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French breed of cattle

The Limousin, , is a French breed of beef cattle from the Limousin and Marche regions of France. It was formerly used mainly as a draught animal, but in modern times is reared for beef. A herd book was established in France in 1886. With the mechanisation of agriculture in the twentieth century, numbers declined. In the 1960s there were still more than 250 000 head, but the future of the breed was not clear; it was proposed that it be merged with the other blonde draught breeds of south western France – the Blonde des Pyrénées, the Blonde de Quercy and the Garonnaise – to form the new Blonde d'Aquitaine. Instead, a breeders' association was formed; new importance was given to extensive management, to performance recording and to exports. In the twenty first century the Limousin is the second most numerous beef breed in France after the Charolais. It is a world breed, raised in about eighty countries round the world, many of which have breed associations.

The Limousin originates in the Limousin, the area surrounding Limoges on the western flank of the Massif Central. It was originally a robust draught animal, used for agricultural work. As elsewhere, oxen at the end of their working lives were fattened and sent to slaughter, at times in major cities such as Bordeaux or Paris. In 1791, Jacques Joseph Saint Martin, an agronomist from Limoges, acknowledged the importance of Limousin cattle in the markets of cities such as Paris, Lyon, and Toulouse. Limousin cattle actually came from the departments of Charente, Dordogne, Haute Vienne, Vienne, Lot, Corrèze, and Creuse. The market for Limousin cattle declined slightly in the early 19th century, but livestock still remained a major activity in the region. The defect was considered to be attributable to poor genetics, nutrition and breeding practices. In competitions, Limousin cattle were among the worst performers. The breed was considered to be a working breed, but poorly shaped and with poor milk. Norman or Charolais cattle, which were better shaped. The Limousin breed was also not immune to the wave of Anglomania affecting France in the middle of the 19th century. Some wealthy farmers maintained Durham cattle, which were prized by the elite of the time. Furthermore, the vast majority of Limousin breeders could not afford to raise livestock in addition to their working animals, as was the case on larger properties that practiced crossing with Durham cattle. Finally, the marginalisation of English animals in competitions from the late 1860s reinforced the case to improve the breed by itself. The results were not immediate. In 1862, cattle sold at La Souterraine weighed about 600 kg. The decline of Anglomania in favour of economic pragmatism, and the criticism and fall of the aristocracy aided the development of Limousin cattle. The Limousin breed resumed its growth in the 1960s. The size of the French Limousin herd has increased sharply in recent years, with a 50% increase in numbers in France in 15 years. Today, it is the second most numerous French beef breed, behind Charolais and ahead of Blonde d'Aquitaine. In 2004, of about 900,000 Limousin cows, 63,000 were recorded in the herd book. At that time, 20,000 bulls were used for breeding, 10% through artificial insemination, and 1,600 were recorded in the Herd Book. France's Limousin herd grew by 2.6% in 2014 to 2.69 million head as of 31 Dec., including 1.09 million cows. DNA studies have identified close genetic relationships between Limousin cattle and other south west European breeds. One study reported a possible common origin or recent gene flow between the Limousin and Charolais cattle breeds. whereas other studies indicated that a closer genetic relationship exists between Limousin, Gasconne, Aubrac, Bazadais, Salers, and Blonde d'Aquitaine cattle. One historian reported that the Limousin breed's origins can be traced to the blonde Garonne breed in the fifth century AD. The Garonne breed from the south west of France was merged into the Blonde d'Aquitaine breed in 1962. The grey Gasconne breed with which Limousin cattle have a close genetic relationship is also reported to have arrived in the south west of France with the Visigoths also around the fifth century AD. The Limousin belongs to the blond group of European cattle, in a sub group which also includes the Alpha 16, the Maraîchine, the Nantaise and the Parthenaise.

