Research, information plans

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33384, 16 November 1973, Page 7

Research, information plans

New Zealand was represented at a meeting in Limoges in France recently at which an international Limousin Council was formed and steps were taken to initiate a worldwide research and information programme to maintain the Limousin breed of cattle, which is being introduced into New Zealand, as one of the most efficient beef producing breeds in the world. The council is made up of representatives of 18 countries where national Limousin breeders’ organisations have been formed. Count Louis de Neuville, who was elected president of the group, said it was intended to give each country the best possible assistance in the use of the

breed to fit the requirements of each marketing area of the w T orld.

Mr J. Poly, director of the French National Livestock Research Centre at Jouy en Josas, who was appointed chairman of a technical advisory committee, said that there was a gap between technical data coming from the research centre and its application in the livestock industry. Dr G. Rahnefeld, director of the Brandon Research Centre in Manitoba, Canada, presented a technical paper on comparative performance research being conducted in Canada on the Limousin, Charolais and Simmental breeds when used in a crossbreeding programme on Hereford, Angus and Shorthorn cows.

He said that the data in Canada verified the high feed conversion efficiency of the Limousin and the excellent carcase quality of the crossbred being tested there. The Limousin had a higher percentage of lean meat to live-weight and also performed better in calving, with a smaller birth weight, than the Charolais or Simmental crossbreds, he added. Mr A. J. R, Yencken, of Melbourne, Australia, who has been named as one of. the officers of the new | council, has also been appointed chairman of a com-' munications committee for’ reporting and distributing j data around the world. i Mr Dieter Jobst, of ■ England, reporting for the’ technical committee, said I that the group had decided

on a three-part programme that would (1) begin to assemble all research data now available on the breed in each country; (2) gather information on all evaluation systems now in use in various countries and seek to devise a guide to allow cross comparison of information to enable a common conclusion to be reached; and (3) to find out what facilities are available and what projects are in progress in each country.