The Limousin cattle breed take their name from their region of origin, Limousin, in Southern France.
The cattle were originally used as draught animals and fattened for slaughter once they were no longer strong enough to work. Today, they are produced across the globe because of their adaptability and excellent meat production qualities.
The Limousin herd book, which keeps a record of the breed of cattle, was established in 1886 and today comprises over a million animals in France alone.
Production in South Africa
The first Limousin cattle were imported to South Africa from France in 1974. Since then, the breed has increased in popularity, resulting in the establishment of the Limousin Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa in 1986.
The society boasts over a hundred registered breeders with more than 11 000 registered animals.
Attributes
The Limousin Cattle Breeders’ Society of South Africa describes the Limousin as the “carcass breed”, because of its exceptional beef qualities. The cattle have excellent feed conversion, on average gaining two kilograms per day in feedlots. The breed also regularly win carcass competitions with meat yields averaging around 65%.
The cattle are medium framed. The cows are highly fertile and rarely have birth complications because of the low birth weights of their calves, which averages around 32 kilograms when produced on the veld. The calves nevertheless grow fast thanks to good milk production of the cows. Cows live long and produce up to fourteen calves during their productive lives.
The breed is docile, making them easy to manage on the farm and in the feedlot.
Production Regions
The cattle are highly adaptable and known for their ability to thrive under harsh conditions. In South Africa, they are produced from the bushveld to the Highveld, Karoo, Namibia and the Cape. They thrive on low palatable sour veld grasses and the cold winters of the Highveld.
Use
Limousin produce good results on their own in a closed herd, but are also used in crossbreeding programmes to specifically improve the meat qualities of other breeds. The genetic variation is wide, with new bloodlines from tested bulls in France.
Meat Quality
The Limousin has been bred over many years to produce meat that is tender, tasty and healthy, without requiring any growth hormones. They also produce carcasses with high slaughter percentages and low fat, which means that little of their meat goes to waste.
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