Updated 18th November 2009
News
Limousin again blitzes field in 2009 Southern Grassfed Carcase Classic
18th November 2009
David and Alison Galpin, Warrawindi Limousins, Penola, SA took out the
Grand Champion Carcase prize in the Southern Grassfed Carcase Classic for
the second year running.
The champion Limousin cross carcase also won the 180 to 260kg class with a score of 89.68 points. Second in this class was a Limousin X Angus steer entered by Frank and Carole Burden of Graffoe Limousin stud at Tintinara.
The Burdens' success continued with the Reserve Champion carcase which
also won the class for carcases 261 to 340kg with a maximum of two teeth
with a score of 86.99 points. This follows their success last year when
they won the prestigious pen of three class in the 300 to 420kg weight
range and took several placings.
The competition based in South Australia is unique in the country as cattle are consigned to processor Teys Brothers at Naracoorte within a designated time frame and judged for a specified class under a MSA-based judging system. Not only do competitors have to enter quality grass finished animals they have to estimate the dressed carcase weight in order to enter the right class and not incur penalties for being outside the weight range.
This no fuss, straight-from-the-paddock competition, under the objective MLA ABCAS appraisal system (666kB PDF file), which includes measures of retail meat yield and MSA eating quality, has to be the most relevant for all graziers to benchmark their cattle.
The "Classic" has only been running for two years and is proving a show case for Limousins as Limousin cross cattle have now won prizes in all classes. This includes first prizes in half of all competition classes held so far.
This year there were 50 competitors from Victoria and South Australia, with 210 entries representing many breeds and crosses.
The results were announced at a presentation dinner at the Penola Sports Club attended by about 130 people on Friday evening 13th November. A cheque for $3,373, which represented 1.5% of the proceeds of all carcases, was presented to the Royal Flying Doctors Service at the dinner.
Photographs provided by Stock Journal.
Media coverage:
Stock Journal 22 November 2009
Border Chronicle 1 December 2009
Limousin win on-the-hoof and -hook again at Adelaide Royal Show, which completed Limousin's "Grand Slam" of all Australian Royal Shows in 2009.
12th September 2009
The Limousin breed achieved the “grand slam” of the team of three purebred steers at all five Royal Shows in Australia in 2009. This is an unprecedented achievement for any breed and confirms the dominance of the Limousin breed in hoof and hook competitions.
In all cases the team of three competition is judged by a combination of points awarded as live steers and carcase results for those steers.
The winning streak commenced with the winning team at Sydney Royal which included one steer exhibited by Don and Sarah Riley, Oakvale Limousins, Duri, a steers from Scotts School, Bathurst and a steer exhibited by Brisbane Waters Secondary College, Umina.
At the Brisbane Royal Show the winning McDonald Shield team were exhibited by Geoff and Bronwyn Neilsen, Warral, NSW, MF and NJ Nicholls, Kyogle, NSW, and Australian Agricultural College, Dalby Campus.
The winning O'Connor Shield team of three at the Adelaide Royal Show were bred by Ken and Enid Modra of Limek Limousins, Bordertown, the Evans family, Roean Limousins, Upper Sturt, and Sandra Keatley and Gary Collins, Pebbly Range Limousins, Mt Torrens.
At Melbourne Royal the winning Borthwick trophy team included a steer bred by Nola Smith, Meadowbrook Limousins, Willunga, SA, a steer bred by Foone Genetics, Echunga, SA, and exhibited by Adelaide University and a steer bred by Donna Valley Limousin stud, NSW, and exhibited by Tumut High School.
A team of three Limousin steers all bred and exhibited by James and Casey Morris took out the prestigious Milner Trophy for three purebred steers at the Perth Royal Show to make it an unprecedented five wins for a group of purebred steers at the five major Australian Royal Shows in 2009.
If ever there was any doubt these wins confirm that Limousin are “The Carcase Breed”.
