Limousin bull Mereside Jester, bred by RM Hazard & Sons, Saltby Heath Farm, Skillington has joined the leading UK semen company Cogent.
An embryo calf, Jester is a son of the French sire Armstrong and is out of Mereside Dawnmarie, an Alaska daughter and dam of the 40,000gns bull Mereside Godolphin.
January 2014-born, Jester carries an impressive set of performance figures to back up his exceptional pedigree, carrying a gestation length EBV in the top 1% of the breed coupled with a 200-day growth figure of +36, putting him in the top 10% of the breed.
Commenting, breeder James Hazard said: “On top of this, he has a muscle depth figure of +5.2, again in the top 10% of the breed, and an overall calving value of +7, which puts him in the top 1% of the Limousin population.”
Cogent beef sire analyst Boomer Birch says Jester was a standout choice for the company’s Signature range of beef bulls. “Jester is the complete package, combining excellent figures with a great pedigree and an exceptional female line.
“Jester will be an easy choice for many herds due to his top-end gestation figures coupled with calving ease figures inside the top 25% of the Limousin breed. These, coupled with his excellent muscle and growth data, make him a true curve bender, combining easy calving and relatively low birth weights with growth and muscle figures which will result in easily-born, quick-growing calves,” he explained.
James Hazard said Jester had been an exceptional calf, adding: “Armstrong calves have been short gestation and easily-born and Jester has always been good from an early age, showing a superb top and correctness.”
