French cattle to learn from UK breed

By Aaron McDonald

- Last updated on GMT

Left to right: Richard Fuller and Duncan Pullar, Stabiliser Cattle Company; Aline Barrois, Stéphane Peultier, Laurent Rouyer and Philippe Sibille of Bovinext
Left to right: Richard Fuller and Duncan Pullar, Stabiliser Cattle Company; Aline Barrois, Stéphane Peultier, Laurent Rouyer and Philippe Sibille of Bovinext

Related tags Cattle Uk Beef Livestock

The French cattle industry has signed a deal that will see it receive genetics from a UK breed.

French beef genetic co-operative Bovinext reached an agreement with the Stabiliser Cattle Company (SCC) that will make it the exclusive provider of Stabiliser cattle to French breeders.

The Stabiliser cow, which the SCC said was rising in popularity within the UK, is regarded for its easy calving frame, high fertility and efficient feed conversion. The SCC hopes these traits will help to open international export markets.

Laurent Rouyer, president of Bovinext, claimed that several French producers were struggling to meet market demands. Cows are becoming too big and don’t have enough marbling. Fifty breeders in France have already made plans to use Stabiliser semen and embryos, according to Bovinext.

‘Even stronger’ cows

The contract will last an initial five years and has been designed to deliver genetics through extensive semen sales and embryo transfers. Live cattle exports​ will also play an important role in the deal, with the first set of UK heifers set to depart for France in November.

Including the performance data generated in France in our UK evaluation, it is going to make a good project even stronger because French breeders will be able to compare their cattle with those in the UK and make good breeding decisions based on the same EBVs [estimated breeding values],​” said Dr Duncan Pullar, technical manager for SCC.

Richard Fuller, SCC business development director, added that the contract would increase future demand for UK beef genetics. “The potential in France is enormous for UK beef genetics by working with Bovinext’s million-cow network,​” he said.

French breeds swept into the UK in the 1960s and 1970s because they outperformed the native breeds on growth and yield. How exciting now that we can export Stabiliser beef cattle genetics that excel in growth, yield and eating to the French. We fully expect more demand for our genetics.​”

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