EU legislation allowed a supplementary section (section annexe in French) to be used to introduce genetics into existing breeds from other breeds in a grading up process aimed at "progressive improvement". According to the legislation, only females whose mother and maternal grandmother entered in a supplementary section, and whose father and two grandfathers are entered in the main section, can be regarded as purebred and entered in the main section of a herd book. Although this appears to be a simple two stage grading up process, base females that start a new grading up line were also required by EU legislation to "be judged to conform to the breed standard". The restructured French Herd Book is described as having a third section called certified purebred (race pure certifié in French) intermediate between the first two for recording animals that do not comply with the breed standard (for example incorrectly coloured hair in certain places), have double muscling genes, or are polled. are also recorded in sub class 2 (sous classe 2 in French) of the certified purebred class because they do not comply with the French HBL requirement of being Full French. Base animals selected for the two stage grading up process to any EU herd book purebred class require a minimum of 3/4 Limousin content. Graded up females using the two stage process then become eligible for entry into the main section of all EU herd book purebred classes as initial registration (or T. I.) Limousins when they reach 15/16 Limousin content. They are then legally identified as Limousin (i. e. 100% Limousin) – the breed code 34 often substitutes for the word Limousin in French discussions and reports on cattle breeding. Only the Certified Purebred sub class 2 and Registered Purebred class are identified as Limousin in France because cattle of non Limousin origin had been introduced into the supplementary section of the Pureblood class. The growth and spread of the Limousin breed in France since the early 1980s meant that a past practice of selecting a base female on appearance alone was no longer a guarantee of its breed origin because of the potential for "crossing absorption". Currently, only cattle recorded in the French Limousin Certified Purebred sub class 2 and Registered Purebred class satisfy the requirements of EU law on herd books and can be transferred as Limousins, including indirectly through their genetics (for example semen and embryos), to other EU countries and recorded in the respective herd books. Outside of the EU, the rules and regulations of Limousin breed associations do not yet differentiate between the French Pureblood and Purebred classes, with the Pureblood class remaining the origin of, and standard for, the purest form of Limousin. which has around 800 outlets in France.

Test results of approximately 1,100 cattle recorded in the North American Limousin Foundation herd book show the following distributions for three classes of animal. About 94.4% of Fullbloods, 62.3% of purebreds and 5.3% of Lim Flex were homozygous for the F94L mutation. + Distribution of F94L variants in tested US Limousins (29 May 2010)   Homozygous Heterozygous None Total tested Fullblood 67 (94.4%) 2 (2.8%) 2 (2.8%) 71 Purebred 524 (62.3%) 256 (30.4%) 61 (7.3%) 841 Lim Flex 10 (5.3%) 106 (55.8%) 74 (38.9%) 190

Test results of 1028 cattle recorded in the Australian and New Zealand herd book indicate that 96.7% of Fullbloods (known in Australia as French Pure), 88.0% of purebreds, and 33.3% of a limited sample of Lim Flex were homozygous for the F94L mutation. + Distribution of F94L variants in tested Australian and New Zealand Limousins (7 December 2012)   Homozygous Heterozygous None Total tested Fullblood (French Pure) 260 (96.7%) 9 (3.3%) 0 269 Purebred 657 (88.0%) 84 (11.2%) 6 (0.8%) 747 Lim Flex 4 (33.3%) 8 (66.7%) 0 12

Cattle heterozygous for the F94L myostatin mutation have a 50% probability of passing the mutation to their progeny. Because the mutation has greatest effect on carcase traits, and expected progeny differences (EPDs)) will be incorrect because they assume that no dominant genes contribute to modelled traits. Inconsistent inheritance of myostatin mutations (for example, F94L in Limousins, nt821 in Angus, and Q204X in Charolais) by progeny is expected to result in possible BLUP prediction errors for EBVs and EPDs equalling or exceeding worst case standard errors of prediction. For example, average rib eye area for Limousins in US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) trials during the 1980s and early 1990s is reported to be 12.3in2, and the reported possible difference in rib eye area in progeny arising from inheritance of either two F94L mutations or two normal myostatin genes from heterozygous parents is estimated to be 1.8in2 (12.3in2 x 15%). When one parent is heterozygous for the mutation, and the other homozygous for the mutation or the normal form of the myostatin gene, the expected average difference in rib eye area of progeny will be about 0.9in2 (12.3in2 x 7.5%), depending on whether the mutation or normal form of the gene is inherited from the heterozygous parent. In this case, the unpredictable variation in rib eye area represents about twice the possible change value for a 0% BIF accuracy. Standard errors of prediction, also known as accuracy or possible change value in the context of EBV and EPD predictions, are dependent on the quality of information used to predict an animal's EBV or EPD for a given trait. Errors in estimating genetic merit are being addressed in research programmes that aim to supplement phenotypic data extensively used in current BLUP predictions with genotypic data.

