Members backed Derrick Frigot by 161 in favour to 43 against at an extra ordinary general meeting.

He faced criticism over his proposals to allow imported bull semen into the island, but rejected calls to resign.

He says the result means the organisation is now united and he wants to move on.

Terrible blow

He said: "I left there feeling that there was an enormous unity among breeders and members of the society based around the common passion for the Jersey breed.

"I hope to go forward now with this unity to meet the challenges that we have in the future."

Last year Mr Frigot said a defeat by Society members of plans to import foreign bull semen was a terrible blow to the Jersey milk industry.

Dairy farmers and members of the Society had been asked to reverse a 240-year-old law banning imports from outside the island.

The Society's council had warned the quality of animals on the island was diminishing as a result of the ban on foreign bull semen.

Two vice presidents of the Society stepped down in October in protest at the rejection of imports.