Breed Commentary 2008 - 2009
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 2008. Some facts from the past year included pedigree Limousin
sales over £5 million with the
year’s top prices being the 50,000gns paid for Limousin bull,
Wilodge Cerberus, from DA Williams and the 41,000gns for Mr D & Mrs
M Cormack's cow, Newstart Upsydaisy.
A string of Championship titles
- an incredible 10 Interbreeds in all - were secured at the four principal “Royal” Shows
in 2008, including a Grand Slam of team championships at the Royal
Ulster, Royal Highland & Royal Welsh! The Blue Riband Burke Trophy
was won for the fourth year in a row at the Royal Show, thought to
be a record in the modern era, with the Individual Interbreed and Team
of Five also headed by the Limousin Breed. In the 2008 commercial primestock
arena, overall championships were gained at Royal Smithfield and the
Welsh Winter Fair alongside a string of Steer and Heifer, Baby Beef
and Festival of Ribs Championships at the Scottish and English Winter
Fairs.
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 2008 when hitting 18,240.
In September 2005, the Society reached its landmark 250,000th pedigree
registration – with the last 100,000 registrations coming in
just six years alone!
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