BOSAHAN PALOMA ESTELLE (P) WINS INTERBREED OVERALL SUPREME AT CORNWALL PEDIGREE BEEF CALF SHOW!

BOSAHAN PALOMA ESTELLE (P) WINS INTERBREED OVERALL SUPREME AT CORNWALL PEDIGREE BEEF CALF SHOW!

Bosahan Nightfall (P) wins Senior Calf Continental Championship.

It’s a huge well done to John and Bridget Olds, Bosahan Farm, Falmouth, Cornwall, who prevailed over some seventy calves representing eight breeds, to win the Overall Supreme Championship at the Cornwall Pedigree Beef Calf Show with their stylish heifer calf Bosahan Paloma Estelle (P). For good measure, and on a top show day for the herd, the young bull Bosahan Nightfall (P) won the Senior Calf Continental Championship. The annual event was again held at the Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge, on Saturday 21st October.

Bosahan Paloma Estelle, Cornwall Pedigree Beef Calf Champion

Regular supporters of this prestigious calf show, this is the fourth occasion that the Bosahan herd has won the Simmental Championship following wins in 2012, 2014, and 2018. This year was however the herds first Continental Championships, having stood Reserve twice previously, and first Interbreed Overall Supreme. Way to go!

Judging the continental section was Robert Tremayne, of the noted Marne Charolais herd, who put up Bosahan Paloma Estelle (P) as Simmental Champion, and then Junior & Overall Continental Champion, giving her the nod over Bosahan Nightfall P who won the Senior Calf Continental Champion (October 2022 – December 2022). Come the Overall Championship the Native and Continental Champions went before the ‘new’ judge Mr James Eustice, a South Devon breeder who is also the Show President, and he duly tapped out Bosahan Paloma Estelle (P) as the Overall Supreme Champion.

January 2023 born, Bosahan Paloma Estelle (P), a heterozygous polled heifer, is by the stock bull Kinclaven Infusion 17 (P) EX92, and is out of Bosahan Estelle Alesha EX 91 by the herd’s noted and influential sire Skerrington Armada. Estelle Alesha EX91 goes back to one of the Bosahan foundation cows Beanhill Penny, purchased at the Society’s 2006 Bristol Sale, and has been a consistent breeding female in the herd.

Commenting Bridget Olds said: “We’ve had a terrific day and are delighted to have won the two Continental Championships and the Overall Supreme for the first time, and against such strong competition in the Simmental classes and from other breeds. Paloma Estelle has a tremendous temperament and we only weaned her at the end of September and halter broke her thereafter. We think she’s a very stylish heifer who has length, is good on her plates with a neat tail setting, and is correct on her feet and legs. It was her showing debut and she handled that so well and just had that little bit of sparkle and presence in the ring. Paloma Estelle is the only daughter of Boshan Estelle Alesha that we have and as such she will be retained in the herd.” The Bosahan herd presently comprises of twenty-seven breeding females and has also been recently judged as the Best Overall herd in the Cornwall Club and South West Club Herd competitions this year.

‼️ With similar breeding, the October 2022 born Bosahan Nightfall (P) is also by Kinclaven Infusion 17 (P) and is out of Bosahan Flirty Tresor EX 90, another Skerrington Armada daughter. Bred by AG Borthwick, Perth, Kinclaven Infusion (P) was purchased at Stirling in February 2019. Since then he has stood Reserve Male Champion at the Royal Cornwall Show. Some of Infusion’s first crop of calves were offered at the Bosahan Herd’s May 2022 reduction sale at Exeter with a November 2020 son Bosahan Libertine selling for 4600gns, and a December 2020 maiden heifer Bosahan Lamorna Harriet Bow selling for 3200gns. Highlighting the day, the October 2021 bull calf at foot Bosahan Merlin P broke the market record when selling with his dam Bosahan Jade Magic Baby for a cracking 7000gns.

A further well done to the Olds on a top day at the Cornwall Pedigree Beef Calf Show, and well done to all of the Simmental breeders for putting on another fantastic breed promotion!

A big thank you to Debbie’s Designs Photography https://www.debbiesdesignsphotography.co.uk/ for supplying the picture of Bosahan Paloma Estelle (P).

