by Iain | May 16, 2012 | Uncategorised
The Northern Ireland Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club has presented a cheque for £6,250 to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
The money was raised at the club’s annual charity BBQ and auction, held recently in Dungannon Rugby Club.
Presenting the cheque, club chairman Nigel Glasgow, thanked everyone who had contributed to the success of the event. “It gives me great pleasure to present this cheque on behalf of the NI Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club. Thanks to everyone for their support, especially the ladies who provided the beautiful array of salads and desserts, and to all club members who sold a large number of raffle tickets, and the local businesses who donated items for the ballot and auction.”
Jennifer Hobson, chairperson of the NSPCC’s Dungannon committee said:”This is a tremendous amount of money, and it is a wonderful boost to our charity. The money will be used to fund projects in the local area.
“The Dungannon committee has been in existence for a long time, and it is getting harder to keep up a high level of fund raising, especially in the current economic climate. We run various events throughout the year, but we don’t have the means to raise this level of funding.
“I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who supported the Simmental Club’s BBQ . We really enjoyed the event and the food was delicious.”
by Iain | May 12, 2012 | Uncategorised
Forsham Farm, Sutton Valence, Maidstone in Kent has been owned by the Bates family since 1945 and is run by Nick Bates. Originally
Pedigree Sussex cattle were the dominant breed but over time Limousin was introduced and most recently Simmental genetics were introduced to put power, size milk and growth into the herd. The farm extends to 324 acres of which 80 are arable the remainder is in grass, 1200 bales of silage are produced annually and a small amount of hay is produced for convenience to be used in calving pens etc.
Cow numbers total 120 with all now having an influence of Simmental blood, the cows calf from February through until mid April, four bulls are ran with the cows in groups of 30 and the bulls are taken out after 12 weeks, no passengers are carried, any empty cows are moved on.
There are no special requirements at calving, all calves navels are dipped in 10% iodine solution and male calves are castrated for ease of management, otherwise the natural maternal instincts of the Simmental take care of the rest.
Turn out occurs in mid April and the bulls are put in very soon after. Cows get a Hi-mag bolus prior to turn out. 18% protein creep is introduced to the calves from mid July onwards on an ad lib basis. All calves are vaccinated with Rispoval 4 , the first dose applied in late September/early October and the 2nd dose along with a pour-on wormer when they are housed in October-mid November depending on the
season, the cows then get an iodine bolus and are wormed at housing. Weaning then takes place once the calves have become acclimatised indoors and this has proven to reduce weaning stress enormously.
Winter rations are simple, a TMR of 50% silage and 50% straw with the addition of fruit which is sourced locally as supermarket waste, containing oranges, apples, bananas, grapes and even grapefruit.This simple ration is fed to the cows and all the young stock, the young stock get beef nuts twice a day and once calved the cows get beef nuts until turn out.
Weaned calves are grouped and stored over the winter on the TMR ration, 10-12 heifers will be selected every year as replacements the rest either sold privately for further breeding or through the auction market. Steer calves are sold the following spring in time to make room for calving, periodic weighing takes place over the winter to monitor growth rates and feed conversion efficiency.
Recently batches of calves have been tested for BVD and have all been clear, there are plans to take the herd into a CHeCS health scheme in the future.
The herd has been the Hobbs Parker suckler herd of the year many times since introducing Simmental genetics and Nick said “if we hadn’t introduced Simmental we wouldn’t be where we are now” It can also be seen from the weekly report from Hobbs-Parker that the Simmental influence is growing fast in the South of England.
Below sale report from steer calves from 8 to 10 months old
by Iain | May 7, 2012 | Uncategorised
The Scottish Club held its Annual Show of Commercial females at United Auctions, Stirling Mart on 7th May 2012.
Simmental heifers were clearly in demand for their excellent Maternal ability, with the First prize pen of four heifers over 15 months from Clive Houldey, Kirtleton, selling for £1400 with bulling heifers selling to £1700 for the second prize pen of four from Messrs Dyet, East Merkland.
