Pedigree Cattle Breeders Hope Export Ban On British Cattle Lifted

 

Overseas pedigree cattle breeders, keen to use UK genetics, are hoping the export ban on British cattle will soon be lifted.

 

That is the view of National Beef Association vice-chairman and chairman of export development, Keith Redpath of Kelso, Roxburghshire, following a visit to the North American International Livestock Expo in Louisville, Kentucky.

 

Helping to man the British Livestock Genetics Stand, Mr Redpath gauged overseas demand for British cattle genetics and helped to promote the International Limousin Congress and next August's NBA's Beef Expo.

 

Currently, British cattle semen and embryos can be exported to all countries within the European Union, North America, Canada, Hungary, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Chile, with semen exports only to Paraguay.

 

Mr Redpath is a council member of the British Limousin Cattle Society.

 

For the last 11 years Rob Wills of UK Sire Services of Dartington, Devon, has manned the British Livestock Genetics stand at Louisville.

 

In recent years Henry Lewis, Export Manager for the Meat and Livestock Commission, has joined him. These two have maintained friendly and familiar British contact with international cattle breeders.

 

"Thanks to Henry Lewis and Rob Wills' steadfast attendance, many international breeders visited the stand to gather up-to-date information on British cattle and the export situation," Mr Redpath said.

 

"This enabled me to easily distribute around 1,000 items of publicity material promoting ILC and Beef Expo 2004.

 

"American cattle breeders realise they have lost the identity of the original breeds and are keen to once again source British native breed genetics from Britain.

 

"It was greatly encouraging to see the enthusiasm of American breeders to also seek Continental cattle breeds in Britain, instead of from countries of their origin".

 

In Louisville Keith Redpath was invited to give a presentation on the British beef industry at a cattle breeder's seminar. "I concluded by asking how many would be interested in attending our events next year and hundreds of hands shot up," he added.

 

Iain Kerr, British Limousin Cattle Society chief executive said: "We anticipate approximately 400 world-wide delegates at next year's ILC. Many of the expected delegates work with a number of breeds, not just Limousin. The opportunity to view the multi-talented showcase of British beef genetics at Beef Expo 2004 is an added incentive to come to Britain next August.

 

"We sincerely hope additional export protocols can be established to enable even more overseas breeders to once again look to Britain as a source of the finest quality beef breeding genetics".