RECORD SALES FIGURES UNDERPIN HIGH LEVEL YEAR FOR BRITISH LIMOUSIN

A record level of pedigree sales grossing over £6.1 Million in the year is highlighted in The British Limousin Cattle Society’s published Report & Accounts for 2009.  
The Report & Accounts presented by BLCS Chairman Jim Bloom at the Society’s 39th Annual General Meeting, held at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells on Tuesday 20th July, show another strong year of performance for the Limousin breed and Society. 
In addition to the record sales figures, the report highlights an increase in pedigree registrations on the year to 18,654; an increase in Society membership to 2,578 full members; commercial and pedigree sale records; multi-title successes at summer and winter shows; and a total market share of 32% of all beef sired animals in the UK. The Chairman reported that 2009 was the fourteenth consecutive year that British Limousin had been confirmed as the UK’s largest numerical beef breed.
The £6.1 Million grossed at pedigree Limousin sales represented an increase of £914,000 on the year with the number of bulls sold at auction increasing by 19% to 879 in total.  In all, 18 collective sales were held in 2009, with a further 24 sales held on behalf of breeders as the sustained and increased demand from pedigree breeders and commercial producers continued for both pedigree bulls and breeding females. New pedigree and all-breed sale centre records were recorded in the year at Carlisle, Brecon, Perth and Ballymena respectively.  Reflecting this level of performance, pedigree Limousin registrations exceeded 18,000 for the fourth consecutive year and were up on the year by over 2% to level at 18,654. 
Presenting the year’s financial performance, BLCS Honorary Treasurer, Mary Reynolds, underlined the strong momentum in Society activity which had seen membership fees, animal registrations, and sale commissions being maintained and increased on the year.  Total income for the period ended 31st December 2009 is reported at £860,133, with total expenditure at £713,944 equating to a positive surplus of income over expenditure for the year of £146,189.  A figure of £63,636 in recognised gains on investment assets has led to a total net movement in funds on the year of £209,825.