In a further international sale of British Simmental genetics, twenty-one pedigree embryos, from the Denizes herd of MA Barlow & Sons, Nr Leyland, Lancashire, have been sold and exported to the United States based company Horizon Genetics.
In looking specifically to source Simmentals from the UK, a representative of Horizon Genetics first approached the Barlows through Facebook. Extensive discussions and exchanges of pictures followed to meet Horizon’s criteria of visual appearance, bloodlines, and performance figures. The required matings were established, and the embryos thereafter collected and subsequently exported through Mark Knutsford, Celltech Embryo Transfer Ltd.
Nineteen Grade A embryos were collected and exported from the mating of the 2018 born Denizes Cadette 37th, a Kilbride Farm Delboy 12 daughter out of Denizes Cadette 28th, and the sire Ballinalare Galaxy 15. A further two Grade A embryos were exported from the mating of Denizes Nelly 8th, a Cairnview Snazzy daughter out of Denizes Nelly 5th, and sired by Brookwood Alla King. In both instances semen for the matings was supplied for the respective bulls by the Chester based Cogent UK. The bulls had required to be tested for Schmallenburg prior to collection.
Commenting on the sale, John Barlow said: “We are delighted to see Denizes Simmental genetics sell to the United States. Horizon Genetics are showing considerable interest in British Simmental and in sourcing these embryos they are looking for quality female lines from which to breed bulls.”
Over the course of the previous two years, Horizon Genetics have sourced a number of British Simmental bulls subsequently exported to an AI centre in Italy and with semen collections destined for distribution and use in both the USA and China.
Also in the course of the last twenty four months a number of export sales has seen a combination of British Simmental live cattle and genetics sold to Australia, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria; in addition to Italy; USA; and China.
For any other information, or queries, regarding this news release then please contact the British Simmental office on 02476 696513 or email information@britishsimmental.co.uk
Congratulations to Jonathan Sinclair Gunn, from the Mavsey herd, Lybster, Caithness who has topped Class 8 of the 2021 Virtual Simmental Show with Corskie Jackpot 18. A September 2018 born bull, Corskie Jackpot 18 is a Dirnanean Bradley son and out of Corskie Frolic, a Bel Dhu Capercaillie daughter. He was purchased from the Corskie herd at the February 2020 Stirling sale.
A big thank you to our judge Hannah Wood, from the Popes herd, Dutton, Preston, Lancashire, who has expertly cast her eye over another strong bull class and this time of twenty-two animals. Comments from Hannah will be posted in a video shortly. Thank you once again for your entries and support for the 2021 Virtual Simmental Show, and well done to all those who have placed and to everyone who participated in this class.
The results are as follows:
1st- Corskie Jackpot entered by Jonathan Sinclair Gunn
2nd- Omorga Jaguar entered by J L & C J Weatherup
3rd- Islavale Jabba entered by Gavin Brown
4th- Backmuir King entered by Reece and Andrew Simmers
MARKET BRIEFS SEES SIMMENTALS LEADING COMMERCIAL SALES AT ABERDEEN; SEDGEMOOR; FROME; DINGWALL; SHREWSBURY; STIRLING; MARKET DRAYTON; AYR; GISBURN; WORCESTER; HUNTLY; ST. BOSWELLS; CARLISLE; ANGLESEY; SELBY; HEXHAM; LANCASTER; TRURO; LOCKERBIE; AND RUGBY
A bumper coverage of Simmental Market Briefs this week, as we play a little catch up, kicks off with a look back at Gisburn Market and their sale of Prime Cattle on Thursday 29th July. Leading a strong trade for bulls was Mr & Mrs Fitton, Moss Hall Farm, Lostock, Bolton with a fifteen-month-old pedigree bull (pictured). Put to the sale due to a hurt shoulder he weighed 756kgs with a dlwg of 1.56kilos per day. Selling at 266ppkg he made a market high gross of £2019.
Aberdeen & Northern Marts sale of 824 store cattle on 20th August saw heifers between 401-450kg topped by Simms from Nigley, Evie at £1,160 and 272.3p. On the 19th August, the same market held a sale of cast cows and bulls. Beef Feeding Cows averaged £1,067.14 and sold to £1,190 gross including a 772kg Simmental from East Kincraigie, Lumphanan. Boning Cows averaged £748.68 (+£140.91) and sold to £945 gross (twice), and firstly for a 642kg Simmental from 8 Skaill, Forss. Bulls averaged £1,177 (+£102) and sold to £1,550 gross for a 1,150kg Simmental from Law Farm, Insch.
