THE LARGEST FRENCH GENETIC HERD IN THE UK, PERFORMANCE RECORDING BY LA LIMOUSINE
FEMALE BLOODLINES
IMBATTABLE
Purchased at The Royal Show Sale 1976 with heifer calf at foot; retained until her death at 20 years of age, having produced a calf every year of her life from the age of three.
Bred by M Imbert, Bellac, France, she was among the first Limousin importations to the UK.
She’s had a huge influence in the Grange herd and with the exception of French importations, almost all the entire herd can be traced back to Imbattable.
Notable progeny include:
Mapledurham Naomi – one of the first females to be flushed in the UK. Mother of Grange Aphrodite and Grange Adonis, both by the famous Favori. Grange Adonis was retained as senior herd sire until his death, producing very correct progeny, with growth and good maternal characteristics. A number of his descendants remain within the herd today.
Grange Orchid – also retained until her death at the age of 21 years of age, she produced a calf on an annual basis. She was flushed in 1986, producing 10 embryos to the renowned Funambule, resulting in seven heifer calves. These were retained, although five were sold over time to a number of leading pedigree herds.
Grange Triton – sold to MMB in 1983 (pre-cursor to Genus). Triton was the first UK Limousin bull to have semen exported worldwide and was one of the most widely used and highest ranking Limousin sires owned by Genus between 1984 and 1986.
Grange Juniata – (s. Gabarit) was champion pedigree Limousin heifer, Royal Smithfield 1996.
Grange Gervaise – First ever UK bred Limousin to be sold and exported to France, January 2012. Sold to the leading ‘Les 4 Limousins’ consortium, which comprises EARL Lasternas, EARL Geraud and EARL Bonnet, who represent some of the leading French breeders in France.
Grange Lequeux – sold to Regis Lequeux, full brother to Grange Gervaise, Grange Lequeux became the second UK bred Limousin to be sold and exported to France, July 2016.
Grange Cascade – mother of Grange Gervaise and Grange Lequeux, who has exceptional conformation, breed characteristics, growth, length and maternal characteristics. She has also produced a number of full and half-sisters to Grange Gervaise and Grange Lequeux, most of which have been retained within the herd.
Grange Tarashani – a daughter of Marquis (bred by GAEC Manaud-Giroux), who has great length, width of pelvis and has produced a number of daughters which have inherited these traits.
Grange Rialto – an exceptional female who sold for 18,500gns as a first calving heifer at the Grange on-farm sale in 2003.
Grange Davinia – by Perit-B, who was bred by the famed Domaine des Forges herd, she has an exceptional temperament and milking abilities and has consistently passed these traits on to her progeny.
Grange Cascade
Grange Lequeux
Grange Gervaise
Grange Davinia
Grange Heidi
Grange Heiress
Grange Genevieve
Grange Hibiscus
UPLANDS OCARINA
Bred by Dan Haak, the Uplands herd was among one of the best herds to be found in the UK to date. Within her pedigree, MMB Fanfaron can be found, who was again one of the first Limousins to be imported into the UK.
Progeny includes:
Grange Napiana – sold in the Grange on-farm sale in 2003 and exported to Northern Ireland as foundation stock for a newly formed Limousin herd. Napiana had an outstanding temperament (something in common with all Ocarina progeny) and consistently produced quality daughters.
Grange Bouvardia – exported as a maiden heifer to The Azores (the only export to take place to date for Limousins to The Azores).
Grange Seraphina – retained in the herd, she had conformation, breed characteristics, milking ability and a quiet temperament. She produced a number of progeny who have inherited these traits and have been sold to both pedigree and commercial herds.
Grange Clematis – a Serge daughter (bred by GAEC Le Lann), which combines thickness and power from the sire with elegance and maternal characteristics from the mother, she had a great temperament, milking abilities and breed characteristics.
Grange Treviso – one of the first Perit-B sons born in the UK. He had length, stretch and easy calving characteristics and was sold to a leading pedigree herd as service sire where he was used for a number of years with great success.
Grange Babiole – sold at the 2011 on-farm sale with an outstanding Dolmen son at foot, who has gone on to be used within the Rectory herd of Messrs Greaves.
Grange Heptapleurum – This female above has length and growth, yet retains feminine qualities and breed characteristics. With a wide pelvis, and good thickness of bone, she is a very easy calving female, breeding true to her pedigree.
Grange Clematis
Grange Heptapleurum
Grange Heuchera
Grange Girouette
ITALIENNE
Bred by Mme de Blomac, she was purchased in 1977 and within her pedigree, the famed sire Bartissol can be found. She was a prolific breeder of females, most notably:
Grange Racquel – consistently produced progeny with conformation and milking abilities. A number of daughters were exported to Ireland, as well as some being included in the first British export of animals ever made to The USA in 1985.
Grange Mionia – sold at the on-farm sale held in 1999, she was one of the first Tanholm Claus daughters to be born in the UK (her sire being the renowned Danish bull, who sired numerous show champions). Mionia combined greater thickness due to her sire’s bloodlines, yet retained growth from her mother’s genetics.
Grange Atlantis – a Funambule daughter who was exported to the USA in the second and final ever export made from the UK in 1986. Sold as a maiden heifer, she was specifically selected by the purchasers in order to obtain her mother’s bloodline.
Grange Gibralter – an elegant, feminine cow with stretch, growth and great milking abilities. She produced a number of daughters sharing these characteristics which went on to be sold to a number of pedigree breeders in the UK and Ireland.
