Black-and-white societies merge

18 December 1998

Black-and-white societies merge

By FWi staff

MEMBERS of the countrys two biggest dairy breed societies voted yesterday (Thursday) to create the largest breed organisation in the world.

The unanimous vote means the Holstein Friesian Society and the British Holstein Society will merge to create a new organisation called Holstein, UK & Ireland.

The new society will be officially constituted on 1 January next year and publicly launched a few weeks later at the National Holstein Show.

The new organisation will represent over 13,500 members throughout the UK and Ireland, and will register almost 300,000 cattle each year.

Speaking after the vote, Michael Armstrong, the new societys chairman, said:

“This decision represents a victory for common sense, for the cattle breeding industry in general and for our collective memberships in particular.”