by Iain | Sep 18, 2013 | Uncategorised
The Bosahan herd owned by the Olds family, of Constantine, near Falmouth, has been recognised by EBLEX as the Most Improved Herd of Simmental cattle in England for 2013.
The award is presented by the EBLEX Beef Better Returns Programme (BRP) to the recorded herd that shows the greatest genetic gain for commercial characteristics over a 12-month period. There is a separate award for each of 10 UK breeds.
Bosahan farm has been in the Olds family since 1964 and was a dairy enterprise for 42 years. However, due to a change in circumstances, they made the decision to sell the Trewardreva dairy herd in 2006 and concentrate more simply on the home farm, which is made up of 50 acres of permanent grassland and 20 acres of woodland.
The Simmental herd was established soon after the dairy herd was sold when John, having been impressed by the temperament of the Simmental breed, purchased four second calvers. The following month, they came home from the Bristol Society sale with several additions to the herd, including a stock bull. These seven foundation cows went on to produce an impressive 17 heifer calves in three years.
John and Bridget aim to keep the herd at around 25 cows plus followers, as this suits the available housing and grazing. The herd currently numbers 28 cows, therefore, for the first time since establishing the herd, numbers will need to be reduced as winter approaches. Several more mature cows with their calves at foot will be sold over the next few months to make room for autumn calving heifers. Their bloodlines will continue to be represented in the herd by their retained daughters and, looking ahead, they can be more selective about the heifers they want to retain.
Production cycle
The Bosahan herd calves from October through to March, with the calving period being spread out as a result of purchasing cows in calf. As a result, cows are bulling and are served at different times of year. Heifers are calved down at around two years and nine months old.
While they are housed over the winter, the cattle are fed home-produced silage, supplemented with concentrates. Creep feed is offered to calves from around 12 weeks old and are weaned at around nine months old. Once bull calves are weaned, they are housed on woodchip and fed through an out of parlour feeder, which enables individual rations to be tailored to each animal’s appetite. At around 12 months of age, John and Bridget decide which are suitable to sell as breeding stock bulls, the remainder are finished within the next couple of months.
Ideally, all cattle are turned out in April and the bull kept with those he has recently served or who are still to go to him. At that stage, all cows are pregnancy diagnosed and pregnant cows are turned out separately. Fertility is an important consideration for commercial breeders and the mature cows in the Bosahan herd have an average a calving interval of 384 days.
Guided by the figures
John and Bridget have been performance recording the herd since 2009, as they believe that the figures help guide the herd in the right direction.
They initially began submitting weights then, in 2010, incorporated scanning to help identify which female families are producing the progeny with the best beef carcases. Now all youngstock within the herd are scanned in order to give more detailed information about the true potential of a sire or dam.
In terms of the important traits within the herd, John and Bridget aim for average calving ease and like calves from mature cows to weigh around 50kg. They believe 400 day weights are important and market bull beef at 13 to 14 months, by which time the animals weigh around 750kg and are killing out at around 55 per cent. Retail beef yield and eye muscle scores are also helping them successfully manage their finishing beef.
Having recently begun monitoring and selecting for milk figures, particularly in relation to heifer replacements, they are seeking improvements in the females’ ability to rear their calves.
The herd uses a stock bull, as well as a small amount of Artificial Insemination (AI). The present stock bull, Skerrington Armada, is serving the herd well, according to John.
“He is producing good-natured progeny that grow quickly,” he said.
“Young bulls are finishing at 13 to 14 months and his daughters should develop into strong, nurturing mothers.”
A stock bull generally remains active within the Bosahan herd for around three years and then is sold on as a mature stock bull when his heifers are ready for breeding.
Developing sales
John and Bridget have only recently begun selling animals from the herd and to date have mainly sold directly off the farm to both commercial and pedigree breeders. As well as having their own website and doing a small amount of advertising, they aim to attend their local shows. The Royal Cornwall Show, where they have enjoyed success over the years, has proved to be an excellent shop window for their stock.
Commenting on the win, John said: “Overall, we’re very pleased with our Estimated Breeding Value (EBV) figures and aim to continually improve genetic traits in our herd.
“There appears to be positive interest in the figures from both other breeders and producers, so hopefully our data will put us in a good position to develop our sales.”
by Iain | Sep 16, 2013 | Uncategorised
The British Simmental Cattle Society held its second Leading ladies Sale at Carlisle on Saturday 14th September 2013.
