The Society is delighted to announce that two Limousin bulls have been selected by the Meat and Livestock Commission for inclusion in the Young Bull Promotion Scheme. They are Wilodge Vantastic, owned by Smiths of Bloxham, Newlands Farm, Milton Road, Banbury and Limo Vocal, owned by Greenmount College, Northern Ireland.
Wilodge Vantastic is the exciting Limousin bull purchased at Carlisle’s May sale for the top price of 42,000gns from breeders Christine Williams & Richard Bartle, Lodge Hill Farm, Park Lane, Shifnal, Shropshire. He is by Wilodge Tonka, who himself sold for 30,000gns at Carlisle, and is out of the French bred Ravanelle.
Limo Vocal is a product of the LIMO herd established at Greenmount College as a Limousin featured project. This June 2005 born bull is by Shire Milton out of THE Pelletstown Ken sired Carmorn Orna.
The YBPS sees the selection of a promising young bull to a set criteria and the distribution of at least 100 straws of semen, free of charge, to at least 20 herds. All participating herds must be a member of the Beefbreeder service operated by Signet.
The two principle aims of the scheme are; to promote rapid genetic improvement via reduced generation intervals and improved selection differentials and secondly, to improve the accuracy of EBVs by increasing the connectedness (related animals) amongst herds.To be considered for selection, bulls must ideally be in the top 1% of the breed for both Beef Value and Calving value as calculated in the BLUP evaluations at the time of selection. Bulls must be under 30 months old on the date of submission and must have 200 and 400 day weights and scans recorded to be considered.
The Society is responsible for arranging collection and distribution of the semen. All BLCS recording members will be given the opportunity to apply for an allocation of straws. Thanks are extended to both Smiths of Bloxham and Greenmount College for allowing these bulls to take part in the YBPS.
