Limousin breeding society:

• Name: Associação de Criadores Limousine (ACL)
• Year of creation: 1989

The ACL's primary objective is the exemplary management of the Portuguese Herd Book Limousin, guiding the evolution of the Limousine breed in a way that best serves the various stakeholders in the Limousine breed production chain.

The ACL also promotes the Limousine breed at various levels, ensuring high quality standards in Limousine breed certification on the one hand, and participating in agricultural and livestock events, with competitions and exhibitions, on the other, where the enormous qualities of the Limousine breed are evident, contributing to its growth in Portugal.

The richness of the Limousine breed lies in the combination of a set of qualities that are decisive for the success of the farm, such as ease of calving, genetically early growth, high rusticity and docility, and the quality of carcasses and meat. These are the reasons why the Limousine breed is an essential breed for anyone who wants to overcome the challenges facing the cattle farming sector.

Of cows over 2 years old of non-native breeds existing in Portugal, the Limousine breed represents about 54%. It is also the breed of choice for industrial crossbreeding.

Breeder members of the Limousin breeding programme:

• Number of breeder members: 308
• Number of purebred Limousin cows by breeder member:
• Mean: 23
• Standard deviation: 31

Definition of purebred Limousin breed standard: The Limousin breed is a beef cattle breed with a large, but fine, strong boned frame. The Limousin breed is a golden-red coat colour, with lighter circles around the eyes and muzzle, and shading to a lighter colour under the stomach, inside the thighs and around the anus and end of the tail. Absence of any spots or pigmentation, with pink mucous membranes.

Purebred Limousin cattle registered in the Limousin herd-book:

• Number of alive purebred Limousin animals registered in the Herd Book: 12 986
• Number of alive purebred Limousin cows registered in the herd-book: 8 421
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Reproduction (last year):

• Within all calves born from purebred Limousin sire and purebred Limousin dam, the percentage of calves from natural mating: 88%
• Percentage of first calving at around two years old, for purebred Limousin cows: 4%

Performances (last year):

•          Weaning certification: 2848
•          Aldults certification: 1379

Number of performances recorded:

• Birth weights: 58463
• Calving conditions: 74653
• Weaning weights: 55269
• Weaning certifications: 62072
• Aldults certification:16895