SUCCESSFUL SIMMENTAL COMMERCIAL OPEN DAY AT TREFAIR FARM, ST EVAL, CORNWALL

SUCCESSFUL SIMMENTAL COMMERCIAL OPEN DAY AT TREFAIR FARM, ST EVAL, CORNWALL

The Cornwall Simmental Club Commercial Open Day, kindly hosted by Ian and Sandra Backway & Family based at Trerair Farm, St Eval, saw a good turnout allied to some top cattle on Sunday 13th August.

The Backways farm over one hundred and forty hectares and which borders the redundant R.A.F. St Eval airfield. The land is 92m above sea level and exposed to the north coast with Trevose Head just 2.6 kms away.

Their fifty suckler cows also include ten pedigree Longhorns. Two pedigree Simmental bulls, Killiworgie Iceman (Kilbride Farm Comber) and Crowgey Las Vegas (Corrick Harrison) run with the commercials while their Longhorn bull Blackbrook F1 is used on the pedigree cows and all the heifers. Currently eighty home-bred and purchased suckled calves, will be sold as stores through Truro and Hallworthy livestock markets at fifteen to eighteen months. One hundred and fifty Texel ewes complete their livestock numbers.

Ian and Sandra started their suckler herd by buying dairy x beef heifers calves out of Truro market and started crossing them with the best pedigree beef bulls they could afford. After trying various breeds, they settled on Simmentals because of their temperament, and with them growing their spring born calves so well on grass alone. Most of their cows are pure bred.

The calves are weaned in late October and housed until April when herd replacements to calve at three are selected. The retained heifers and mature cattle are outwintered and cope with all the might of the Atlantic gales sheltered by the thick Cornish hedges. Calving starts in March outdoors and since using the pedigree Longhorn bulls on first time mothers over fifty have calved unaided.

Ten hectares of spring barley are grown for cattle feed. A further twenty hectares produces a mixture of vegetables to supply three wholesalers and their farm shop with brassicas, swedes, and potatoes. The family grow all their own plant and cut six days a week for eleven months of the year to fulfil their orders!!

After the farm tour the visitors were treated to a proper “Cornish Cakey Tea” where a packed table of home-made refreshments drew gasps of awe from the children present.

The afternoon concluded with a presentation by Martyn Tripp on Mighty-Min organically stabilised essential trace mineral supplements. Sold successfully throughout the whole of Australia for more than twenty years the company is expanding its manufacturing and marketing operations into the UK. Working with Cornish members of the family, Cornish Liquid Minerals was launched two years ago and covers the southwest of England. Using the unique “Floater Doser”, mineral supplements are dispensed into animals drinking water troughs.

The Cornwall Simmental Club Chairman Barrie Wynter gave a vote of thanks and presented Ian and Sandra with gifts as a mark of appreciation for all their hard work to make the afternoon a great success.

STOP PRESS

The stores photographed sold very well. Steers topped at £1555 for a pair of 16 months old at Hallworthy on 17th August. The twenty-seven steers all averaged £1420, all 15-18 months. Five heifers averaged £1225, 16-18 months old at Truro Livestock Market 16th August. Top price at both markets.

HOLLYBROOK MAXIMUM TOPS THE SIMMENTALS AT MELTON MOWBRAY

HOLLYBROOK MAXIMUM TOPS THE SIMMENTALS AT MELTON MOWBRAY

  • Hollybrook Maximum Takes the Reserve Interbreed

The April 2021 born Hollybrook Maximum from Chris & Zara Curson, Hollybrook Farm, Welbourne, Dereham, Norfolk sold for 3900gns to top the small section of Simmentals at the fledgling Melton Mowbray Multi Breed Sale on Saturday, 25th March.

Hollybrook Maximum, Overall Reserve Interbreed, Overall Simmental Champion and Top price of £3,900gns

Earlier in the day this bull had been placed as the Simmental Overall Champion by the judge, John Barlow of the noted Denizes herd, before going on to lift the Overall Reserve Interbreed in front of all seven of the breed judges.  Commenting, John Barlow said:  “This is just a natural Simmental bull with plenty of length and a good second thigh.  He’s a good commercial Simmental bull ready to work.”  Hollybrook Maximum, got by AI, is sired by Clonagh Diehard Gallant, and is out of Williams Vikki’s Blossom.    Purchasing the Champion online, and one of two bought on the day, was the significant Simmental based commercial enterprise in the shape of Fristling Hall Farm, Swan Lane, Ingatestone, Essex.  Melton Mowbray represented only the second Society sale for the Cursons who run a 20-cow pedigree herd alongside a 60 cow Simmental based suckler herd.