A USMARC long term multi breed study of Limousins, three British (Red Poll, Hereford, Aberdeen Angus) and five other continental European (Braunvieh, Pinzgauer, Gelbvieh, Simmental, Charolais) cattle breeds reported that Limousin cattle were the most efficient and fastest of all breeds at converting feed into saleable meat even though Limousin's live weight growth was the slowest. This arose because saleable meat yield expressed as percentage of live weight was significantly higher in Limousins than in most other cattle breeds. Saleable meat yield was an average 34.9% of live weight for the three British cattle breeds, compared with 40.4% for the five other continental European breeds, and 46.0% for Limousins, for two market end points of 225 kg saleable meat at 8mm fat trim, and 210 kg saleable meat at 0mm fat trim. Live weight gain for the Limousins averaged 1.27 kg/day, compared with an average 1.29 kg/day for the British breeds and 1.38 kg/day for the other continental European cattle. Limousin saleable meat gain averaged 585g/day, with the balance being 687g/day of low value or waste product, such as bone, trimmed fat, internal organs, and hide. The British breeds produced significantly less saleable meat (average 451g/day) and significantly more low value product (841g/day), while consuming about twice the feed of the Limousins from entry to the trial (weaning) to the market end point (slaughter). The other continental European breeds produced on average less saleable meat (556g/day) and more low cost product (819g/day) while consuming about 25% more feed than the Limousins. Although the Simmental and Charolais produced marginally more saleable meat (590g/day) than Limousins, they produced significantly more low cost product (847g/day) and consumed 18% more feed. For a market end point of 333 kg carcase weight, the Limousin carcases in the USMARC study were estimated to be on average 63.5% of live weight, compared with an average 59.7% (range 58.6% – 60.4%) for the eight other breeds. Similar figures for Limousin meat yield are reported in other sources. The USMARC study indicated that Limousins were significantly the slowest of all breeds to achieve market end points of two measures of marbling score (70 to 160 days longer than the British breeds, and 65 to 70 days longer than the other continental European breeds) while feed conversion efficiency based on live weight gain was marginally poorer (12% less than the British breeds and comparable with the other continental European breeds). When feed conversion efficiency is adjusted to weight of saleable meat divided by feed consumed, Limousin feed conversion efficiency then exceeds both British and continental European breeds by 10–25%. The USMARC study also indicated that Limousins were very significantly the slowest of all breeds to achieve market specifications of three measures of rib eye fat (300 to 400 days longer than the British breeds, and 170 to 220 days longer than the other continental European breeds) while feed conversion efficiency based on live weight gain was poorer (25–30% less than the British breeds and 12–16% less than the other continental European breeds). When corrected to saleable meat divided by feed consumed, feed conversion efficiency was similar or marginally better for Limousins. At these end points, Limousins finished at markedly heavier live weights (up to 490 kg heavier than the British breeds, and 190 kg heavier than the other continental European breeds). of Limousins, two of the British breeds and three of the continental European breeds from the original study,

Breed comparison studies of performance tested bulls report Limousin's more efficient conversion of feed into live weight and confirm the breed's slower live weight gain when compared with other beef cattle breeds. Limousins generally have lower levels of intra muscular fat (marbling) and subcutaneous fat when compared with British breed cattle grown in similar conditions. although the link between marbling and palatability is not universally supported. In some countries, Limousin's lean, tender meat is considered to be of outstanding quality and marketed through specialist outlets. Beef producers targeting the higher marbling specifications of some markets, but who have concerns over the poorer feed conversion efficiency and yield associated with higher marbling British breed cattle, use Limousin sires over British breed cows, or British breed sires over Limousin cows, in crossbreeding programmes that aim to achieve a balance between the different and conflicting production demands.

