Irish Limousin: World Class Breeding; It’s In Our DNA
High-performing genetics are the building blocks for the quality beef production chain, and the genetic advantages delivered by the Irish Limousin breed continue to play a central role in the sustainability and profitability of the quality Irish beef production sector.
Limousin cattle have proved a highly-versatile beef breed performing for both farmers and processors. Equally, the breed is renowned for its market leading beefing characteristics consistently producing high-quality calves – which grow and finish efficiently with exceptional feed conversion efficiency (FCE) and average daily gain (ADG), killing-out % and primal meat yields.
The prevalence of the Myostatin F94L gene within the breed also contributes to the superior meat quality traits in Limousin beef – ensuring a consistent, healthy and superior quality end product.
Suckler farmers can reap the benefits of using Limousin through easy-calving characteristics – something that fits with most drystock farms operating with one labour unit or even part-time. So, it’s not surprising that Limousin is the terminal sire of choice.
The Irish Limousin reputation for easy calving, high-milk production, exceptional mothering ability and supreme calf quality are central to the breed’s reputation as the leading ‘easy care’ beef cow in Ireland. Additionally, farmers also have the added benefit of producing their own replacements for the herd at first cost, and without compromising animal health by operating a closed herd.
Demand for Limousin genetics is constant – whether that be in the sale ring for the Irish market, international demand from importers of Irish-bred weanlings, or in the factory lairage; these customers recognise the potential of Limousin cattle.
For Irish dairy farmers, Our Dairy Beef Limousin sires add value to calf sales, without compromising on calving difficulty or gestation length – an essential requirement on any dairy farm. Likewise, Friesian dams crossed with Limousin sires make the ideal suckler cow and are in high demand throughout the country – due to their ability to calve easily and rear a high value calf on milk and grass.
Irish beef producers continue to focus on producing efficient, high-quality beef in harmony with the environment and Ireland’s sustainability targets as set out in the current CAP reform policy and Ireland’s Food Vision 2030 – and Limousin cattle can play a pivotal role in this strategy.
