QUESTION MARKS are again been raised over the credibility of Limousin cattle pedigrees, with the news that Trading Standards are investigating the importation of semen from the French bull, Jacot.

The revelation comes just 18 months after the Limousin bull, Ballinloan Jaegerbomb, was deregistered for having an incorrect pedigree, which in turn saw in excess of 60 head of cattle lose their BCMS passports, following a Trading Standards investigation.

According to well-known sources, the Jacot semen was imported illegally under the BLCS Zoo-tech 2016 3.2 bye laws which states that while imported semen within the herdbook is permitted, a pedigree certificate from the country of origin, a DNA profile as recommended by the International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG), from a recognised blood typing agency and a copy of the health documents required at the point of import must be received by the BLCS before use of semen. Where a DNA profile cannot be attained, a blood type certificate from a recognised bloodtyping agency must be forwarded.

Jacot suffered an on-farm injury, so semen was not collected at a registered collection centre and therefore was never eligible for export outside of France. Semen collected was only to be used on farm.

Add to that the fact that semen from the 1994-born Jacot, includes the full French-bred sire, Dauphin, and the dam, Violette, which was bred from ‘unknown’ parentage both on the sire and the dam side, raising further question marks over the bull.

The semen was imported by the Hazard family, which owns the Mereside Limousin herd, in Lincolnshire, and has now been suspended by the BLCS, The SF understands.

Jacot has 15 sons and daughters registered on the Limousin database Taurus, including Mereside Lorenzo, which had been marketed through Cogent and bred several high four and a few five-figure priced bulls and heifers.

Adding to the problem is the fact that Lorenzo has 767 progeny already registered on Taurus in more than 200 pedigree Limousin herds.

Michael Cursiter, chairman of the British Limousin Cattle Society, refused to comment on the situation and claimed he didn’t know when a decision would be made surrounding the importation and the registered progeny.

Rules surrounding the importation of semen and livestock are in place to protect breeders and the integrity of any breed society involved. The implications from this could impact across the industry.