In the sale of calves and stirks at Sedgemoor on 21st August, a larger entry than expected saw a continuation of the strong trade. Top price to £1070 x3 (14m) for Pure Simmental steers from R & J Cook.
Through the sale of weaned calves at Frome on 18th August, a very buoyant particularly for the Continental x calves saw good consignments from Mark Peters of Sussex which saw 3mo Simmental steers at £528 and heifers to £420.
At Dingwall on 18th August, Dingwall & Highland Marts Ltd., sold 186 store cattle and 104 adult head of breeding cattle. Bullocks (105) averaged 230.7p and sold to £1,400 gross for a 720kg Simmental cross from 33 Auchintoul, Altass. Cow with male calf at foot (40) sold to £2,750 gross for a Simmental cross cow with a Charolais cross calf at foot from Gorthleck Mains, Inverness. Cow with heifer calf at foot (33) sold to £2,500 gross for a Simmental cross cow with a Charolais cross calf at foot from Gorthleck Mains, Inverness. Cow with twin heifer calves at foot sold to £2,800 gross for a Simmental cross cow with Charolais cross calves at foot.
In a sale of weanling bulls at Shrewsbury Livestock Market on 17th August, the top price and top average went to Simmental X bulls from WG Bebbington & Son which topped at £850 and averaged £814. TB restricted cattle were also a flyer with 16 month old Simmental steers topping the market at £1220 or 244ppk.
At United Auction’s sale of 824 store cattle at Stirling on 18th August, out of spec cattle averaged 184.47p to 203.50p per kg for a SimX from Boghall, and to £1270 for a SimX also from Boghall.In a sale of 524 rearing calves on 18th August at Market Drayton, a superb show of quality gave buyers plenty to choose from A strong trade saw Simmentals top the market at £450 for an entry from C.J. Tams, Stafford.
At Craig Wilson’s Prime Cattle sale at Ayr on 17th August, 49 Beef Cows peaked at £1480 for a Simmental off Girvan Mains.
At Sedgemoor on 16th August, the UTM & OTM sale saw heifers sold to a top of £1449 for a Simmental (680kg) from THJ Denbee.In the sale of store cattle at Gisburn on 14th August, clean cattle saw a super homebred Simmental from David Moorhouse lead the way when selling for £1395 to regular buyer Andrew Atkinson.
On Saturday 14th August suckler bred bulls from DJ & M Edwards topped the feeding bulls section at Worcester Market with £1,020 for a Simmental X (10 months).
At Aberdeen & Northern Marts sale of cast cows and bulls on 12th August, Beef Feeding Cows averaged £1,083.68 and sold to £1,245 for a 668kg Simmental Cross from Colligarth, Sanday. Dunn Farm, Watten sold a SimX at £1,230. On the same day at a sale of prime cattle the heifer trade was led by Honeybank with Sim x at £1,421.20. At a further sale held for Orkney consignors, the beef cow trade was led at 215.9p per kg for a 514kg Simmental from P & F Ross, Lenahowe, Sandwick. Prime Cattle sold to £1,393.75 gross for a 625kg Simmental and 235p per kg for a 560kg Simmental from Maesquoy Farms, Harray.
At Huntly, on Thursday 12th August, UA held a store & OTM cattle sale. Some top quality bred cattle were forward meeting a keen demand for both yearlings and forward types. In the heifers, the top gross was £1250 for a pair of 562kg SimX’s from Delfur Farms, Rothes. OTMS averaged 142.6p selling to a top of 191.2p per kg for a 570kg Sim from Delfur Farms, Rothes. The top gross in this section was £1260 for a 785kg Sim from Whitehills, Grange.
At H&H’s sale of store cattle at St Boswells on 12th August, the heifers per kilo were led by Simmentals from Coxydene at 240.5p.
At Stirling on 11th August, held a sale of store cattle, breeding cattle, cast cows and bulls, and rearing cattle. Beef Cows and Bulls (187) averaged 149.79p to 211.70p per kg for a SimX from Tulloch Farms. In the rearing cattle, the sale was topped at £665 for a SimX bull from M/s Hair, Kilbride. Another strong show of beef stirks was met with a sturdy trade throughout with the leading price being Lochside (SimX) £600.
At Carlisle on 11th August, a very good show of 505 store cattle forward at Borderways saw an absolute flyer of a trade where well fleshed cattle were the easiest to sell on the day. The Crichton family of Rottington Hall, Whitehaven featured in the top end prices with Simmental crosses at £1510. In the weaned cattle Simmental bulls reached heights of £1185 and £1110 from McColm and Brewis, Awhirk Farm.