Judge for the day was Mr John Moore, Omagh, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
His over-all champion Newbiemains Connie, a Blackford Albatross daughter consigned from Jim and Patricia Goldie, Newbiemains Farm, Annan, Dumfries made the top price of the day selling to new breeders Greyhound Estates Ltd, Upper Bucklebury, Reading, Berks for 8000gns
Second top price on the day again went to The Goldies for Newbiemains Charmer, another Blackford Albatross daughter, she sold for 3900gns to Heather Duff, Pitmudie, Brechin, Angus.
Third top went to Society President Iain Green, Corskie, Garmouth, Elgin for Corskie Donna, a Popes Laird daughter selling to Greyhound Estates Ltd for 3800gns.
13 heifers sold to average £3174 a 73% clearance.
Auctioneers: Harrison & Hetherington
by Iain | Aug 20, 2013 | Uncategorised
The Male and Female of the Year Awards sponsored by Danske Bank is one of the most prestigious competitions in the Northern Ireland Simmental Club’s annual calendar.
The competition has been running since 1997, and in keeping with its long-standing tradition, the winners were announced recently at Fermanagh County Show in Enniskillen. The crystal awards and rosettes were presented by Danske Bank’s head of agricultural relations John Henning, who was accompanied by Rodney Brown and Matthew Johnston.
Club chairman Nigel Glasgow thanked Danske Bank for its continued commitment to the competition. “This is a strongly contested competition amongst breeders annually, and the club is indebted to Danske Bank for its generous sponsorship.
“Prizes mean points, as the winners are determined using a scoring system which is collated at nominated shows throughout the season. Points are awarded to individual animals, and the higher the animal’s accolade in the show ring the bigger the points it earns.”
Claiming the 2013 Female of the Year title was the October 2011 born heifer Slieveroe Caroline, owned by Leslie Weatherup, and son Christopher, from Ballyclare, County Antrim. Sired by the popular Kilbride Farm Newry, and out of Clonagh Willow, she was bred by County Cork-based breeder Adrian Bateman, and joined the 40-cow Lisglass herd in November last year following a sale in Roscommon.
This much-admired heifer claimed the Weatherup famiy’s first-ever Balmoral Show championship in May, and went on to lift the supreme breed honours at Lurgan, Antrim and Enniskillen. She also scooped the female championship title at Armagh Show.
The reserve Female of the Year award went to Magheracrigan Clare 2nd, a home-bred Omorga Volvo daughter exhibited by Wesley Abraham from Irvinestown, County Fermanagh. This March 2011 born heifer was female champion at Omagh, and reserve female champion at Ballymena and Clogher. She stood first in her class at Lurgan, Armagh and Enniskillen, and was placed second at Balmoral Show.
Raymond and Joan Porter from Omagh, County Tyrone, secured the Male of the Year Award with their home-bred junior bull Killynure Darwin. Born in January 2012, this Omorga Murray son was bred from Killynure Twinkle – one of eight cows in the herd founded in 1983.
He notched up a string of accolades throughout the show season, including supreme champion at Ballymena, Armagh and Omagh, reserve champion at Lurgan and Enniskillen, and male champion at Balmoral Show.
Another home-bred junior bull, Ranfurly Dominator, secured the reserve Male of the Year Award for David and Jonny Hazelton from Dungannon, County Tyrone. Also by Omorga Murray, this April 2012 born entry was supreme breed champion at Saintfield, Castlewellan and Clogher, and reserve champion at Omagh and Antrim.
by Iain | Aug 17, 2013 | Uncategorised
Northern Ireland competitor Andrew Clarke from Tynan, County Armagh, swept the boards at the British Simmental Cattle Society’s national stockjudging finals.
The young Simmental breeder who founded his six-cow Breaghey herd in 2008, claimed the Univet/Tulivin Laboratories Shield for the best individual international judge; as well as the New Trend Trophy for the best overall UK judge, and the Bert Borlase Trophy for the best judge under 21-years-old. Andrew and judging partner Zara Stubbs from Irvinestown, County Fermanagh, also won the under 21yrs team award.
This year’s competition, which was hosted for the first time in its history by the Northern Ireland Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club, was staged at Fermanagh County Show in Enniskillen. Master judges were Billy Robson OBE, and son Norman, from the noted Kilbride Farm Herd based at Doagh in County Antrim.
Young members travelled from throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to compete at the final. This year’s final also included an international element, with competitors from southern Ireland competing with their UK counterparts for the newly presented Univet/Tulivin Laboratories Shield.