Photo courtesy of Wayne Jenkins
Limousin blitzes field in 2008 Southern Grassfed Carcase Classic
Limousin added to its impressive winning record, and again demonstrated why it is rapidly growing in popularity as a terminal sire around the world, by taking out Grand Champion prize and two of the four first prizes at the recent Southern Grassfed Carcase Classic competition.
The prize giving presentation dinner held on 30th January 2009 at the Kincraig Hotel, Naracoorte, was dominated by impressive Limousin and Limousin-cross winning entries. The competition, organised by Teys Bros, Naracoorte, with proceeds going to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, attracted 135 entries in four classes.
David and Alison Galpin of Warrawindi Limousins, Penola, took out the Class 3 first prize for Trade Steer/Heifer, maximum 2 teeth, CWT 180 - 260kg, with a 250kg Limousin X Murray Grey, which then went on to win the Grand Champion carcase trophy.
First prize was also awarded to the pen of three Limousin X Angus steers (Class 2, maximum 4 teeth, CWT 300 - 420kg) entered by Carole and Frank Burden of Graffoe Limousins, Tintinara. These entries were sired by a Pebbly Range Limousins' bull.
Another Limousin X Angus steer entered by Graffoe Limousins took out third prize in Class 1 (Steer, maximum 4 teeth, CWT 300 - 420kg), and a purebred Limousin steer also entered by Graffoe Limousins took out third prize in Class 3 (Trade Steer/Heifer, maximum 2 teeth, CWT 180 - 260kg). The Class 3 purebred Limousin carcase was awarded the third highest score of all 135 entries in the competition.
Four of Graffoe Limousins' prize winning entries.
Media coverage:
Stock Journal 14 February 2009
Limousin promotion and commercial cross-breeding field day
South Australian breeders held a Limousin cross-breeding field day on Sunday 23rd November 2008 at the Burden's Graffoe Limousin Stud, near Tintinara. Three of the field day talks were given in the Burden's shearing shed, and the final talk conducted at the cattle yards in front of pens of young Limousin bulls and Limousin/Angus steers.
Seventy people attended the field day, of whom half were Limousin stud breeders. The remainder were commercial cattle breeders, stock agents, and other beef professionals, who were keen to learn more about Limousins.
Lance Chaplin (right) spoke about his experience as
a branded beef producer (Patchawarra) in the state's Upper South East and
explained why he chose Limousin as a terminal sire over his 1,000
Hereford/Friesian cross cows. Key points made were:
- Buy quality replacement females.
- Meat quality is determined principally by nutrition. Lance uses a mix of lucerne and veldt grass in his pastures.
- When selecting a bull, experience has taught him to rely on his judgment rather than EBVs.
- He is able to provide a continuous supply to supermarkets by year-round calving.
Associate Professor Wayne Pitchford (left) presented
the results of over ten years research into the so-called Limousin
muscling gene. Key points made were:
- The gene studied is known as Myostatin, which regulates muscle growth in animals. Two Myostatin genes are present, one on each arm of chromosome 2 in cattle.
- Ten mutations of the gene have been discovered in cattle, of which seven are associated with characteristic increased meat yield and reduced fat thickness.
- The Myostatin mutation in Limousin is known as F94L, which is less extreme and is not associated with the disadvantages of other mutations, e.g. the myostatin mutation in Belgian Blue cattle truncates the action of the gene, leading to excessive muscling and increased calving difficulties.
- Cooperative research into F94L conducted by the University of Adelaide and New Zealand researchers involved crossing and back-crossing Jersey and Limousin cattle. The Jersey was chosen because it represented an extreme breed type when compared with Limousin.
- Notable in the research was that cattle with the F94L mutation on both arms of the chromosome had 14-19% greater silverside yield, net feed intake reduced by just under 1 kg/day, retail beef yield increased by 6-8%, tenderness improved 6-11%, eye muscle area increased by 19%, and fat (rump, IMF and P8) reduced by 20-30%. No other major effects were noted.
