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Greenmount College

L.I.M.O.- Leading the Industry to Meat Objectives
College of Agriculture Food & Rural Enterprise
Greenmount Campus, Northern Ireland

LIMO - Leading the Industry to Meat Objectives is an exciting educational partnership between the British Limousin Cattle Society and the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise based at Greenmount Campus, Antrim, N. Ireland.

The LIMO project at Greenmount College was first established in 1997 as a partnership to unite breeders, commercial producers and retailers in a way that would demonstrate Limousin cattle’s economic value for each. Underpinning these aims was a primary objective to develop student experience, knowledge and skill in suckler herd management and beef production. Eight years on, the project has evolved into a pedigree herd and fifty cow suckler herd that examines maternal trait improvement, demonstrates best practice in breeding selection, performance recording and the use of new technologies. The three partnership links of production, education and marketing are firmly in place through BLCS, Greenmount College and Linden Foods. LIMO also encompasses the principles of the Beef Quality Initiative in N.I, a project whose aim is to improve breeding stock across the industry and to introduce modern production management practices that secure higher producer returns.

Learning by Doing

Studying for a qualification at Greenmount goes beyond the classroom experience. Greenmount emphasises the ‘Learning by Doing’ approach and students are directly involved in the management of dairy, beef and sheep enterprises on the College farm.

The primary aim of LIMO is to develop student experience, knowledge and skills through the management of a herd of 50 suckler cows. This herd comprises 25 pure bred and 25 cross bred suckler cows producing breeding stock and stock for slaughter. The main learning outcomes are to: -

  • Manage a beef enterprise to optimise productivity and profit
  • Achieve competence in advanced beef husbandry skills
  • Decide enterprise management policy on the basis of physical and financial records
  • Apply new technology to a beef enterprise

Students report twice per year to the LIMO Advisory Board, which comprises representatives from the British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS), Linden Foods, Livestock and Meat Commission and commercial farmers. These Advisory Board meetings provide an opportunity to report on enterprise performance and to develop herd policy. These sessions provide students with an invaluable opportunity to benefit directly from the knowledge and experience of those directly involved with the industry.

Greenmount students and staff report on the activities of 2005.

Management of suckler cows at Abbey Farm
“The management of the LIMO herd, both cross bred and pure bred cows, takes into account grazing management, the veterinary and breeding policy, and management at housing at Abbey Farm.
“Three weeks before calving the cows are injected with vita cell as they are low in vitamin E and selenium due to local conditions. In January the cows are vaccinated for leptospirosis, rota-virus and BVD. The cows start to calve at the start of January, with some cows calving later in the spring at grass. This year the cows were turned out in the last week of April but some of the cows with calves at foot were turned out a little earlier. The calving pattern is currently spread out; a tighter calving pattern would make the herd easier to manage as routine practices such as dehorning or weaning can be carried out.
“Part of the reason for the calving pattern being spread out is that the cows were bought in-calf in 2002 and they were calving at different stages of the year. It has therefore been difficult to pull them back into a spring calving system in three years. At the moment, there are six heifers selected to be replacements for the pedigree herd. These heifers will be served in April onwards so they will be calving in January. If replacements calve down in the spring every year then this will help to achieve a spring calving system.
“When the cows are at grass they are grazed around the Abbey Farm on clover rich pastures. The calves suckle the cows all summer at grass and are weaned in the autumn or according to weight. The cows are either served by A.I or naturally with the LIMO stock bulls. The cows are then scanned to see if they are in calf and it is at this stage that the decision is made to either cull the cow or retain it.
“Here at Abbey Farm we also flush the best cows and use a mixture of different bull semen to fertilize the eggs to be planted into recipients. Currently there are three recipients in calf and the eggs that are planted in these heifers are either out of Rahoney Ruth or Carmorn Orna. Flushing is a very successful way of improving the herd as well as creating an embryo bank to protect the herd from future disease outbreaks.”

L.I.M.O Herd: calf performance (birth to weaning)

To date thirteen purebred LIMO calves and nine cross bred LIMO calves have been weaned. The average daily live weight gain (D.L.W.G) for the purebreds, both bulls and heifers is 1.3kg/head/day, and the average D.L.W.G for the crossbreds, both bulls and heifers is 1.23kg/head/day. Most of these calves are born in March and early April with the exception of three December/January born calves (due to embryo transfer work). Both the purebred calves and the crossbred calves were weaned on the 01-11-2005.

L.I.M.O Herd: calf management pre and post weaning

Pre-weaning
Cows and calves were turned out on the 05-04-2005. Calves are vaccinated for blackleg as early as possible. From then on the calves need little management, apart form worming every 6-8 weeks and general day-to-day management such as observation for sick calves and treatment etc. The purebred and crossbred calves are run as two separate batches but are managed in the same way. Cows and calves are grazed on a rotational basis, therefore there is always fresh grass available. Creep feed is introduced to the calves two months prior to weaning which in turn reduces stress at weaning. Calves are fed 1kg/head/day in the creep while at grass. Calves are also vaccinated for pneumonia prior to weaning.

Weaning
Both the purebred and crossbred calves are selected for weaning due to age and also weight and were weaned on the 01-11-2005, one week after housing to allow the calves to acclimatise to housing conditions and reduce stress levels at weaning. Calves are weaned in batches that they are familiar with and reared with. This is all put into practice to reduce stress levels and risk of disease, such as pneumonia, at weaning.

Post-weaning
When calves are weaned they are separated into two batches. The pure bred bulls and the cross bred bulls are batched together and the pure bred heifers and cross bred heifers are batched together. The bull calves are fed ad lib meal and straw and the heifers are fed silage alone.

