Breed Commentary 2007/8
British Limousin is the largest numerical beef breed in the United
Kingdom accounting for 34% of the 1.9 million cattle registered with
the British Cattle Movement Service. Each year over 640,000 Limousin
sired cattle are registered representing an annual industry value of
around £400 million. In the twelve years since BCMS was established,
more than 7 million calves, sired by Limousin bulls, have been registered.
First imported into the United Kingdom from France in 1971, the Limousin
breed has built its reputation on being ‘The Carcase Breed’,
a breed able to produce quality beef with a low proportion of bone
and fat. Its influence on British Beef production has been borne through
its advantages in calving ease, growth, milk, fertility, feed efficiency,
killing-out percentage and meat yield.
The Limousin breed enjoyed a
momentous 2007. Some facts from the past year included pedigree Limousin
sales approaching the £5 million
barrier. Top prices of the year were the 52,000gns paid for Limousin
bull, Queenshead Altea, from the Varleys of Yorkhire and the 28,000gns
paid to the Pennies of Montgomery for the Limousin heifer Sarkley Arriana.
A
string of Championship titles were secured at the four principal “Royal” Shows,
including the Blue Riband Burke Trophy and Nat West Team of Five at
the 2007 Royal Show. Limousin bull Samy re-wrote the record books by
becoming the first animal to win three consecutive Burke Trophies.
In the commercial primestock arena, a clean sweep of overall championship
titles were gained at the Scottish Winter Fair in addition to the Supreme
Championship at the Welsh Winter Fair.
The Limousin’s ability
to produce ½ bred and ¾ bred
carcasses with excellent conformation, a top killing out percentage
and a top yield of saleable meat (73.3%) make it well suited to the
market needs of a consistent, quality beef product. An early maturing
breed, the Limousin provides young but mature beef in the medium weight
range demanded both by butchers and supermarkets.
Limousin bulls are
known for their fleshing qualities, lighter bone, fertility, and for
the extra conformation they pass to all progeny, whatever the dam.
Limousin suckler cows can be found on both upland and lowland systems.
They are renowned for ease of calving and ease of management, vital
factors in today’s farming economy. A good
milking ability and excellent fertility is complemented by a natural
hardiness and thriftiness.
As a spin off of the breed’s popularity,
membership of the Society is now a record 2,595 and the 18,000 mark
of pedigree calf registrations was reached for the third consecutive
time in 2007 when hitting 18,348. In September 2005, the Society reached
its landmark 250,000th pedigree registration – with the last
100,000 registrations coming in the last six years alone!
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