- The gene appears to be mildly recessive, which means that cattle with only one F94L mutation experience slightly less than half of the above benefits. Testing has shown that the majority of Limousins, probably greater than 98%, have two copies of the F94L mutation, with negligible to no occurrence in other breeds.
Alex McDonald (right), the ALBS general manager,
presented data on premiums attracted by Limousin and Limousin-cross
cattle. Key points made were:
- Limousin consistently yields up to 17% more saleable beef for the same liveweight than British breeds. 50% Limousin/British breed cattle typically yield 8% more saleable beef.
- At 450kg liveweight, a Limousin/British breed cross will return an extra $226, and a pure Limousin will return an extra $460.
- Data from the National Livestock Reporting Service (2007) indicates that more highly muscled steers and heifers attract premiums in the range 26 - 37c/kg (330 - 400kg liveweight), and cows (500+kg liveweight) attract a premium of about 15c/kg.
- Current market specifications used by major beef processors now recognise consumer preferences for leaner meat by lowering minimum fat thickness requirements. Finished straight and Limousin cross cattle should comfortably meet these specifications.
- Feedlots are actively seeking Limousin cross cattle, but there is an industry need to finish cattle quickly.
Barry Vogt of the Maryvale Limousin Stud finished
the field day at the cattle yards with a backdrop of young Limousin bulls
and Limousin/Angus steers. Barry explained why Limousin and Limousin-cross
cattle are ideally suited to the European Union (EU) market. Key points
made were:
- The EU market is a premium market for targeting by Australian beef producers, with market specifications ideally suited to Limousin and Limousin cross cattle.
- The EU market requires heavy carcases in the range 240 - 420kg, and is open to 0 - 4 tooth steers and heifers.
- Current EU pricing is approximately 45 - 50 c/kg stronger than other export markets.
- EU cattle can only be produced on EU-accredited properties and slaughtered in EU-accredited processing facilities. Accreditation occurs through AQIS. Properties are audited frequently.
- The EU market is substantially a grass fed market, although paddock supplementation is acceptable.
- Limousin-sired crossbred calves regularly weigh 30 - 40kg more than straight British bred contemporaries. Higher dressing and retail yield percentages significantly add to this advantage when cattle are ready for slaughter.
- EU does not require marbling, and fat cover requirements are 6 - 22mm (6 - 8mm is optimum). Carcases are trimmed to 8mm, so fat cover in excess of 8mm is wasted. Fat cover below specification is heavily penalised.
- Bruising is also heavily penalised. Ideal progeny should be relatively docile, polled or dehorned, and care should be taken when transporting cattle (do not squeeze too many cattle into a pen), particularly on long journeys.
- The EU grid is priced on dressed weight, which means that Limousin and Limousin cross beef producers benefit from the breed's higher dressing percentage. A 2% increase in dressing percentage on a 650kg animal results in an extra $49 to the producer.
- Bulls should be bred for fast growing, with above average performance for 400 day weight, and without calving ease being sacrificed.
Stock Journal article (16 November 2008) on F94L gene and field day.
Limousin raises the steaks!
For four consecutive years
Limousin has won the "Grand Champion Steer on the Hoof" prize at the Royal
Adelaide Show (2005 - 2008). This year's steer (Pebbly Range Brutus) beat
more than 150 other entries from 13 breeds, and went on to be reserve
champion in the heavy weight domestic category on the hook.
Limousins were placed in all categories on hoof this year showing their capability to finish at all weights. Limousin had the highest average dressing out percentage of all breeds at 61.6%, superior to Angus by 4.6%, Shorthorn and Murray Grey by 4.8%, and Hereford by 5.7%.
2007 saw Limousin win the double with Grand Champion on Hoof and Hook.
Up to 20% more beef from the same amount of feed
Dr Wayne Pitchford and his team at Adelaide University have discovered that cattle with two copies of the F94L variant of the myostatin muscling gene can give the above premium. He reports that Limousin cattle have a very high frequency of this gene, whereas other breeds such as Angus or Hereford have very low or zero frequency. The gene also increases tenderness by 15%. Click here for more ...