The Farmers Mart Aug/Sep 2014 - Issue 35 | Page 40

RM HAZARD & SONS

CHOOSING LIMOUSIN PROVES A WISE
MOVE FOR RM HAZARD & SONS
Established in 1983, the
Grantham-based renowned
Mereside herd of pedigree
Limousins is managed by
Roger and Susan Hazard
and their two sons, Duncan
and James, who is also
chairman of the East
Midlands Limousin Cattle
Society.
Today, R M Hazard & Sons has
one of the leading herds in the
Eastern Counties with a strong
customer base and a first rate
reputation.
The family business is based at
Saltby Heath Farm, Skillington
near Grantham, and has a
300 strong herd of pedigree

Limousin cattle as well as
farming 720 acres to wheat,
OSR, barley and grass.
It was because they had long
admired the Limousin breed
from seeing them in show rings
– and having experienced the
use of Limousin sires in their
own dairy herd – that convinced
the Hazards of the breed’s
potential in terms of growth rate
and carcass production.
The decision has proved to be
a wise move. Early purchases
from Dan Haak’s uplands herd
resulted in some superb families
– perhaps the most successful
being Uplands Tamara, who
has been a prolific breeder and

has some 30-40 progeny or
relations in the herd to date.
Other notable purchases
included Lumbylaw Upside,
Tankersley Trixie and
Broadmeadows Urycine. All
females were bought with one
thing in mind, the potential to
breed hardworking cow families,
with plenty of breed character.
“The Limousins tick all
the boxes so far as we are
concerned,” said James. “From
our perspective, investing in
fine French-bred females has
enabled to lay down some solid
foundations from which to breed
good cow families.
As James confirmed, numbers

have since grown at a dramatic
rate from the early days and
in order to introduce different
bloodlines to the herd. For
example, 1992 saw the arrival
of Ginette by Colibri from Pierre
Gillet who bred Talent. French
breeding has since played
a really significant role in the
herd’s success as regular bulls
have been bought from France
and French females have been
added to the family’s growing
herd.
Since that time, the Mereside
herd has become firmly
established as one of the
most successful in the English
Eastern region. Their show

Carrs Billington are pleased to be associated with

R . M Hazard

and wish them every success for the future

Your stock deserve the very best!
A comprehensive range of products
with a full range of services supported by
professional on-farm advice, all based
at your local Country Store
For further details contact:

Ryan Whyte 07801 564024
Hawes Branch 01969 667334
Customer Services on 01228 518860
www.carrs-billington.com

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Aug/Sep 2014 FarmersMart

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