OFFICIAL pedigree British Limousin Cattle Society (BLCS) sales broke the £8m barrier for the first time in 2012.

The achievement saw gross sales increase by just under £850,000 (11 per cent) on 2011 to reach £8.184m.

The sum was £1.8m (28 per cent) up on 2010 and was the fourth year running a record has been set – official pedigree Limousin sales have grossed more than £33m in the past five years.

In 2012, there were 16 BLCS collective sales at Carlisle, Stirling, Brecon, Dungannon, Ballymena and Aberdeen which grossed a total of £4.51m and 25 breeders’ sales which grossed £3.673m.

Of the 2,000 pedigree Limousins sold, 850 were bulls and 1,219 were females.

Peter Kirton, BLCS chairman, said: “The demand for the breed is simply driven by it meeting the needs of the market place in performance and profitability.

“There are so many strengths to the breed in its versatility and flexibility, both terminally and maternally, for beef producers.

This is where the real added value is for farmers.”

The demand for pedigree Limousin females had been a particular feature of the year.

Mr Kirton said: “Limousin cows can produce top-level pedigree calves, first-quality commercial calves and carcases, and are top-grading cull cows.

“They are easy calving, can be run commercially, have longevity, and are feed efficient. It’s a really attractive package and is recognised by the industry.”

The year saw some spectacular sales of both bulls and females. At the society’s February Sale in Carlisle a new all-breeds UK record average of £8,243 – up more than £2,000 – was set by 131 bulls sold, led by the 120,000gns Dolcorsllwyn Fabio. Ninety animals in the year sold for 10,000gns or more, while the top-end bulls continued to lift the sale averages, the majority of bulls at the society’s major sales continued to sell at up to 5,000gns.