Scotland Hill Newman Places Wins Overall Reserve Interbreed
Scotland Hill Newman from Tom Hill, Wadworth, Doncaster, made 5000gns to lead the small Simmental entry at the Melton Mowbray Multi Breed Sale held on Saturday 23rd March at Melton Mowbray Livestock market.
Earlier in the day this classy April 2022 born bull had won the Simmental section of the pre-sale show before placing as Overall Reserve Interbreed in front of the judge Janet Dunning, Settle.
Scotland Hill Newman is by Clonagh Mighty Ab Fab and is out of Scotland Hill Fauna Kim, a Popes Fendt daughter. With strong Terminal Production and Self Replacing Indexes, this bull was purchased by A & PA Hurn who run the Twyford Herd at Beck Farm, Calthorpe, Norwich.
Simmental Bull Champion Islavale Nightrider 22 – sold for 11,000gns
The May 2022 born Islavale Nightrider from Mr W S Stronach, Berryleys Farm, Grange, Keith made 11,000gns to lead the Simmental trade at the Royal Northern Spring Show & Sale held at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie on Wednesday the 28th of February.
Islavale Nightrider is by Coose Lincoln EX90, and is out of Islavale Faye VG88, a Curaheen Bandit daughter. With solid figures for both Calving Ease and Maternal (Milk), this bull was snapped up by local commercial producer W & V Leith, North Crannoch, Crossroads, Keith. The herd sire Coose Lincoln EX90 has previously had his first sons at sale sell up to 13,000gns at Stirling in October 2023.
Earlier in the day at Thainstone, pre-sale show judge Andrew Anderson, Smallburn, Duffus had placed Islavale Nightrider 22 as the Overall Supreme Simmental Champion. For the prolific Islavale herd, this is the third year in a row that they’ve topped the Simmental prices at this sale.
Three Simmental bulls made over 8000gns at the sale with eleven in all selling to average a healthy £5832.27.
Selling at 8800gns was Backmuir Nigel 22 from Reece & Andrew Simmers, Backmuir Farm, Keith. This bull, May 2022 born, is by the homebred Backmuir Kryptonite, and is out of Wolfstar Islay (TF). Purchasing Backmuir Nigel 22 was T Alexander, Lyth, Wick, Caithness.
At the 8,500gns was Rockytop Nimrod 22 Gary & Angela Christie, Birchfield, Glass, Huntly. April 2022 born this bull, by Kilbride Farm Fearless out of Rockytop Gaia’s Juniper, sits in the breed’s top 5% for Maternal (Milk) with a figure of +12. Nimrod went onto sell to Colin Inglis, Blairsgreen Farm, Saline, Dunfermline. Again, at the recent Stirling sale, Rockytop sold another Kilbride Farm Fearless son for 8000gns.
Another from the Stronachs in the shape of Islavale Nevada made 5800gns when selling to J Watson, New Pitsligo, Fraserburgh. With a breed top 1% figure for Maternal (Milk) of +14, this April 2022 born bull is by Corskie Highlander 16 EX93, and is out of Islavale Illusion ET EX90.
Drumsleed Nemesis 22, from Mr GW Smith, Drumsleed, Fordoun, Laurencekirk, made 5,500gns when selling to Orkney, and M Donaldson, Tankerness. Sired by Dellfield Kingpin 19, this April 2022 born bull is out of Drumsleed Katelyn 19.
OTHER PRICES INCLUDED:
4,000gns Lot 58 Pitmudie Nuffield 22 sold to J Watson, New Pitsligo, Fraserburgh.
4,000gns Lot 61 Tillyeve Nigel 22 sold to The Hay Partnership, Stonehaven, Kincardineshire
4,000gns Lot 62 Auchorachan Nemisis 22 sold to J & J Henderson, Poyntzfield, Dingwall
AVERAGE:
11 Bulls £5832.27
SIMMENTAL PRE-SALE SHOW RESULTS
Class 6 – Simmental Bulls born on or after 15th March 2022 and before 20th April 2022
1st. Lot 64 – G & A Christie, Rockytop Nimrod, Birchfield, Glass, Huntly
2nd. Lot 66 – Messrs C & M Bruce, Tillyeve Northstar, Tillyeve, Udny, Ellon
3rd. Lot 63 – Mr W S Stronach, Islavale Nevada, Berryleys Farm, Grange, Keith
4th. Lot 62 – D & R Durno & Sons, Auchorachan Nemesis, Auchorachan, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch
Class 7 – Simmental Bulls born on or after 20th April 2022
1st. Lot 74 – Mr W S Stronach, Islavale Nightrider, Berryleys Farm, Grange, Keith
2nd. Lot 77 – Messrs C & M Bruce, Tillyeve Noah, Tillyeve, Udny, Ellon
3rd. Lot 75 – R & A Simmers, Backmuir Nelson, Backmuir Farm, Keith
4th. Lot 69 – Mr G W Smith, Drumsleed Nemesis, Drumsleed, Fordoun, Laurencekirk
Simmental Championship
Lot 74 – Mr W S Stronach, Islavale Nightrider, Berryleys Farm, Grange, Keith
Reserve Champion
Lot 77 – Messrs C & M Bruce, Tillyeve Noah, Tillyeve, Udny, Ellon
Two lots made 5800gns to lead part one of the Broombrae Simmental herd dispersal for Messrs Gordon L Clark, Auchtermuchty, Cupar, Fife, held at United Auctions, Stirling on Monday 19th February and immediately following the breed’s successful bull sale.
