The Limousine will be in the spotlight at the next agricultural show which will take place in Paris from February 22 to March 4, 2025. A cow from a Vienne farm was chosen. His head will soon adorn the show's posters and visitors' selfies. We were able to meet her.
The essentials of the day: our exclusive selection
Every day, our editorial team reserves the best regional news for you. A selection just for you, to stay in touch with your regions.
France Télévisions uses your email address to send you the newsletter “Today’s essentials: our exclusive selection”. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link at the bottom of this newsletter. Our privacy policy
“Present in Paris since the 1st General Agricultural Competition in 1870, I am a large-format meat breed. Famous for my bright wheat color, I come from a predominantly grassland region. First Label Rouge created in a cattle breed, I am present in all French departments, including Reunion Island. I am, I am… The Limousine breed!”
Oupette featured on the 2025 show poster
•
© International Agricultural Show
It is on this tirade inspired by Questions for a Champion that the agricultural show introduced the choice of the breed which will be featured for the 2025 agricultural show. A spotlight on the second French suckling breed , present in 80 countries and on five continents. Eighteen years after Titine from Château Chervix (Haute-Vienne), it is Oupette who will have the heavy task of enduring the agonies and torments of the Porte de Versailles exhibition center and its 600,000 visitors.
Sporting a small capillary growth, hence its name, the six-year-old Limousine is now enjoying happy days on Alexandre Humeau's farm in Dienné in Vienne, 20 kilometers from Poitiers. This is the wider basin of the Limousine breed which extends to the neighboring departments of Vienne, Dordogne and Indre.
To have the eye of the tiger, Oupette is currently being pampered by her breeder and psychologically prepared to face hordes of Parisians armed with smartphones.
“To prepare her, we get her used to seeing people. We receive classes. We make her walk alone outside so that she gets used to men and separates herself a little from her friends. Every day, We give her a little brush, we give her some caresses. We put some music on her so she gets used to the noise. She's already been out in competitions, so that doesn't worry me too much about her character. -low. She also has a small diet. specific to boost it, so that it looks good on the big day.”
On the Humeau farm, we have been breeders for three generations. It was Alexandre's uncle who in 1984 decided to abandon Charolaise in favor of Limousine. It wasn't just Oupette who was chosen. The France Limousine selection committee chooses a couple.
“Oupette is a very beautiful limousine with a lit face and these halos around the eyes and around the muzzle and we chose her because she is with Alexandre. He is a breeder who interests us. He has a past, a present and a future. He knows how to express himself well.” confides Jean-Marc Alibert, president of France Limousin Sélection.
Trained in Vaseix, the 37-year-old breeder is renowned for having diversified his business with 50% of his production sold directly within a 50 kilometer radius. He currently has around a hundred mother cows on 430 hectares.
At the show, he will have the role of spokesperson for French breeders expressing their expectations and needs.
Oupette will head to Paris on February 21 with her breeder and another last-minute guest since she is expecting a happy event in December. A competition will also be launched to baptize this little calf whose name must begin with the letter V.
