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lackham college |
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projects : colleges : lackhamLackham CollegeThe Lackham Limousin project started in November 1999 with the acquisition of twenty bulling heifers with the aim of providing students with a valuable resource to investigate traits within the breed. These traits included maternal, reproduction and in conjunction with the BLCS, defined male traits. The project has developed into one of investigating carcase quality and meat production both within the pure bred and the more recently introduced cross bred Limousin herd. In addition, students gain hands-on experience handling and treating the animals from routine treatments through to show preparation and showing of the pedigree animals. The project is now in its 6th year, with eleven of the original cows remaining in the herd, this reduction in number has been the result of selective culling for herd improvement purposes. Eight of the remaining cows have had four lactations and are due to calve shortly. The remaining three have each had five calves and are due to be served shortly. In addition, there are a further eleven calved heifers from our own breeding stock with a further six to be served spring 2006. In-line with the original agreement the herd will be increased to a maximum of thirty breeding cows within the next 12 months. Since the start of the project 87 pedigree calves have been born, unfortunately 5 were born dead. In each instance of a calf loss this has been due to very large calves being produced, 2 coming from the same mother. In addition 2 calves have died (one within a month and one at 9 months). The remaining 80 animals are made up of 39 heifers and 41 bulls. Three cows have given birth to all males, whilst none have given birth to all females. Currently there are 5 of our own breeding bulls on the farm plus the purchased bull, Dyfri Robin. These include Lackham Shogun and Lackham Stewart, both by Middledale Poacher, our first stock bull. Lackham Tyke out of Dyfri Robin is used on the cross-breds and Lackham Urgent and Lackham United both by Dyfri Robin are used on the dairy herd and cross-bred animals. Lackham Shogun has been used on some of Defri Robin’s daughters. Several heifers have been served with semen from Otan and a couple with semen from Normande Jack. The success rate with AI has been good therefore to improve bloodlines the farm is currently investigating further use of AI. Even so it is anticipated that a further stock bull will be purchased within the next 18 months. The breeding policy for the coming season will be concentrated on the families within the herd with the aim of selecting for positive traits and reducing those weaknesses specific to a particular herd family. Specific areas for investigation and subsequent improvement will be milking ability, conformation, strength and beef values. The bulls chosen to enhance these traits and improve bloodlines are Sympa, Grahams Poncho, Brontemoor Ilkley, Pacha, Nobel, Imperial, Gaulois, Junior, Lowabbey United and Greenwell Manager with semen supplied from the Haltcliffe, Nealford, and Wilodge herds and Stanford Livestock International. This selection was based on a visual assessment by Mary Reynolds and Jack Neale representing the BLCS in combination with ourselves. The “sweeper” bulls will continue to be Dyfri Robin and Lackham Shogun. Right from the outset carcase conformation has been an important parameter within the project, even now with the slaughter of an animal every 2 weeks the analysis continues with all carcases. Initially the results were very much a level of interest, they now form an important part of beef production process at Lackham, see table below. The next investigation will be to investigate and analyse carcases to identify how much variance occurs between sires. Sales of beef to approximately 1500 customers are via orders from the college intranet. Following a 3 week hanging period beef orders are collected from a college collecting point. The total costs for slaughter, cutting to our requirements, vacuum packing and delivery is £250 per carcase. Variances in quality of cut and packaging between butchers can be significant, particularly in terms of how they cut the carcase and package therefore it is important to work with one you can trust to deliver to your specification. Over the six years the college has trialled with four different butchers and has settled with the first to be used who provides to a high specification.
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