Unlike the Brahmousin, Lim Flex does not have purebred breed status in any participating countries, which includes the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. The need for the Lim Flex hybrid arose in 2000 out of a perceived need by North American commercial cattle breeders for hybrid bulls that would assist in achieving end product targets. Lim Flex provide genetic options ranging from high content fullblood and purebred Limousin with high levels of muscle and efficiency, to blended options with higher marbling and maternal characteristics associated with Angus cattle, to meet the needs of crossbreeding programmes. The Lim Flex certification mark has been adopted in Australia and New Zealand, where "commercial Lim Flex must be 25 to 75 percent Limousin and 25 to 75 percent Angus or Red Angus", and in Canada, where they "must be 37.5 to 75 percent Limousin and 25 to 62.5 percent Angus or Red Angus, with a maximum allowance of another breed or unknown breed composition of 12.5 percent (1/8th)".

Most Limousin cattle's coloration varies from light wheat to darker golden red. Other coloration, mainly black, has been developed through cross breeding and grading up from other breeds of cattle. In addition to altering natural coloration, other traits, such as polled (a genetic lack of horns), have been introduced through crossbreeding. Angus cattle have been the dominant source of black and polled genes now present in graded up, high content Limousins found throughout the world.

Since the mid 1990s, Limousin breeders have worked extensively on improving disposition issues in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. This has been aided by the high heritability of temperament and by the development of genetic measures of docility (among many other traits) predicted from field measurements and subsequent analysis using BLUP techniques to produce docility EBVs and EPDs. Significant improvement has been recorded in the temperament of Limousins, as can be observed from trait trends published by various international breed associations.

Following the creation of the French Limousin Herd Book in 1886, Limousins were exported to Brazil (1886), New Caledonia (1902), Uruguay (1910), Madagascar (1922), Argentina (1924), and Portugal (1929). However, the only herd that became established outside France during this period was in New Caledonia, which continued to import Limousins. It was not until after the reform of Limousin breeding in France in 1962 that significant numbers were exported around the world. Limousins were reintroduced in Argentina (1966) and Brazil (1978), and imported to other European countries such as Spain (1965), Italy (1968), the Netherlands (1969), Denmark (1970), and the United Kingdom (1971). Their introduction to the United Kingdom provided opportunities for Australia and New Zealand to import semen in 1972. Soon after, New Zealand allowed the importation of Limousins from both Ireland and the United Kingdom, and the first Full French cattle were imported to Australia from New Zealand in 1975. An essential step in the global spread of the Limousin breed was made in 1968 with the importation of the first bull, Prince Pompadour, to Canada. The semen of this bull was made available to the United States in 1969. During the early 1970s, imports of animals to North America started to grow strongly. Today, the North American Limousin Foundation is the largest global Limousin breeders' association.

Limousins ability to adapt to different environments contributed greatly to the breed's current success outside France. The ILC was founded at Limoges in 1973 by Louis de Neuville, the Limousin breed ambassador. In 1989, EUROLIM was formed to bring together all of the herd books of European Limousins. Limousins in different countries are bred according to different selection practices or objectives, and are connected by limited international gene flows. Poor genetic connectedness between countries has negative implications for estimation accuracies of international genetic prediction programmes. As a result of genetic drift or different selection, each country's population of Limousins is becoming genetically differentiated, but which is counterbalanced to a limited extent by gene flows from other countries. A study of over 2.4million Limousin pedigree files of five European countries (France, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, United Kingdom) showed moderate gene flows from France to the United Kingdom and Denmark, but negligible gene flows to Sweden. Except for gene flows originating from France, and some limited gene flows between Denmark and Sweden in the 1990s, bull and semen exchanges between European countries has been scarce, especially since about 2000. Cow and embryo flows have been even more scarce. Conversely, the genetic contribution of North American Limousins to European countries has increased since the late 1990s, which has occurred because of their use in breeding programmes to introduce the polled gene. International Limousin genetics are now widely available in many countries for use in artificial insemination programmes, which has been facilitated by a large number of companies that specialise in the export and import of semen. Details of semen are published in extensively distributed catalogues.