Cow breed limousine
Created in the center of the western French region, the limousine cow breed is now known in 72 countries for a number of advantages it possesses.
Limousine breed of cows
About limousine breed
The limousine breed of cows appeared in the harsh climate in the west of France, which is known for developed animal husbandry, therefore, for representatives of bulls and cows, the limousine is not afraid of either blizzards or frosts down to -20-35 ° С. The limousine appeared in the process of improving the quality characteristics of local Aquitaine cattle representatives, securing a rude physique and a working constitution.
The most worthy representatives of cattle from France have become regular participants in regular agricultural exhibitions since 1856 and were included in the breeding list.
The Limousine breed of cows originates from the second half of the 18th century, and received full development only by the beginning of the 19th century, when French livestock breeders in a provincial area called Limousin began to improve their breed qualities, systematically striving to increase meat and dairy performance and preserve the working qualities of livestock. The main focus was on:
- improving the quality characteristics of meat with a reduced fat content,
- increased early maturity of animals,
- increase in body weight of cows.
Today, the meat of the described cows is considered one of the best varieties that exist in French animal husbandry.
In Russia, the French limousine breed appeared in the 60s of the last century. In addition to our country, they began to breed it in Belarus, the livestock in which exceeded the number of representatives living in their homeland.
Not only meat and milk with good quality characteristics are obtained from limousines. Animals of this breed act as producers of offspring, fixing in themselves at the genetic level the advantages inherent in limousines.
External differences of limousines
You can find out the limousine breed of cows in the photo by color. Animals are covered with red hair, smoothly turning into light colors in the belly area. The short head is distinguished by a wide frontal bone and short, downward horns. Limousines have a fairly well-developed musculature.
The photo clearly shows that both cows and bulls of the limousine breed stand out for the harmonious forms inherent in beef cattle.
The height at the withers reaches 1.4 m. The body of the animals is distinguished by its massiveness with a rounded chest, a wide, flat dorsal region, an elongated sacrum and developed muscles of the limbs. The layer of subcutaneous fat is quite moderate.
High-quality care and provision of an adequate diet preserves the vital activity of these animals for 15-16 years.
Productive indicators
Since the last century, French livestock breeders have tried to increase the body weight of the Limousine breed, for which they began to fatten the livestock staying in stalls so that by the time they reach 3-4 months of age they gain live weight up to 170 kg, and by 8-10 months they are ready for slaughter in a total mass of half a ton.
The meat of Limousine cows has a very good composition: fat - no more than 10%, protein - within 20%. 6.5-7 kg of meat pulp accounts for only 1.0 kg of bones.
Today, newborn calves weigh in the range from 36 to 42 kg - bulls, from 34 to 38 kg - heifers. The grown bulls-producers are gaining weight up to 1.0-1.150 tons, cows - up to 0.58-0.64 tons. At the same time, the live weight of newborn limousines varies from 32 to 40 kg with a slaughter yield of 90-95%, the live weight of seven-month-old bulls is 0.2-0.24 tons, young heifers - 0.55-0.58 tons.
For the Limousine breed of cows, acclimatization is not terrible, they are able to survive the harsh climatic conditions of living, actively using mountain and meadow pastures for fattening.
Every day, young growth is gaining 1.0-1.1 kg, reaching 0.45 tons by the age of one and a half years with a slaughter yield of up to 60%. In terms of growth intensity, young offspring are inferior only to representatives of the Charolais cattle breed, compensating for the slaughter figures, which for adult limousine bulls averages 64-65% with a pure meat content in the carcass of up to 80%.
Limousin breed shows average indicators of milk productivity, which provide milk yield up to 1.5-1.8 thousand kg of milk annually.
Advantages of limousines for breeding and conditions of detention
The Limousin breed of cows was originally bred for the purpose of walking and keeping in conditions of pasture fattening, for which the plateaus were favorable in their French homeland. Growing up in natural conditions, cattle have developed a stable immunity and become hardy. In addition to these qualities, the breed has a number of other advantages that make these animals attractive for breeding:
- limousine cows and bulls are unpretentious to housing conditions and feed used,
- animals have the ability to quickly adapt to new circumstances,
- frost-resistant cattle is able to withstand temperatures down to -35 ° С,
- limousines have established themselves as highly fertile livestock with easy calving,
- animals of the limousine breed have high productive indicators.
Bulls limousines, when reproducing offspring, transmit the main biological traits inherent in the breed, when crossed with other representatives of cattle. The price of heifers, heifers and cows starts at 270 rubles per kg of live weight.