Champion Simmental x heifer with a Simmental calf at foot sold for £2350, from Hector Macaskill who also won the best pen of four heifer sunder 15 months old selling for £1300.
Results of Show, kindly sponsored by Carrs Billington Ltd.
Pen of 4 Simmental x bulling heifers, under 15 months.
1st Mr MacAskill, Woodhall – £1300
Mr Short, Balquhadly – £960
Pen of 4 Simmental x bulling heifers, over 15 months
1st Mr Houldey, Kirtleton – £1400
2nd Mr Dyet, East Merkland – £1700
Simmental x Heifer and Calf
1st Mr McAskill, Woodhall -£2350
2nd Mr Gillon, Arnbathie – £2150
by Iain | Mar 29, 2012 | Uncategorised
by Julie Hazelton
Simmental is noted for its dual purpose attributes and when it comes to breeding milky, functional suckler cows the continental breed is at the forefront of the breeding programme for County Down farmers Francis and Fergal Watson.
The father and son team farm over 750 acres near the villages of Rubane, Kearney and Cloughey on the Ards Peninsula. They were hosts of the 2011 Northern Ireland Ploughing Championships, and run a herd of 250 suckler cows, the majority of which are spring calving.
“We’ve been using Simmental stock bulls for years,” stated Francis, who ceased milk production in 2008. “We used to run a British Friesian dairy herd alongside 110 suckler cows, but since we stopped dairying the suckler herd has more than doubled in size.”
The mainstay of the suckler herd traces back to British Friesian cross cows and also comprises of other continental crosses. However, over the past two or three years Francis and Fergal have been using Simmental as the main maternal sire. “The Simmental is the ideal cross on other breeds. The females have hybrid vigor, good big frames, are very hardy. The more Simmental blood the better!”
When looking for a Simmental stock bull Francis Watson aspires to buy a red coated bull with good conformation. “I specifically like red bulls as they stamp the Simmental markings on other breeds. I like a long, growthy bull with a good broad back, but not too sharp at the shoulder. Sound legs and feet are also important, as well as calving index.”
Stock bulls are purchased at the Northern Ireland Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club ‘s official show and sale at Dungannon Farmers’ Mart. The herd’s senior stock bull is Ashland Teviot, an October 2006 born bull bred by current breed club chairman, Pat Kelly, and son Frank, from Tempo, County Fermanagh.
Ashland Teviot was purchased for 5,000gns and was the reserve supreme champion at the Simmental Club’s sale in April 2008. Sired by Raceview Nigel, his dam is the Hast daughter Corlesmore Clodagh. With a calving ease score of +3.5 this bull is in the breed’s top 10%, and is +6 for milk which is ideal for breeding replacement females.
“Now over five years of age, Ashland Teviot is still going strong and has really made his mark on the herd. Daughters are like peas in a pod, and have a good temperament and plenty of milk,” added Fergal.
The herd’s junior stock bull is the February 2010 born Knockreagh Barney, bred by Val and Conrad Fegan, Rostrevor, County Down. Bought at Dungannon last year, he was a second prize winner and came under the hammer at, 3,800gns. Sired by the Cleenagh Flasher son, Omorga Volvo, his dam is a home-bred Ballinalare Farm Nemesis daughter. His daughter calving ease score is +2.6, also in the breeds top 10%.
Francis added:”This time last year we had four Simmental stock bulls, but unfortunately one got hurt, and the other was getting too closely related to the younger females within the herd. This spring we’ll be on the look-out for another couple of Simmental bulls.”
Heifers calve into the herd at two-years-old, and all cows and heifers are calved in the house and turned out to grass from the end of February onwards. “Most of our land is close to the shore and the fields are made up of good free draining soil. Weather permitting we put the cows and calves out in small batches,” explained Fergal.
“This is a closed herd and we breed all our own suckler replacements. We are gradually trying to improve the quality of our suckler herd, and have been focusing on using good quality Simmental bulls and retaining our best home-bred heifers. The Simmental crosses are docile, milky, easy calving and have great mothering ability. The Simmental is noted for its longevity, and in the future we would like to be in a position to sell surplus heifers.”
