Upbeat report for Charolais breed
Increased sale demand, increased clearance rates and averages, consolidation of market share, and major progress with ground breaking breed improvement initiatives are just some of the highlights from an upbeat report to members from British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS) Chairman and Carmarthenshire based breeder John Phillips.
Published within the Society’s recently released 2016 Annual Report & Accounts, Mr Phillip’s report outlines that the breed and Society have had another solid year of performance and achievement. A summary of highlights included:
BLCS sales of pedigree Limousin cattle grossed over £5.6 million.
Limousin breed gets a 94 per cent approval rate from Bull Buyers’ Survey
Over 19,000 pedigree calves were also registered by the Society’s members – the sixth straight year that the 19,000 barrier has been broken.
In a UK beef industry first, Genomic Estimated Breeding Values for a range of Carcase Traits were launched.
Limousin remains the UK’s leading beef breed with a 29% market share
At the summer 2016 ‘Royal’ show majors, pedigree Limousin cattle secured 14 interbreed wins at the Royal Ulster, Royal Highland, Great Yorkshire, and Royal Welsh Shows. Limousin cattle again dominated the major autumn Primestock events held in the autumn of 2016.
As well as delivering Carcase Trait GEBVs, Mr Phillips notes that at the time of the report GEBVs for female fertility and calf survival traits had also just been launched, and that Limousin was the featured breed in the ongoing DEFRA funded feed efficiency project. The firm and long term commitment to breed improvement is a theme of the report and highlighted as being at the heart of the Society’s forward technical work.