The first part of the Broombrae Dispersal Sale comprised the Autumn calving cows with calves at foot, and with a selection of heifers, and met with a solid and consistent trade throughout. Five lots made in excess of 5000gns with fifteen in all at 4000gns and above. The sale grossed a very healthy £94,395. A herd with a focus on breeding cows with good udders and temperament, and using bulls with easy calving EBVs, the remaining cows and heifers will be sold in October 2024.
First to sell at 5800gns was the September 2019 born Broombrae Rosina K16, a daughter of the herd’s noted stock sire Lisglass Goldstar, and out of Broombrae Rosina E40, a Team Wisconsin daughter. PD’d in calf to Broombrae Major, Broombrae Rosina K16 was sold with her second calf at foot, the Camus Harold 16 sired heifer Broombrae Rosina P22 to Richard McCulloch for his Overhill House herd at Armadale, West Lothian.
Broombrae Rosina K16 5800gns
Broombrae Rosina E40, the mother of the joint top price, then went on herself to make 5800gns when being one of five purchases by MacFarlane Farms Ltd, Quixwood Farm, Duns, Berwickshire. This ten-year-old-cow by Team Wisconsin and out of Broombrae Rosina W8 was sold with her twin bull calves at foot, Broombrae Pablo 23, and Broombrae Picasso, both sired by Ardunsaghan Magic One. The oldest cow in the herd, Broombrae Rosina E40 has calved in August or September every year since 2016. All daughters have been retained and both of her previous bull calves sold in Stirling for over £8000.
Broombrae Rosina E40, 5800gns
In an export sale to Australia, selling at 5400gns was the maiden heifer Broombrae Delight N9 (P). Heterozygous polled, this August 2022 born heifer is by Wolfstar Kolisi (P), and is out of the Lisglass Goldstar 15 sired Broombrae Delight J1. After some rigorous pre-sale research, Broombrae Delight N9 (P) was purchased online by Knox Farms Pty Ltd, Crookwell, New South Wales. In the preceding bull sale, Knox Farms had also purchased Broombrae Noble for 11,000gns.
Broombrae Delight N9, 5400gns
The second calver, Broombrae Cathy K22 made 5200gns when selling to the Craighill herd of Craighill Farms, Duntrune, By Dundee. October 2019 born, and another by Lisglass Goldstar, this heifer, who previously had had twin bull calves, was sold PD’d in-calf to Broombrae Major and with her September 2023 born heifer calf at foot, Broombrae Cathy P23, a Camus Harold daughter.
Broombrae Cathy K22, 5200gns
At 5000gns was the March 2021 born Broombrae Cathy M7 who was sold PD’d in calf to Wolfstar Kolisi and with her heifer calf at foot Broombrae Cathy P28. Cathy M7 is by Roma Jaguar 18, a Curaheen Wakeman daughter, and is out of the Broombrae Dakota 12 daughter Broombrae Cathy I 17. Her October 2023 heifer calf, Cathy P28, is another by Camus Harold. Purchasing this outfit for their Priestfield herd was A&A Smith, Ballomill Farmhouse, Ladybank, Fife.
SIMMENTAL ADVANTAGES IN AGE AT SLAUGHTER, REDUCED FINISHING COSTS, MATERNAL TRAITS, AND IMPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
Analysis of AHDB’s National Beef Evaluation (NBE) data (December) has shown that Simmental sired progeny have a superior Daily Carcase Gain in comparison to Continental sired, and Native sired progeny.
This latest analysis is in addition to the first release in October 2023, which showed that Simmental sired calves finished on average over five weeks earlier than those by all Continental sires, with these calves costing on average over £70 less to finish, and resulting in significantly reduced CO2 emissions. Furthermore, Continental sired calves out of Simmental dams finished over four weeks earlier than the average of all suckler dams. With regards to maternal traits, the average genetic merit for Simmentals is also shown as higher than the average for all Continental breeds.
The average Daily Carcase Gain is the average growth rate across the lifetime of the animal – carcase weight per day to slaughter.