Calves are weaned at between seven and eight months of age. “The Simmental cows have plenty of milk and the calves are in great bloom, which reduces the need for expensive creep feed,” added Fergal.
Three cuts of silage are harvested annually using a forage wagon. “We have new swards rich in clover and this high sugar, high protein silage is fed to the youngstock, while the ryegrass swards produce stemy silage for the dry cows,” explained Fergal.
The Watson’s grow 300 acres of cereals annually – barley, wheat and oats, as well as 25 acres of kale and 25 acres of fodder beet. Half of all home-grown cereals are used as animal feed, while the remainder is sold off the farm.
Cattle are housed from mid November onwards. Cows are kept in large open-fronted sheds which are straw bedded. They receive a diet of silage, straw and minerals which is fed using a Keenan feeder wagon.
“We like to buy premium quality minerals. We have no doubt that minerals are the answer to improved cow health and fertility within the herd. Minerals are expensive but worth every penny. Last year we scanned the entire herd and 94% were settled in-calf,” added Fergal.
During weaning the bullocks and heifers are separated into batches and fed a diet of silage, fodder beet, straw, minerals and cereals.
Simmental heifers are hand-picked and retained as herd replacements, while the bullocks are finished for beef at between 20 to 24-months of age. “We are very selective when it comes to picking replacements for the suckler herd. Those that don’t make the grade are finished alongside their male counterparts,” added Francis.
Occasionally the Watsons sell bullocks and heifers at Ballymena Mart, but the majority of their beef cattle are slaughtered at ABP in Newry , mostly receiving U and R grades. Heifers weigh between 320kgs and 380kgs deadweight, while the bullocks reach weights of 400kgs and over. “The Simmental ticks all boxes on this farm. The heifer calves make ideal suckler replacements, while the bullocks have the potential to put on weight and are finished on a par with other continental breeds,” concluded Fergal.
The Watson’s farm is fully self-sufficient, and with the help of four full-time employees Francis and Fergal can harvest all of their own silage and cereal crops, as well as carry out routine ploughing, slurry spreading, hedge cutting, fencing, maintenance and building work. They are nearing completion of a three-year land improvement and drainage programme using the farm’s track digger.
by Iain | Mar 9, 2012 | Uncategorised
What HCC offer to Simmental Breeders in Wales?
Hybu Cig Cymru is the organisation responsible for the development, promotion and marketing of Welsh red meat. HCC currently offer a range of funding opportunities and resources to beef and lamb producers in Wales.
Breed Improvement
HCC aims to help breeders in Wales by offering support to introduce superior genetics into their herds.
The table below shows the amount of funding available to breeders in Wales.
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Performance Recording
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Artificial Insemination
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Embryo Transfer
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50%
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50% (max £500)
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50% (max £700)
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Performance Recording (PR)
- Performance recording allows you to:
- Enables herd selection based on performance.
- Measure traits that you can’t see (e.g. eye muscle area).
- Improve selected traits while maintaining others.
- Use the figures as a marketing too.
Artificial Insemination (AI) & Embryo Transfer (ET)
To qualify for AI and ET funding from HCC, the bulls used must have EBV’s in the top 90% for calving ease direct. They must also be in the top 10% for either 400 day weight or eye muscle area.
| The table below shows the 2012 Qualification Criteria for Simmental bulls |
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Calving Ease Direct
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400 Day Weight
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Eye Muscle Area
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Top 90%
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Top 10%
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Top 10%
|
|
-5.6
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64
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3.6
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Fertility Testing Bulls
HCC are offering funding towards fertility testing bulls. Bull fertility is vitally important as infertile bulls are a major cause of economic loss in the industry.
HCC will fund 50% of the cost of fertility testing up to £200 (to a maximum of £50 per bull)
Carcase Selection Events
The opportunity to assess live animals, follow them through the abattoir process to the chillers and review the carcases. The event gives an insight into:
- Current market demands
- Carcase classification
- Breed traits
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