Limousin is synonymous with carcass, feed efficiency and quality. These attributes were all very much in evidence at the recent Irish Limousin Ashbourne Meats Cow Carcass Competition.

Limousin Culls have the ability to fatten quickly and efficiently, premium prices are available for properly fleshed quality cull cows and bulls. Achieving good cull returns makes buying replacement heifers or a new bull much easier.

Irish Limousin and Ashbourne Meats Roscrea have been co operating to maximise the returns for Limouin cull stock bulls and cows.

Cow Carcass Competition group photo: Back L to R: Bobby Stephens, Anthony Melvin, John Lucey, Karl Stephens, John O’Grady, Ivor Stephens, Derek Stephens, John McInerney, John Coyne, Austin Finn, William Smith. Front L to R: Danny Houlihan, Peter McMahon, Henri Hoffman, Gerry Meehan, Peter Twormey

In order to demonstrate and highlight the quality of Limousin Cull Cows a carcass competition was organised for the week ended 13th January 2012 with final judging and prize giving on Monday January 16th.

A prize fund of €2000 was put in place and John O’Grady co-ordinated the supply of cows. Some 200 cows were entered and slaughtered in Ashbourne Meats Roscrea during the week. The quality supplied was an eye opener with excellent grades and weights, the price achieved ranged between 380 and 410 euro cent per kg with many cows returning over €2000.

Carcass Judge Henri Hoffman

Carcasses in Chill

Winning Pedigree Carcass

Carcases were selected from each days kill for final judging on the Monday. Fifty carcasses were selected for the final comprising 25 purebred Limousin and 25 Limousin crosses, all of which were of excellent quality. These were displayed in a cool, bright and exceptionally clean chill room. This high level of hygiene explains why 90 days shelf life can be achieved. Looking at the carcasses in the chills they would easily have passed as a selection of prime steers.

Suppliers and visitors were invited to inspect the carcasses and integrate with Ashbourne Meats staff. Those present included well known Limousin breeders, suckler farmers, feeders and media commentators.

French wholesale butcher Henri Hoffman judged the carcasses, he based his assessment on weight, grade, meat and fat colour, loin development, meat yield potential and over all balance within the carcass. He pointed out that the overall light boned nature of Limousin gives rise to excellent meat yields and the well balanced carcass gives more high value cuts. Ashbourne Meats Sales Director Peter McMahon also pointed out that high meat yield and good loins is very important to processors. Peter said these cow carcasses would be deboned and the cuts sold all over Europe, the loins going to France and Italy with VLs and Forequarters to Holland and Sweden and more. The lean nature of Limousin also improved the quality of mince and dice produced.

Gerry Meehan for Ashbourne and some feeders on hand pointed out it was important not to feed for too long, seventy to 100 days was sufficient for any cull cow. Extended feeding was not economic and would only result in excess fat on carcasses, in live animals this would be evident on the brisket and around the tail.

Something else noted was the degree of white fatted carcasses, this enhances the sale value of the meat and was attributable to feeding and genetics.

Henri Hoffman and all experts on hand found it hard to separate the carcases such was the high overall quality, Peter Twormey formerly of Eurovee stated that there would be no problem selling meat if it was all like what was on view.

The winning purebred carcass was from a 2005 born Ideal 23 cow owned by Ivor Stephens grading U4 weighing 504kg showing lovely proportions and meat colour. Ivor also had the second placed carcass out of one of their own stock bulls. Ivor said they had always been good cows who bred well and produced a calf every year. Others to be placed were Anthony Melvin, John Lucey, Karl Stephens and Mark Moore.

In the Limousin cross section first was John Smith with a U3 carcass weighing 477kg from a 2004 born cow, this cow had been successfully shown in breeding heifers classes as a young animal. Again a beautifully balanced carcass. Second was Anthony Melvin with John Coynes E grading cow third. Well know feeder and stock judge Roscommon man Anthony Melvin had two other cows placed, others to be placed were Maurice Brosnan and Thomas Conway.

Cow Carcass Competition Results