Jimmy Wilson

One of the north east's leading stockmen, Jimmy Wilson, of Barnyards, Mintlaw, near Peterhead has been elected chairman of the British Charolais Cattle Society's council of management. He succeeds Murray Lyle, of Mid Cambushinnie, Dunblane who on stepping down after completing his two year term of office reported the society to be in good heart, and showing a consistent increase in both membership and birth registrations.

"The British Charolais Cattle Society is extremely well poised to face the future; it is financially sound, a number of new herds have been established and membership is up, there is a definite increase in the number of show ring exhibitors, and every indication that Charolais with its weight for age, quality conformation and good temperament is attracting commercial producers to invest in the breed," commented Murray at the society's annual meeting.

Jimmy Wilson has had an involvement breeding pedigree Charolais cattle on his 400 acre mixed unit for more than 20 years since he established his Ugie pedigree herd which has grown to 60 breeding cows and produced a number of successful cattle at breed society official shows and sales including the 24,000gns Perth champion, Ugie Legend.

"British Charolais has evolved over the past four decades to become the leading beef terminal sire, and my objective is to continue to reinforce the breed's position and in the next 12 months, to establish a new recording system," says Jimmy who is a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Society and brings to BCCS more than 25 years of experience on the Suffolk Sheep Society council.

"Since the new single farm payment regime was introduced this year, trade for quality Charolais crosses is looking stronger than ever," he explains. "The gap between Charolais crosses and other Continental crosses has started to widen even further as finishers have become more aware that Charolais cross cattle are way a head on growth rate, they are easy to calve, and they also have an attractive quiet temperament. This weight for age factor will be increasingly to the fore in future as finishers adopt more intensive systems to realize their animals' potential and subsequently higher margins."

Jimmy's decision to stock Charolais at Barnyards was fuelled by his own commercial awareness and experience of the breed's superior performance. "We buy in the store ring annually around 200 heifers to take through to finishing at around 340kg deadweight and the entire packet are Charolais crosses simply because they've proved to be the most efficient on this unit," he explains. "They mature the quickest, and we find they can be taken through to heavier weights to meet our buyers precise requirements and grade within the specification.

. Fellow Aberdeenshire breeder, Neil Massie OBE, of Dinnet, Aboyne has been elected BCCS president. His noted 120 cow Blelack pedigree Charolais herd which he farms in partnership with son, Graeme is renowned for producing consistent strings of bulls for the official Perth sales and maintaining itself within the top 10 herd averages. "Charolais have provided me not with not only a business, but also unrivalled pleasure meeting with fellow breeders and farmers worldwide. This new role presents me with a great opportunity to continue promoting the breed and maintaining the British in Charolais."

Arwel Owen, Foel, Welshpool is the society's newly elected vice chairman, John Wight, Midlock, Biggar returns to BCCS council of management as a national member, and Iain Millar, Port of Menteith, Stirling is the latest member elected to represent Scotland.