Figure 1 shows that the average Daily Carcase Gain (DCG) of the progeny of a Simmental bull out of All Dams is 4.6% better than the DCG of the progeny of a Continental Sire out of All Dams, and 17.5% better than the DCG of the progeny of a Native Sire out of All Dams.
The ‘ultimate combination’ for Daily Carcase Gain is shown as the progeny of a Simmental bull out of a Simmental dam. Emphasising the strength of the Simmental breeds maternal qualities, the highest rates of Daily Carcase Gain are attained by both Continental and Natives sires for progeny out of Simmental dams.
The NBE dataset is collated nationally from BCMS, as well as many of the UK’s largest processors and abattoirs to develop a database that includes records from over three million animals slaughtered in the last 10 years. This huge dataset is enabling AHDB to estimate the genetic merit of beef cattle, including over 500,000 sires, for days to slaughter, carcase weight and EUROP scores.
The data again shows that Simmentals rank highly amongst Continental breeds for this trait, age at slaughter, (December 2023) and have on average, a leading genetic merit for reducing days to slaughter. The actual performance data of Simmental bred offspring translates to actual performance as follows. See Fig 2.
Simmental sired calves finish on average 37 days earlier than those by Continental sires and 46 days earlier than calves by native sires.
Simmental sired calves will cost on average, £74 less to finish than the average of all Continental sired calves, assuming £2 per day finishing cost.
Simmental sired animals, finishing 37 days earlier, will on average produce 5.6kg less CO2 equivalents based on UK Government’s estimate the average animal produces 151g of CO2 equivalents per day.
Commenting BSCS President Norman Robson said: “These Simmental advantages are massive and really add up to money for commercial producers. If you’re finishing 100 cattle then by using Simmental genetics its reducing your number of days feeding by 3700 to 4600, that’s £7400 to £9200 assuming a conservative £2 per day finishing cost! Similarly it’s a reduction of 592kgs to 696kgs less CO2 emissions meaning real environmental sense for retailers and society.”
It’s important to remember that a bull only provides half of the genetics inherited by a calf. The other half comes from the dam. Again, Simmental bred calves are shown as the most efficient.
Calves out of Simmental dams and by Continental sires finish on average 47 days earlier than the average of all dams, showing that choosing Simmental cows is another great strategy to reduce finishing costs.
In every example given in Fig 2 calves out of Simmental dams finish significantly earlier than calves out of All Dams, and Suckler Dams.
Again, the ‘ultimate’ combination for age at slaughter can be seen as progeny sired by a Simmental bull and out of a Simmental dam at 633 days.
MAXIMISING SIMMENTAL GENETICS
A great way to further leverage this Simmental advantage is to select your sire according to his EBV.
using a Simmental sire in the top 10% for days to slaughter, Simmental sired calves finish on average 45 days earlier than those by Continental sires and 54 days earlier than calves by native sires.
Commenting further BSCS President, Norman Robson said: “We’ve been promoting Simmental as a hard-working, no nonsense beef breed that gives you more. These claims have been qualified by the analysis of AHDB’s National Beef Evaluations which are based on a vast amount of indisputable data unique to the sector.
“With input price pressures continuing to escalate, there is going to be a real premium on efficiency. Simmentals are showing here, in data over a 10-year period, that they are a future proofed beef breed fir for the modern industry. The data shows the Simmental advantages in Daily Carcase Gain; age at slaughter whether sired by a Simmental or out of a Simmental dam; and a significant reduction in finishing costs, with lower emissions meeting environmental challenges.
“The data cumulatively highlights the added value performance that can be achieved from both carcase and maternal traits when Simmental genetics are introduced to the herd. In turn, they’re the main contributors to efficiency and subsequently profit, absolutely essential going forward for a sustainable enterprise.”
To breed animals that best suit your farming system, AHDB recommends its National Beef Evaluation EBVs should be considered in conjunction with EBVs from your performance recording organization.
Simmental has been the foundation of the cattle system at Auchorachan, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch, since the 1970’s, with Simmental bulls first used on the commercial herd to breed replacement breeding stock before a pedigree herd was established in 2002.
Michael Durno, alongside wife, Morag, and father, Les, is now the third generation of the family to farm at Auchorachan.
With a keen interest in pedigree cattle, after considerable success over the years with commercial show calves – including championships at the Royal Highland Show, the Royal Northern Spring Show and Aberdeen Christmas Classic – the purchase of four heifers from the Ravensworth dispersal were the foundation for the Auchorachan pedigree herd.
Breeding policy revolves around five cow families including Hilly and Weigela. The herd now consists of 90 pedigree cows which are run commercially alongside 70 mainly Simmental cross cows which are put to Charolais and Simmental bulls to produce quality store calves.
“I like a medium sized cow that can be fleshed off the grass, without the need for extra feeding.”says Michael. “My pedigree cows may seem smaller in comparison to some other pedigree herds but you don’t achieve the same growth rates on a hill farm at 1000ft, as an arable low-ground farm’.
