One of the youngest members of council has taken over as chairman of the Red Poll Cattle Society.Ben Woolf, 30, who farms at Sproughton, near Ipswich, has taken over from Richard Dawes.

One of the youngest members of council has taken over as chairman of the Red Poll Cattle Society.

Ben Woolf, 30, who farms at Sproughton, near Ipswich, has taken over from Richard Dawes.

Ben, whose family runs the Oak House herd of Red Poll Cattle, is also a solicitor in Ipswich.

"I am delighted to be taking over the chairmanship at such an exciting time for Red Poll Cattle. Farmers increasingly realise the commercial role of the breed in modern extensive farming systems," he said.

The Society, which was created in 1888, has a growing membership thanks to the increasing popularity of the breed.

In his final report after six years in the post, Buckinghamshire farmer Mr Dawes said that the society had added real value to its members. "Our efforts have been reflected in a sharp rise in membership, and by the fact that in 2006 we have registered more than 700 Red Polls.

"We need to make sure that we have, and can finance sufficient administrative support to reflect the increase in the size of the society.

Over the past six years, membership has risen from 212 to 340 and the annual turnover has now risen to nearly £40,000 and the expenditure to just over £42,000.

"The milking side of the breed is hanging by a thread, which is not surprising given the crisis in the dairy industry. All is not lost, however, as most Red Polls in the dairy herds that have been dispersed have been placed with existing or new milking herds," said Mr Dawes.

It was announced that the Queen, who has been the society's patron for 55 years, was presented with two heifers to run on the Sandringham estate with Tony and Ann Barratt's Appleton herd of Red Polls.