Society will take over recording services (From Smallholder)

Society will take over recording services

8:20am Saturday 6th October 2012 in News

The British Limousin cattle Society (BLCS), the UK’s largest beef breed Society, will take on the responsibility for data collection and the provision of performance recording services to pedigree Limousin breeders from 1st April 2013.

This major announcement has been made in a joint statement from the present service providers Signet Breeding Services, along with the BLCS.

Since the arrival of Limousin cattle to the UK, MLC/Signet Breeding Services have worked closely with the BLCS to deliver a performance recording service to Limousin breeders.

This relationship was strengthened in 2005, when the two organisations began using the shared BASCO Data Ltd livestock database.

Signet’s Beefbreeder service has been successful in that time and has seen a high level of participation in weight recording services with over 40% of pedigree Limousin cattle now recorded.

From April 2013 the BLCS will now be taking on the responsibility for the provision of these services in what has been described as a new approach to performance recording Limousin cattle.

Signet Manager Sam Boon said: “British Limousin has grown into a large and successful breed and we have been delighted to play a part in that development with the provision of performance recording services.

"Following discussions we can see a new and tailored approach through the BLCS to further develop the delivery of the services and to build on the recording base that has been established.

"Between now and April 2013, and indeed beyond, we will work closely with the BLCS to fully facilitate this move.”

Both Signet and BLCS are presently writing to all Limousin recording members to outline this agreement and to reassure that the provision of recording services will be ongoing with as seamless a transition as is possible in April next year.

Speaking on behalf of the BLCS, Society Chief Executive Iain Kerr said, “This is another big step forward for the BLCS and we are delighted to have reached this agreement with Signet.

"The Society is committed to providing performance recording services that pedigree and commercial producers can use to drive breed improvement and to market their herds.

"Through the structure of the BASCO livestock database we are aiming to provide a leading-edge service that is paperless and built around web-based data capture.”

“This new approach will, we anticipate, allow the service to be provided at a lower cost for both large and small herds and will quickly encourage a further and significant uptake in the number of Limousin herd’s performance recording.”