On Monday 9th August 2021, Caledonian Marts Ltd at Stirling had forward 414 Store Cattle at their fortnightly sale. Heifers averaged 218ppkg selling to 254ppkg for a pen of Simmentals from Inshanks, Stranraer.
At H&H’s Prime Cattle sale held on 9th August at Carlisle, heifers were a flyer of a trade with a days top of £1761.18 achieved by Messrs Goldie, Newbie Mains, Annan with a Simmental purchased by Eric Hall.
Calves and Stirks met a firm trade with a keen demand for continental types at Gaerwen Livestock Market, Anglesey on 9th August. Female stirks topped at £450 for Simmentals from B Griffiths, Garth Fawr.
At the store cattle sale held at Selby market on 7th August, all classes were in demand. Top price store beast on the day was the pick of a great pen of Simmental bulls from WJ Hollingsworth, Midhope Hall Farm, Sheffield selling at £1405. Further bulls from the Hollingsworths sold for £1335,£1305,£1300.
At Thainstone on 6th August, Aberdeen and Northern Marts sold 1,150 Store Cattle, Young Bulls and Young and Weaned Calves. Bullocks (502) sold to £1,600 gross for a 738kg Simmental cross from Wallfield, Lochhills. Heifers (437) averaged 239.8p and sold to 328.7p per kg and £1,880 gross for a 572kg Simmental Cross from Gladhill, Garmouth. In the young and weaned calves a great show of cattle forward met a brisk demand especially forward condition cattle with an outstanding red and white Simmental Cross heifer, scaling 572kg from Messrs Smith, Gladhill, Garmouth topping the sale at £1,880.
Hexham & Northern Marts at their weekly store sale on 6th August saw cattle at 11-16 months led by Simmental x steers at £1030 from Hedley West.
In the sale of calves and stirks on 6th August at NWA’s Lancaster Auction Mart, Simmental bull calves sold to a top of £3335 for a Simmental X from JR Newsham & Son.
In a sale of Beef Cows at Truro Livestock Market on 4th August, Simmental x’s led the way to 164p (740kg) for Messrs R M & S J Jones of Breage, Helston.On 4th August at United Auctions Stirling market’s store sale, out of spec cattle averaged 225.55p to 233.90p per kg for a SimX from Wellees, and to £1310 for a Sim from Wellees.
If you have any snippets of Simmentals performing well at markets around the UK then please forward them to information@britishsimmental.co.uk We’d be very happy to include them in future Simmental Market Briefs.
Following the recent announcement we have been delighted with the response to the new Simmental ‘Next Generation’ Sale fixture due to be held on Friday 3rd December at Harrison & Hetherington’s Borderway Mart, Carlisle.
The new fixture will be for all classes of pedigree Simmental females, and with a further section for pedigree Simmental Weaned Calves born in the 2021 year. Held on one day, the fixture will see a show for the females, followed by the weaned calves with classes for bulls and heifers, and with the sale itself held thereafter.
With the sale little over six months away, we are very keen to outline the schedule in order to help you consider and take aim at what females and young calves you may wish to enter.
The schedule has been designed to be as inclusive as possible across both sections. Come sale time we’ve changed things up a little to allow the weaned calves to be sold in herd consignments and with choices to sell them in pairs where you may choose to.
This is an exciting new event for the Society to launch and we hope that it will become an annual fixture that will be a first-class sale platform and a terrific showcase for the breed. As such we very much hope that you will consider supporting the inaugural Simmental ‘Next Generation’ Sale and from here the Society will continue to promote it at every opportunity. Look out for further updates and announcements regarding the sale in due course through both newsletters and social media.
The provisional Simmental ‘Next Generation’ show and sale schedule is as follows:
SIMMENTAL FEMALES
Pedigree Simmental Cow, in calf
Pedigree Simmental Cow, with calf at foot
Pedigree Simmental Heifer, with calf at foot, and/or in-calf (aged not more than 36 months at calving. In-calf entries must be served or inseminated more than 12 weeks warranted, and due to calve before attaining the age of 36 months)
Pedigree Simmental Heifer, born between 1.1.2020. and 30.6.2020.
Pedigree Simmental Heifer, born between 1.7.2020. and 31.12.2020.
All female entries will be sold in age order.
All females must be halter led.
All females will be subject to a crush inspection prior to the sale.
SIMMENTAL WEANED CALVES
The sale will be open to bull and heifer calves born on or after 1st January 2021.
Pedigree Simmental Bull Calf, born in 2021. (Calves to be divided into appropriate sized classes for judging by age.)
