Argentine Limousin Breeders Association Marks 60 Years of French Breed's Expansion

The Argentine Association of Limousin Breeders is celebrating 60 years since its establishment in 1966, a significant milestone as the first association for the French breed outside of France. The association's president, Juan Pablo Lattanti Murguía, noted that the Limousin breed first arrived in Argentina in 1877, with continuous importations leading to the formation of the national association.

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The breed is a meat breed, of French origin, characterized by having exceptional meat volume and quality. The main thing is the carcass yield.

Lattanti Murguía described the Limousin as a "meat breed" originating from France, distinguished by its "exceptional meat volume and quality" and high "carcass yield." This success has spurred international expansion, with associations forming in the United States, Canada, and Australia shortly after Argentina's. Today, the breed is concentrated in Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, and La Pampa, with ongoing expansion into other provinces.

Silvina Martínez, the association's vice president, emphasized the breed's combination of valuable attributes for meat production. "Besides yield, it has great hardiness, longevity, very good maternal characteristics, and excellent conversion efficiency, producing more kilos of meat with less feed," she explained. This makes it ideal for both purebred herds and crossbreeding.

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Besides yield, it has great hardiness, longevity, very good maternal characteristics, and excellent conversion efficiency, producing more kilos of meat with less feed. All this makes it ideal for both purebred herds and crossbreeding.

Martínez added that many producers integrate Limousin genetics through artificial insemination or "clean-up" bulls to enhance their existing herds without major changes to their production systems. "It's adding a bit of value to what they already have," she said. Lattanti Murguía noted that this efficiency is particularly important as the Argentine livestock sector aims to produce heavier steers.

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It's adding a bit of value to what they already have. There are producers who have historically worked with other breeds and today are starting to try Limousin because they are looking for more kilos and greater efficiency.