Meeting Market Requirements

Breed Number Slaughtered Full Weight
(Kg)		 Dead Weight
(Kg)		 KO % Grade DLWG (Kg)
(since birth)
Pedigree
Male		 1 680 438 64.4 E3 1.28
Pedigree
Female		 9 585.5 346 59.1 U3 0.89
7/8
Male		 2 644 379 58.9 U3 1.28
7/8
Female		 6 577 332.8 57.6 U3 0.95

Average grading results from pedigree and 7/8 bred cattle slaughtered in 2005.
NOTE only one pedigree male has been slaughtered in 2005

The above table summarises the averages of all 2004 born cattle within the L.I.M.O Herd that have been slaughtered to date in 2005. The majority of these cattle have been slaughtered at ‘Linden Foods’; this is due to the close association between ‘Linden Foods’ and the L.I.M.O project. Six heifers - both pedigree and 7/8 bred - have been selected by our board member Mr Jim Quail and have been sold through his retail outlet in Banbridge. All of the male cattle in the L.I.M.O project that have not been selected for breeding are finished as bulls on an intensive feeding programme. As there have only been three bulls slaughtered so far this year there is not enough data to make firm conclusions about their performance, however their grades and kill out percentages so far are looking very good. The average live weight for the heifers both pedigree and 7/8 is quite similar, however the dead weights show a considerable difference. This highlights a variation in kill out percentages. The pedigree heifers have a 1.5% greater kill out percentage than the 7/8 and therefore have an increased carcase value.

Breeding Bulls in LIMO
Within the L.I.M.O project there are a maximum of four bulls to be kept for breeding. A maximum of two bulls per year can be sold at official Limousin society sales, and two bulls can be retained for breeding within any of the college farms. This year two bulls were retained at the college and two were sold at the Northern Ireland Limousin club November sale.
In preparation for the sale it was required that we the students were highly involved in the halter training, washing, grooming and general management of the two bulls. The day prior to the sale the bulls had to be washed, groomed and transported to ‘Dungannon Farmers Mart’ for a veterinary inspection. This was a great experience as we were able to see the inspection being carried out.
On the day of the sale we were very much involved in the preparation, showing and selling of the bulls. This was an excellent way for us to get hands on experience in the show ring.

'LIMO Vandyck' a son of Dyfri Sundance and French dam Salford was placed second in his class and then went on to secure reserve intermediate champion. He had a muscle score of +1.2 and therefore qualified as ‘Elite’ in the ‘BQI’ scheme. This created an added interest in the sale ring where he went on to secure the second highest price of the day at 5,200gns.

‘LIMO Viscount’ a ‘Loganburn Stirling’ son and out of French dam ‘Opelle’ had a 200 day milk figure of +5 therefore leaving him ‘superior’ under the ‘BQI’ scheme. Although not shown, there was considerable interest in the sale ring where he went on to fetch 1,700 gns.

‘LIMO Vodka’ again out of ‘Loganburn Stirling’ and French dam ‘Oska’ is currently being used at the college’s dairy unit. To date he has been used on a number of heifers and will later be used to cover any cows that did not hold to the first service. He has a muscle score of +1 and a muscle depth of +3.7 therefore making him a superior carcase bull.

‘LIMO Volt’, a ‘Shire Milton’ son and out of French dam ‘Oska’ is currently being used at the college’s ‘Hill Farm’. So far this year he has been running with a small batch of heifers and will also cover any cows that did not hold to the first service. Volt is a good all round bull with +2 for milk, a muscle score of +1.5, a muscle depth of +4.5 and an overall beef value of LM33. His carcase traits help to place him as ‘Elite’ in the ‘BQI scheme’.

Breeding Policy 2005

For bio-security reasons the LIMO herd will be self-contained, demonstrating a system within which the herd produces its own replacements, through stock bulls and selective use of AI.

Table 2 LIMO Stock bulls BLUP figures (November 2005)

 

Calving Value

200 day milk

Muscle Score

Muscle Depth

Beef Value

LIMO Tanat

LM 4C

0

1.3

5.8

LM32

Glenrock Ulysses

LM0C

-2

0.4

4.7

LM23

LIMO Volt

LM0C

3

1.5

4.0

LM32

LIMO Vodka

LM1C

0

1.1

3.1

LM22
LIMO and the Beef Quality Initiative

The Beef Quality Initiative (BQI) was launched in Northern Ireland in response to the continuing decline in the quality of cattle being offered for sale. The influx of Holstein genes into our suckler herds, a move towards lighter carcases and lack of emphasis on economic parameters in selection of breeding stock have all been negative influences in the past 10 years.

What does BQI involve?

There are two parts to BQI: part I aims to develop the competence of beef cattle breeders and finishers in modern production practices; part II offers financial assistance in adoption of these practices.

BQI part I involves a learning programme on cattle breed improvement which Victor Woods, Farm Development Centre Manager, and Stephen Clyde, LIMO stockman, attended. Together they produced a breeding plan for the LIMO herd in which they assessed the cows and selected bulls to complement cow strengths and weaknesses. Victor and Stephen are among the 4000 people who have completed a learning programme through BQI.

BQI part II offers financial assistance to improve cattle quality through purchasing Elite or Superior genetics and performance recording.

LIMO is effectively demonstrating how all aspects of BQI can be incorporated into cattle herds of all breeds. This includes the use of Elite and Superior carcase and maternal bulls, the production of embryos, weighing of commercial cattle and performance recording using the Signet Beefbreeder Service, which is offered through A.I. Services, N Ireland.

Full details of the LIMO herd’s performance are available at the Greenmount web site www.greenmount.ac.uk

Ian McMaw, College Lecturer (CAFRE) / LIMO project co-ordinator, Greenmount College

Victor Woods, Farm Manager, Livestock Development