Pedigree Simmental Heifer Calf, born in 2021. (Calves to be divided into appropriate sized classes for judging by age.)
Bull and heifer calves to be sold in separate sections.
Bull and heifer calves must be halter led to be shown.
Bull calves will be subject to a crush inspection for teeth and testicles.
Heifer calves will require an ID check only.
Calves will not be sold in age order but will be sold in vendors consignments of a maximum of six calves per consignment. Calves may be sold in pairs (i.e. choice of pair).
The consignments of weaned calves will be balloted prior to being catalogued and the sale order will be as per the catalogue.
The sale will be conducted in guineas with no upset price.
General:
All entries in both the female, and weaned calf sections must be fully pedigree registered with the Society at close of entries.
All entries in both sections must be offered for sale.
All entries for both the females and weaned calf sections must be DNA sire verified.
All herds entering must be members of a CHECS approved herd health scheme.
In addition to the stipulations here, the general sale rules of the British Simmental Cattle Society will apply.
At the close of entries the Society reserves the right to amend the classes and subject to the entries received.
Manor Park Lachlan from DC Houldey, Kirtleton House, Waterbeck, Lockerbie, sold for 5000gns to lead the small entry of Simmental bulls at the Carlisle May Sale held on Saturday 15th May at Harrison & Hetherington’s Borderway Mart.
A January 2020 born bull, Manor Park Lachlan is by Ranfurly Highflier, a Kilbride Farm Warren son, and is out of Manor Park Efia. With a strong pedigree, Manor Park Efia is out of the noted female Manor Park Whatever, an Ashland Perfect daughter. Earlier in the day this sixteen-month-old bull had won the Male Championship and Overall Supreme in front of the judge, John Barlow of the noted Denizes herd at Ulnes, Walton Lane, Nr Leyland, Lancs. Commenting on his Champion John Barlow said: “Manor Park Lachlan is a modern, smart young bull. He’s long and clean, very correct structurally, and had good legs and mobility.” Come sale time the top price bull was purchased by James Fawcett, Fawcett & Wagstaff, Pond House, Calvo, Wigton, Cumbria to join his newly establishing Simmental pedigree herd of six females.
Taking the second top price of 3800gns was Grangewood Kennedy 19 from Mr & Mrs AS & YA Leedham, Rowan Farm, Lockton, Pickering, North Yorkshire. December 2019 born, this entirely homebred bull is by Grangewood Glenlivet 15 who has bred bulls up to 9500gns and who was the sire of the 7000gns Grangewood Keegan the Champion and top priced bull at the Worcester Simmental Sale held two weeks previously on May 1st. Out of Grangewood Annie’s Isabella, a Grangewood Damascus daughter, Grangewood Kennedy who stood second in his class to the Champion, sold back into North Yorkshire when bought by RI Jones, Biggin House Farm, Ugthorpe, Whitby.
Also from the Grangewood herd, Grangewood Leopard 20, sold for 3500gns to Messrs Brickle, Holly Dean. Another son of Grangewood Glenlivet, this January 2020 born bull is out of Grangewood Wanda’s Goddess. Selling all three of their bulls entered, the Grangewood herd realised 3200 for the Losning Iver (P) son, Grangewood Lieutenant 20 (P), who was snapped up by JP & S Thorpe, New House, Orton, Penrith.
Another heterozygous Polled bull, Rooklea Karl 19 (P) from Mrs A Trafford, Springfield Farm, Greysouthern, Cockermouth, made 3000gns. This December 2019 son of the homozygous polled bull Caistor Herminius 16 (PP), out of Rooklea Helen, was bought by T Chalmers & Co, Outer Woodhead, Canonbie, Dumfriesshire.
MIDHOPE KIERA
Taking the Female Championship and Overall Reserve was the July 2019 born heifer Midhope Kiera of Mr WJ Hollingsworth, Midhope Hall Farm, Midhopestones, Sheffield. This heifer is by Woodhall Everhart 13 and is out of Midhope Éclair whose mother Midhope Bloom was an elite cow who bred the 2016 Simmental Carlisle May Champion Midhope Farmer’s Friend. Speaking after the show, the judge John Barlow said: “This is a very showy, feminine heifer. She carries a lot of style, was not overdone, and will be a real cow maker.” Purchasing Midhope Kiera for 2600gns was AJ Wilson, Westcroft, Kilwinning, Ayrshire. Standing second to the Champion in her class was Midhope Kelly, another from the 45-pedigree cow Midhope herd. This February 2019 born heifer, by Rockytop Hurricane 16, also made 2600gns when selling to IR Appleton, Pudding Poke Farm, Hartlepool, Cleveland.