Around 110 cows calve from August to October with the remainder in the spring from January onwards to around mid-May, allowing for a spread of ages for pedigree shows and sales.
Autumn born calves are sold as yearlings through Thainstone Mart in September, while the spring born crossbred calves not retained for breeding are sold privately in November to former pedigree breeder, Danny Leslie, Redhill, Elgin.
Farm Policy
Farm policy over the years has always focused on producing top quality stock, whether it be the store calves, pedigree stock or prime lambs sold from the 550 Perth-type blackfaces, 400 of which are tupped with the Blackie and the rest put to a Texel.
Herd health has always been important, with the Auchorachan herd being one of the first to join the farmer led Hi-Health scheme now known as Hi Health-Herdcare. The herd has been accredited free of BVD since 2004 and Johnes Risk Level 1 status, since 2014. The herds’ Hi Health status has led to surplus commercial heifers being sold for recipients.
Michael will have seven bulls forward at Stirling on February 19, four of them by the home-bred bull, Auchorachan Hercules, a son of the renowned Auchorachan ACDC. Hercules was the most used sire in the Simmental herd book in 2022 with 71 calves registered by him, with offspring averaging £10,500 in 2021 and selling to a top of 18,000gns in October, 2021, with Auchorachan Landmark selling to Brian Grant for his Dellfield herd.
L to R, oldest to youngest, heading for Stirling: Napoleon P, Noble P, Nevada, Nashville, Nightrider, Northstar, and NeutronAuchorachan Hercules
“Hercules has bred extremely well for us,” says Michael, “He was an embryo, a result of semen sold to David Hazelton of the Ranfury herd with the condition that I got an embryo back out of his show cow”.
A further two bulls are by Greencap Kane 19 – he was the last bull through the ring at the Stirling October, 2020, sale held under Covid restrictions, which meant there was no pre-sale show – when purchased for 9,000gns.
“He was bought for his length and breeding after seeing a half-brother sold the previous year at Stirling,” Michael explains.
Polled Genetics
Also forward will be one of the first sons of the Danish-imported homozygous polled stock bull, Jaegergard Quebec, bought through Facebook after Michael had seen the bull’s dam on a previous trip to Denmark.
He is an exciting prospect with interest in polled genetics increasing among commercial buyers. Hence Michael’s investment in breeding polled bulls. Another of the herd’s stock bulls, Irish-bred, Auroch Hudson, is also polled.
“Both these bulls offer different bloodlines and being polled was a bonus,” Michael says. “In the past, polled bulls have tended to lack carcase quality and conformation but this has improved. There is a real advantage to breeding polled offspring, easing the workload and with heifer calves, once they are tagged, no further handling is required until weaning.
Auchorachan Honnie as a heifer, the mother of Auchorachan Nevada, and grandmother of Auchorachan Noble (P)
Following the success of the May, 2023, sale at Carlisle, where strong demand saw a 100% clearance and first prize heterozygous bull, Auchorachan Monarch ET 21, selling for 8,000gns, Michael intends to sell again at this year’s May sale. The sale also included a sale of Simmental cross Hi Health heifers with Auchorachan-bred heifers topping the sale at £3800.
Conformation, size and a nice head, preferably white in colour, are key attributes required for stock bulls which are used on both the pedigree and commercial herds.
EBV’s are considered secondary with Michael placing more emphasis on the society’s Female Classification Scheme
“Personally I think the classification scheme is a more useful tool in building up a picture of an animal’s breeding potential,” he says. “Buyers can be confident that bulls they are buying are out of cows which are structurally correct, with strong maternal lines’.
Auchorachan Dippy, mother of Auchorachan Nightrider
Show Success
The herd has achieved considerable success in the show ring at the Stirling bull sales over the years, including the reserve senior and reserve overall championships and three junior championships, including Auchorachan Wizard, junior and overall champion in February 2010, selling to Northern Ireland for the herds’ top price to date of 20,000gns.
This year, Michael, who sits on the Simmental Breed Council as chairman of shows and sales north, will judge the Simmental cattle at the Royal Highland Show.
“I am looking forward to judging at this year’s show, having previously judged the junior interbreed and beef breeder sections,” he says. “Over recent years, I’ve seen the quantity and quality of the Simmentals forward at the show improve. I will be looking for breed character and something that walks well”.
Unrivalled
Despite Scottish suckler cow numbers continuing to decline, looking ahead Michael feels the Simmental breed will hold its own. No other breed, he says, offers the versatility of a smaller type cow that can be outwintered to a big, beefy framed cow suited to lowlands.
“Bull sales have been good, achieving high clearance rates,” he points out. “Male offspring are performing just as well as other breeds, with the Simmental female in my opinion being unrivalled. The future is promising as the breed continues to go from strength to strength”.
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