Study on the exterior of cow Limousin cattle breed, bred in Bulgaria

Radka Malinova, Svetoslav Karamfilov, Vasil Nikolov

Abstract: Exterior measurements were taken from 116 female animals of the Limousin breed, aged one (n-15), two (n-17), and 3-7 (n-84) years, imported from Austria, France, and such born in Bulgaria. It is established that these beef cattle are relatively large: the height at the withers is 135.7 +-} 1.52 cm on average, the oblique body length is 166.0 +-} 1.78 cm, the chest girth is 199.1 +-} 2.03 cm, and the cannon bone girth is 19.96 +-} 0.18 cm. These animals are deep, wide, with well-muscled chest and rump, and relatively thin bones. The origin has significant effect on the exterior parameters of the cattle, as the cattle imported from Austria are the largest. The cattle imported from France and those born in Bulgaria are not significantly different in their external dimensions. The Limousin calves develop well in Bulgaria, as at the age of one year they reach 93-95% of the height of the body at a fully mature age, 90% of the oblique body length and the chest girth, 95% of the girth of the cannon bone. At the age of two years, the stated parameters are respectively 97-99% of the height, 93% of the oblique body length, 95% of the chest girth and 96% of the girth of the cannon bone.

Keywords: beef cattle; development; exterior; Limousin

Date published: 2019-12-20