The society voted against importing cattle semen

On Monday, members rejected proposals to import bull semen by a majority vote of two to one, but there are concerns Jersey's herd is not as healthy as others.

Dairy farmers and members of the society were asked whether the purity of Jersey's island herd should be diluted.

This was because of fears over the diminishing size of the island's herd. Some farmers also say the quality of the breed on the island is under threat because the gene pool is getting smaller.

Reversing ban

One proposed solution to the problem would be to introduce so-called foreign bull semen.

However, this has been banned for 240 years in Jersey.

Members of the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society were asked to reverse that decision. But they voted against the move by two to one.

The council is meeting to consider the implications of this vote result and a statement is expected on Wednesday.