Snapshot article featuring the 120 suckler cow herd of Irving & Evonne Pearson at Manor Farm, Blencow, Cumbria where lower input Simmentals are helping to increase profitability.
Based on the very edge of the fertile Eden Valley in the small hamlet of Blencow, in the shadow of the eastern mountains of the Lake District near Penrith, Cumbria, Irving Pearson farms Manor Farm with his wife Evonne. Irving is following in the footsteps of his great grandparents who took the tenancy of the farm on back in the mists of time and which now runs to 320 acres of productive farmland with about two thirds of this owned, and the rest rented. The Pearsons run around 100 Texel cross bred ewes, a project that his children, Lilia, 11, and Isaac, 9, are ‘in charge of’, and which has quickly grown from the starting point of a couple of ewes. Being in such a fertile area they also grow around 50 acres of barley, which helps with the winter feed and bedding, and also helps keep the ground fresh and in good heart, reseeding with grass after cropping.
IRVING PEARSON
The main focus of the farm however is on their herd of 120 suckler beef cows, a mixture of pure Simmental and British Blue cross Simmental which run with the Simmental bull, producing top quality beef cattle which are all retained and finished on the farm. “We put a few pure Simmentals to the British Blue bull with a view to retain some of the resulting heifers for breeding and there is a market for our surplus heifers too” Irving observes.
“Well fleshed and fast finishing, but the females are great milkers too, an ideal starting point for a modern suckler cow.”
Pre foot and mouth in 2001, the farm was using Limousin sired cattle out of dairy cows, but when the Pearsons re-stocked they re-evaluated the business and decided to look for a beef breed with a bit more carcase and quicker finishing time than they were achieving with the Limousin cross. Having looked around they settled on the Simmental bull as their main sire, liking them for their carcase, mothering ability, and the fact they were very quiet to handle. “They are a genuine Dual Purpose breed” says Irving, “Well fleshed and fast finishing, but the females are great milkers too, an ideal starting point for a modern suckler cow” he says. Today they run an essentially closed herd, retaining 16-20 of the best females annually, which are calved at three years old to an easy calving bull, and just buying in fresh bulls when required. “Keeping the herd closed as much as possible helps keep the herd healthy and saves us bringing in unforeseen in problems. When we look for a new bull a high health status is as important as the bull himself” he notes. As well as keeping an eye on the health status of incoming cattle they also vaccinate against BVD and leptospirosis which is seen as a vital tool to keep the herd disease free.
The herd calves in spring mainly to utilise the best of the grass and all the calves, apart from the heifers that they select to retain, are finished on the farm. The calves get a good start and summer well as Irving finds the cows are such good milkers off the grass. Once weaned and housed in the autumn, the bulls are finished on a diet of barley and a 34% protein pellet. With the Simmental breed being well noted for its high growth rate, the bulls are sold at between 12-14 months old direct to slaughter on a deadweight basis, and aiming for a carcase weight of around 400kg. These Simmental sired bulls finish well on this system, fleshing up quickly and meet the specification with ease, mainly hitting the U Grade for maximum profitability. The heifers are grazed around on grass for a second summer and then housed for winter and finished on the same ration as the bulls, selling these at around 20-22 months old, and with them finishing equally as well as the bulls.
“Simmental is a breed fit to face the future with its ability to produce cattle with lower inputs and high growth rates off milk rather than lots of concentrates.”
When buying a fresh stock bull Irving likes to study the catalogue closely and likes to check out the EBVs for calving ease, milkiness as well as growth as he feels the maternal values of the bull is vitally important for the system he uses, and he sees the EBVs as a tool for selection, but as he says “ I have to like the look of the bull too…..no good having a bull with all the correct figures if you don’t like the look of it….It will hopefully be working here a long time so it has to look the part too!” Whilst he has bought bulls at Carlisle in the past, Irving’s last few bulls have been bought out of Stirling, where he feels there is also a wide range of bulls to choose from and a great depth of quality amongst the bulls on offer.
Looking back over the last 20 years or so with the Simmental as the cornerstone to their herd, Irving hails the Simmental as an ideal breed to fit into his system. “My system might not fit everyone, but it certainly works for us on our farm, and that’s what we set out to achieve when we had to make the change after FMD in 2001” he muses. As farming moves forward to a less certain time post Brexit and less government support, Irving feels the Simmental is a breed fit to face the future with its ability to produce cattle with lower inputs and high growth rates off milk rather than lots of concentrates. This he says therefore lowers costs whilst increasing profitability, offering the Simmental a competitive edge over other breeds.
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