Grange Hovenia–combined the bloodlines of Italienne with Uplands Dai (who included Ami, Prince and the famous show cow Senorita in his pedigree).
BADIANE
A consistent breeder:
- Douglas – a Vautour son (bred by M Roland Martin who bred numerous bloodlines found within the Uplands herd), he was sold as foundation sire to the Firtree herd. Douglas has a truly exceptional temperament, length and growth, coupled with breed characteristics, all of which he is passing on to his progeny.
- Grange Factrice – an exceptionally tall and long daughter, combined with the unique Boileau bloodline. This female has breed characteristics and maternal qualities, which have been passed on to her progeny.
- Grange Gabrielle and Grange Gabriella – twin heifers born in 2011, and daughters of Chabal. Grange Gabriella has been retained within the herd and has length, volume, an excellent top line and breed characteristics.
- Grange Nounou – the last daughter to be born, sired by Dolmen, she has been running with the latest addition to the herd, Norton. As with her sisters, Nounou has great breed characteristics, length, growth, a great pelvis and an excellent top line.
s. ROUDOUDOU RRE d. ULTRA (gs NOUMEA)
Breeder: EARL Verdier (19)
Grange Gabrielle
Grange Gabriella
Grange Nounou
GRANGE CASCADE
- Going back to one of the original foundation cows purchased in 1976 (Imbattable), Grange Cascade has been an excellent breeding female in her own right. She has excellent conformation – length, growth, good pelvis and breed characteristics, coupled with great maternal qualities and calving ease.
- Mother of Grange Gervaise and Grange Lequeux, both sired by Chabal, who became the first and second UK bred Limousins to be exported to France and permitted entry in the French Herd Book.
- She has also produced several excellent females – Grange Heiress (s. Boileau) has growth and length, and is a great cow in her own right. In addition, Grange Jonquilia (s. Dolmen) is a stretchy cow – long, good top line and pelvis for calving ease.
- Grange Ophelia (s. Honore) is another very growthy female, with good thickness of bone and pelvis, excellent breed characteristics and conformation.
s. PERIT-B d. GRANGE TARASHANI (gs MARQUIS)
Grange Gervaise
Grange Lequeux
Grange Jonquilia
ECHAPPEE
- Purchased privately in 2012 from GAEC de Champagnat, Echappee was also selected for the National Limousin Show held in Saint Gaudens, September 2012, but was instead imported to the UK.
- By the well known sire Valseur, she contains the Neuf bloodline that has produced so many top class females. Her pedigree is again filled with animals that have achieved qualifications under the French performance recording system.
- Echappee was awarded particularly high indices for maternal qualities and breed characteristics under the French performance recording system. Again, she has a great top line, and has slightly more thickness to pair with her length.
s. VALSEUR d. BELLEDJOUR (gs TARTARIN)
Breeder: GAEC de Champagnat (87)
FLORALIE
- Purchased privately as an in-calf heifer November 2012, Floralie was bred by the noted breeder Gaec Manaud-Giroux, who was the breeder of Marquis, one of the numerous bulls purchased by the Grange herd at the Lanaud bull station.
- Her pedigree includes an extensive depth of breeding, and goes back to Turbot, who is also found in the pedigree of Bananier, a popular AI bull in France who consistently breeds animals entered into Lanaud Station and the Grand Cru auction sale held at the National Limousin show.
- Floralie has an excellent top line, growth and length, coupled with breed characterisitics.
- Her first son, Grange Illustre, was a son of Elephant, a highly regarded bull in France; Illustre was sold to a commercial herd in the UK where he has gone on to produce outstanding progeny and milky females. All of Floralie’s daughters have been retained within the herd.
s. ADAMS RR-VS d. STORIA (gs NEBULEUX RJ)
Breeder: GAEC Manaud-Giroux (87)
HARMONIE
- Purchased as a yearling heifer at the Grand Cru auction sale at the National Limousin show 2013 and bred by EARL du Patural, Harmonie combines elegance with length, thickness, breed characteristics and an excellent pelvis.
- On her sire’s side, Harmonie’s pedigree includes Bresil (RR VS), a widely respected bull in France. Bresil is sired by Ulrich (RR VS) who had an IVMAT index of 114, and he is out of the excellent cow Norvege, who is herself the mother of Voilier MN (RRE VS), one of the most popular MN bulls in France.
- Harmonie’s first calf was Grange Lefevre (sired by Honore) who was sold to the Firtree herd of pedigree Limousin’s, owned by Messrs CR and SM Barnwell.
s. BRESIL RR VS d. RAVINE RR (gs. LAC)
Breeder: EARL du Patural (54)
HALLOWEEN
- Purchased privately in 2013 from GAEC Robin-Vannier, we were only able to import Halloween due to our close links with Philippe and Solange Vannier.
- Halloween is a daughter of Devenue, one of the very best cows in the GAEC Robin-Vannier herd, who goes back to the famous bull Apache MN. On her father’s side, Halloween goes back to Sapristi who was widely shown in France with a great deal of success at both the National Limousin Show and Paris CGA amongst other outings.
- Halloween was purchased in calf to Gourou, another unique bloodline imported to the UK. This son, Grange Lanaud, was sold to the Chatsworth Herd of pedigree Limousins in April 2016.
s. BELGE d. DEVENUE (gs. APACHE MN RR VS)
Breeder: GAEC Robin-Vannier (71)
CONTACT
George, Beth and Steven Smith
Brookfield Farm, London Road, Daventry, Northants, NN11 4NQ
Tel: 01327 702763 Mob: 07971 915058 Email: grange.limousins@hotmail.co.uk
