For the first time in 21 years, the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society will host the breed's world conference this summer.Farmers will visit East Anglia and herds in Scotland to see the finest beef and dairy shorthorn cattle.

For the first time in 21 years, the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society will host the breed's world conference this summer.

Farmers will visit East Anglia and herds in Scotland to see the finest beef and dairy shorthorn cattle.

Delegates will start the 14-day programme with a visit to the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh later this month.

They will see the biggest entry of shorthorn cattle ever seen at an agricultural show in living

memory, as breeders bring out their cattle to showcase British Shorthorn genetics.

It ends with a two-day World Shorthorn Conference at Stratford upon Avon on July 7 and 8 and the society's patron, the Princess Royal will host a reception for delegates.

The host society's president, Borders farmer James Playfair Hannay, of Morebattle Tofts, near Kelso, said: "The Shorthorn is a breed of influence in a world of opportunity.

"For the last 20 years because of trading restrictions we have not been able to demonstrate the quality of the cattle we have in the UK to a worldwide audience.

"This is the ideal opportunity for us to show overseas breeders the changes we have made to our industry and our breed and it provides a huge opportunity to promote our cattle.

"Over the last 30-plus years, the features of the breed and its breeders have changed dramatically. From the lows of the late 1970s to the current highs, our breed has been transformed."

More than 120 delegates from 10 countries, including some from Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay are attending.

In England the visitors will see a unique milk marketing business using pedigree Dairy Shorthorn milk on the edge of Hadrian's Wall country.

Delegates will also inspect the oldest Beef Shorthorn herd based on a north Yorkshire estate, commercial and pedigree beef enterprises in East Anglia and the Midlands and two Dairy Shorthorn herds - one organic and the other the last remaining in what is now a specialist arable area.

Frank Milnes, Shorthorn Society secretary, said: " This will be the biggest World Shorthorn conference ever, reflecting the breed's resurgence not only here in UK but across the world.