The future of Jersey's dairy industry is to be the subject of an island-wide debate, following the publication of a recent report. Dr Maurice Bichard was asked to undertake a review of the current status of the island herd of Jersey dairy cattle and to make recommendations as to the future management and development of the industry.
The survey, which looked at how Jersey's dairy industry should be managed and developed to protect the island's cattle, has raised a number of salient points. As a result, the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society decided to organise a forum to debate the issues.
The society's council has already recognised the need to reduce the number of cattle in the island's herd. More than 20 per cent have gone in the last year.
There are now calls for proposals to be introduced to bolster the support services available to cattle breeders from the UK's department of agriculture.
The BBC reports that Bichard has revealed plans to sustain the breeding programme of Jersey cattle. This will maintain the integrity of the breed, while still complying with international best practice rules.
This should ensure the genetic diversity within the Jersey herd.