Young Members Association co-ordinator Bridget Borlase thanked Brendan Crowe of Univet/Tulivin for the company’s generous sponsorship of the competition’s new international section. “My Irish counterpart Jenny Aherne has been instrumental in helping me get this new section of the competition off the ground. “We are delighted with this new shield which will be presented on an annual basis.”
British Simmental Cattle Society secretary Neil Shand congratulated the winners and thanked the Northern Ireland club for hosting the event. “The society is very proud of its Young Members’ Association, and we have recently spent almost £15,000 trying to promote the organisation and support our young breeders of the future. We recently introduced a one pound levy on all pedigree registrations to raise funds for the YMA kitty.”
He added: “There will be numerous benefits and opportunities open to our young members in the future, and I would urge everyone to join their regional club.”
NI Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club chairman Nigel Glasgow congratulated the winners and said it was a pleasure for the club to have had the opportunity to host the competition. During the three-day trip to Northern Ireland the young members visited several herds including, Kilbride Farm, Omorga, Ranfurly, Ballinlare Farm and Lisglass.
The awards were presented by British Simmental Cattle Society president Iain Green, at a dinner held at the Cohannon Inn near Dungannon.
Winners of the 2013 National Stockjudging Competition include:
Trophies
Bert Borlase Trophy, for the best individual under 21yrs: Andrew Clarke, Northern Ireland.
McDonald Fraser Shield, for the best individual under 30yrs: Rebecca Hamilton, Northern Ireland.
New Trend Trophy, for the best overall winner: Andrew Clarke, Northern Ireland.
Walkinshaw Trophy, for the best individual under 16yrs: Lizzie Harding, England.
International Shield for the best overall individual: Andrew Clarke, Northern Ireland.
Indivduals
Sweep stakes – 1, Jane Pick, England; 2, Ian Steel, England; 3, Margaret Steele, England.
Under 21 individual – 1, Andrew Clarke, Northern Ireland; 2, Richard Cummings, Wales; 3, Ellen Jones, Wales.
Under 30 individual – 1, Rebecca Hamilton, Northern Ireland; 2, Jonny Hazelton, Northern Ireland; 3, Varrie Loggie, Scotland.
Best reasons, under 21 – Richard Cummings, Wales.
Best reasons, under 30 – Angharad Francis, Wales.
Overall Winner – Andrew Clarke, Northern Ireland. Reserve: Richard Cummings, Wales.
Team Awards
Under 21 team – 1, Zara Stubbs and Andrew Clarke, Northern Ireland; 2, Ffion Rhys and Ellen Jones, Wales; 3, Carys Davis and Richard Cummings, Wales.
Under 30 team – 1,Varrie Loggie and Laura Green, Scotland; 2, Rebecca Hamilton and Thomas Hamilton, Northern Ireland; 3, Emma Bloomfield and Richard Saunders, England.
International
International, under 21– 1, Andrew Clarke, Northern Ireland; 2, Richard Cummings, Wales; 3, Ellen Jones, Wales.
International, under 30 – 1, Niamh Oliver, Southern Ireland; 2, Rebecca Hamilton, Northern Ireland; 3, Jonny Hazelton, Northern Ireland.
International, best reasons under 21 – Richard Cummings.
International, best reasons under 30 – Niamh Oliver.
International winner – 1, Andrew Clarke, Northern Ireland.
by Iain | Aug 7, 2013 | Uncategorised
My Dad John Key (Key Simmentals) lost his long fight to Parkinson’s Disease on Thursday August 1st. It was very peaceful, at home with the sound of the cows and family around him.
Those who knew him would have met him around his beloved Shows and Sales. He loved people who had the same love as him, which is anything to do with cattle, especially Simmentals. His dry wit, quick one liners and his mischievousness will be sadly missed. He served on Council from 1989-1991 and he was honoured to represent the Breed.
Arguably his biggest success was the purchase of Ardo Figaro at the tender age at just over ten years old. This proved to be a master stroke for our herd and our farm and most importantly for the Breed. Figaro was 50% of the genetics in Camus Brandy, who then bred Dovefields Gallant, who then bred Kilbride Farm Newry. All who have had a massive input in the Breeding of Simmentals over the last 25 years.
There is a Thanks Giving Service on August 15th at 2pm at Mundham Church. I’d like to thank those who have been in contact since Dad’s passing.
Simon Key.
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