black LIMS BIG BENEFITS
12 February 1999
black LIMS BIG BENEFITS
Curiosity rather than controversy has surrounded the
arrival of the Black Limousin on to the UK beef scene.
Jeremy Hunt reports
KEITH Redpath admits that the preference for black cattle, particularly suckler cows, among commercial beef producers had a lot to do with his initial interest in the Black Limousin.
However after almost three years involvement he is now convinced that the breed has far more to offer than simply the colour of its coat.
But in listing its virtues he stresses that he is not undermining any of the qualities of the French-bred Limousin.
"The availability of two types of Limousin can only serve to strengthen the breeds major role in UK beef production. The British Limousin Cattle Societys decision to take these cattle into its herd book has given them the credibility they deserve," he says.
"This is a responsible breeding programme that we believe will bring enormous benefits to commercial beef producers in terms of being able to produce home-bred black Limousin suckler herd replacements, naturally polled and with quiet temperaments," says Mr Redpath.
There is already a yardful of Black Limousin youngstock at Mr Redpaths beef and arable farm at Ninewell Mains, Chirnside, Berwick-shire. They are the first calves to be born following Mr Redpaths initial visit to Canada almost three years ago.
The trip, with fellow Scottish beef producer Drew Adam, Newhouse of Glamis, was a fact-finding mission to the Denver Show in Colorado. Their remit was to find out as much as they could about Black Limousins.
Stock traceability
"Following the BSE issue and increased emphasis on stock traceability, it struck me that suckled calf producers would swing more towards either home-bred replacement females or certainly fully-traceable cattle sourced through a group breeding scheme.
"Having until recently sold almost 400 head a year of beef bulling heifers, I was also aware that black Limousin-cross heifers nearly always achieved a premium over red-coated heifers," says Mr Redpath.
The Denver Show provided a wide range of Black Limousins to evaluate. "Many were clearly unsuitable for the British beef market. But there were others that not only impressed us with their length, shape and width but also their style."
He admits to being both excited and frustrated on his return from Denver after having found a bull of the right type but which then failed to meet the purity level of the BLCS herd book by 1%.
A second trip to Canada covering 10 farms a day over seven days provided a crash course in Black Limousin genetics. "I saw some outstanding cattle but I was trying to find bulls that were not only homozygous – to breed 100% black progeny – but would also meet our criteria on conformation and purity."
The Black Limousin was first developed in Canada after Aberdeen Angus cows were crossed with Limousin bulls as breeders attempted to grade-up to pure Limousin. Instead of killing all the black calves and retaining only the reds, some blacks were retained and over the last 10 years a separate breed has evolved.
"Some of the cattle we inspected had black breeding for two generations only and were French bred behind that, so in many cases we had a good idea of what we were dealing with."
Following the second buying mission a batch of 20 embryos with an acceptable purity of 94-95% – BLCS minimum purity was 93% – was imported, while a further trip to Canada secured flushing interests in around 20 cows.
100 embryos
Mr Redpath and the five other breeders involved in the project have used a Black Limousin bull purchased from Canada by two of the breeders. The group have around 100 embryos implanted to calve this year and a further four young bulls have just been purchased in Canada.
All autumn calving cows in Mr Redpaths herd are in-calf to the Black Limousin. "I will calve 80 Limousin cows to the Black Limousin next year and should have 15-20 imported embryos due this spring. Even the red calves out of red cows by heterozygous Black Limousin bulls are every bit as good as full-French.
"There is a temperament advantage. The black-sired calves are as quiet as any cattle I have ever handled. One theory put forward by a well known Canadian breeder is that the Angus influence alters the shape of the head giving a wide forehead which improves all round vision producing a steadier temperament."
BLACK LIMOUSINS
• Imported from north America.
• From Angus + Limousins originally.
• Quiet temperament.