How to Identify Limousin Cattle

Co-authored by Karin Lindquist

Last Updated: July 2, 2020 Approved

An in-depth guide telling how to identify Limousin cattle.

Steps

Do a search on the Internet or in a Cattle Breeds book for "Limousin".
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Note the following:
- Colouration: Limousins come in two colours: the traditional golden-red to brown colour, and black. Limousin typically have lighter colouration around their eyes and muzzle. They also are deeper in colour around their neck region (more defined in bulls than in cows).
- Body type and characteristics: Limousins are very blocky animals, but they have a fine bone-structure over all that muscle. This is more evident in photographs than in real-life. Their body often forms a defined rectangular shape, from the rump to the chest and brisket. They are also very muscular, bulls showing a lot of muscle around their necks and shoulders and their hindquarters, with very little fat on them. This is because the breed is genetically quite a lean animal. Cows do not show as much muscularity as bulls do, but they have the same rectangular and powerful-looking shape and qualities, respectively, as their male counterparts.
- Head characteristics: Historically, Limousins have been known to be horned, but you will find many more Limousins with no horns (or are polled). Bulls are more broad in the forehead than cows are. A very interesting feature that truly sets the Limousin breed apart from other breeds is their lips. If you look at the side of their mouths, on their lips, you will notice they are more trimmed-looking, or flatter than other breeds. The lips do not form a half- or quarter-moon shape like other breeds, but instead are flat or form a straight line. No other breed has this trait.
- Other characteristics: The Limousin breed is a French breed just like the Charolais. Limousins are known for their ability to have average to good calving ease (or, ability to give birth to small calves), great mothering ability , adequate milking ability, and excellent growth rates with great carcass characteristics. However, Limousins are also known for their excitable and high-strung temperament which makes it a breed not a favourite among producers who like calm, docile cattle. High-strung cattle make themselves very dangerous for producers to work with, but Limousin breeders have been working hard to cull out this bad trait and select those that are more quiet and docile.
Take pictures of what you thought were Limousin cattle, and compare them with pictures of Limousin cattle on the Internet and in your Cattle breeds book.

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Question

Do they have white heads or faces?

Karin

Top Answerer

No. Purebred and full-blooded Limousin cattle have no white faces. Limousin crossed with Hereford or Simmental, typically, will have the white-faced characteristic.

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Tips

Use the blocky body type and the lips as a key to successfully identifying this breed.

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Black Limousins may be more difficult to classify, as they can be confused with Black Charolais, Black Simmentals, Angus, Black Gelbvieh, or Black Salers.

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Limousins tend to be finer in bone structure and more muscular in muscularity than Gelbviehs. Do not let the colouration of traditional Gelbviehs and traditional Limousins confuse you.

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Warnings

Do not venture into the pasture where cattle are, as these cattle could either take off when they see you, or if you are intimidating them in any way, charge you.

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