British Livestock Genetics

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. [WHEL 24/05/08]

[28/05/2008]





Latest News			Dr John Moffitt CBE
Foot & mouth disease in East Asia [30/04/2010] Climate change in a climate of change [02/03/2010] ILDEX Vietnam 2010 - the solutions for Vietnam’s sustainable growth [02/03/2010] UK Sheep meat exports pass the £300 million mark in 2009 [02/03/2010] Certification Updates [27/02/2010] Global Food prices up again according to FAO [08/02/2010] New logo selected for all EU organic products [08/02/2010] EBLEX beef and sheep roadmap to livestock emissions reductions [08/02/2010] Outlook Conference diary alert [08/02/2010] Record entries for National All Breeds Show promise a spectacle to dispel the February blues [08/02/2010] Make a date: British Cattle Conference 24-26 January 2011 [08/02/2010] A very merry Christmas (and good year) for British pork sales, at home & abroad [08/02/2010] Paris in the Springtime [07/02/2010] Aberdeen-Angus semen heads for Estonia [05/02/2010] Lloyds TSB Agriculture continues sponsorship of Beef Expo in May [05/02/2010] British Blue, British Charolais and British Limousin beef semen exports to USA ...... and Denmark [05/02/2010] New JSR International Sales Director [05/02/2010] Dairy Burke Trophy moves to new National All Breeds Show [04/02/2010] New British semen storage and distribution unit opens [04/02/2010] JSR in the Ukraine [08/12/2009] Spring into Spring - EBLEX export marketing push [08/12/2009] New National All Breeds Show 2010 [08/12/2009] Male sexed Limousin semen - another ‘world first’ for Crawford Brothers [04/12/2009] A Sustainable Breeding Future - British Cattle Conference 25-27 January, 2010 [03/12/2009] Au revoir and bienvenue to Herefords as they head from England to France [02/12/2009] Cogent expansion: commitment and optimism for UK cattle genetics’ future [01/12/2009] New Genus ABS appointments in Europe and UK [01/12/2009] New British owned AI company launched [01/12/2009] British Blues join Semenstore.co.uk [01/12/2009] Mad for Madison [23/09/2009] New British Angus company launched in response [23/09/2009] IndAgra-Farm - UK’s livestock breeding sector are there for business! [23/09/2009] Where Asia’s feed, livestock and meat industry do business [21/09/2009] National Ploughing Championships 2009 [21/09/2009] Limousin ‘Goldies Terence’ semen exported to Norway, Finland and Australia [21/09/2009] Positive signs for English pig sector [21/09/2009] Defra minister to open the Dairy Event and Livestock Show [08/09/2009] JSR continues global expansion [02/09/2009] World record price for a sheep [31/08/2009] Cows for Cambodia! [28/08/2009] Cutting edge agricultural research under microscope [26/08/2009] GB Bulls Open Day and NEW August DVD now available [25/08/2009] Portuguese Pig Producers Choose UK Breeding Stock [25/08/2009] Picston Shottle celebrates his tenth birthday [25/08/2009] Agriscot - the UK's No 1 Farm Business Event [25/08/2009] Strong British team at Expointer [25/08/2009] The Dairy Event and Livestock Show 2009 [13/08/2009] A strong technical team helping the British pig industry [13/08/2009] BEEF EXPO 2010 is at Hexham [12/08/2009] AHDB appoints new EBLEX director [12/08/2009] Expointer And 100 Years of Devons in Brazil [10/08/2009] New export initiatives for livestock & meat sectors [27/07/2009] EBLEX and BPEX relocate to Stoneleigh [27/07/2009] News on latest meat sector economics publications & services [23/07/2009] Pig campaign wins major international awards [29/05/2009] Doors open for lamb exports to United Arab Emirates [06/04/2009] World Shorthorn Conference 2010 – A world of opportunity in the home of the breed [23/03/2009] Pig export news from ACMC [23/03/2009] UK’s Beef and Lamb exports up [05/03/2009] Breeding polled cattle made easier [05/03/2009] British pork exports hit £160million [20/02/2009] Genus expands business in China [20/02/2009] 'Positive future' for dairy industry [23/01/2009] British Limousin Pedigree sales in 2008 exceed £5 million [15/01/2009] 2008 Archive 2007 Archive 2006 Archive 2005 Archive 2004 Archive			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. [WHEL 24/05/08] [28/05/2008]