Selling at 3200gns was the homozygous polled bull Blue Cedar Mungo from Nigel Darling, Intwood Farm, Intwood, Norwich.  This January 2021 born bull is by the Danish bred AI sire Sneumgaard Imperator, and is out of Blue Cedar Edwina, with both parents being homozygous polled.  With both calving ease, and gestation length figures in the top 1% of the breed, Blue Cedar Mungo was purchased by H Catlin, Leylandii Farm, Boston, Lincolnshire.

Selling two bulls at 3000gns was CH Evans & Son, Kington Grange Farm, Claverdon, Warwickshire.  The first of these was the red ticket winner Wroxall Marmite.  Heterozygous Polled, this January 2021 born bull is by Forsdale Gallipoli, and is out of Wroxall Esprit-Zilla.  Arriving with a show track record that had seen him win breed championships at the Three Counties and Staffordshire Shows respectively in 2022, Wroxall Marmite was another bull to be snapped up by Fristling Hall Farm, Essex.  Following directly on was the March 2021 born Wroxall Meatball.  This March 2021 born calf, who stood second in his class to the Champion, is by Coose Gambler (P), and is out of Wroxall Favour-Patiance (P).  With Calving Ease figures of +3.6 placing him in the top 15% of the breed, Wroxall Marmite was purchased by GT Hall & Son, Dudley Wood Farm, Atherstone, Warwickshire.

Champion, Hollybrook Maximum and Reserve Champion, Key Marvel with Judge John Barlow

Averages:

4 Bulls                  £3438.75  

SIMMENTAL STEER SELLS FOR A £2010 CENTRE RECORD AT EXETER!

SIMMENTAL STEER SELLS FOR A £2010 CENTRE RECORD AT EXETER!

• Ant Hart tops Hallworthy Market with a Simm steer


A strong week of sales across their Exeter and Hallworthy centres saw Kivells auctioneers selling 1312 store cattle and 381 stirks in all with Simmentals leading the way at both centres. On 10th March, and with a South West high and an Exeter market record of £2010, was a Simmental (25m) from Robert Hawkins of Ottery St Mary, whilst much later born (15m) Simmental bullocks saw a notable £1500 for Andrew and George Palk of Marldon. More good Simmentals from Andrew and George Palk saw their heifers (21m) sell to £1500 for a super bunch of five.


On the previous day at Hallworthy and a sale of 412 stores, Simmentals again topped the trade. Top sale spot went to Ant Hart of St Austell with a 23 month Simmental Steer, deep bodied and well fleshed to £1735. W E Uglow of Trelash had a super young Simmental x to £1445. Heard Bros of St Issey also in close with a super pen of four Simmental x Steers to £1295. Younger Steers from J Buckland & Son of St Buryan saw his pair of 10 month Simmentals to £1200. In the heifers, W E Uglow had a single Simmental x Heifer away at £1445, and feature at the top of the prices.
It’s great to see commercial Simmental bred cattle continuing to sell so well in both Devon and Cornwall and a big well done to all the vendors involved.

94% OF BULL BUYERS CONFIRM THEY WILL PURCHASE FURTHER SIMMENTAL BULLS

94% OF BULL BUYERS CONFIRM THEY WILL PURCHASE FURTHER SIMMENTAL BULLS

• 36.23% of buyers changed to Simmental from a different breed of bull in previous five years
A fantastic ninety four percent of Simmental bull buyers have confirmed that they will purchase further Simmental bulls at future Society sales. That’s the strong endorsement of the Simmental breed following a snapshot survey of bull buyers at Society Sales held between 2017 and 2019.


The survey saw buyers through these years being sent a detailed questionnaire covering the initial reasons for purchasing a Simmental, and thereafter how satisfied they have been with the abilities and the performance of their bulls to date. A broad range of questions invited respondents to score and comment on the performance of bulls bought, including: calving ease; temperament of the bulls and their progeny; fertility and serving capacity; longevity and physical condition of the bull; and performance of progeny, including growth rates and perceived food conversion. Further questions asked buyers about the most important traits when buying a Simmental; the principle purpose of the bull; use on heifers; the importance of herd health information, pre-sale inspections, performance figures, and pre-sale fertility testing.


Unsurprisingly maternal traits featured highly in the characteristics of the Simmental breed most attractive to buyers, including: mothering ability and easy calving; milk; producing replacement heifers; and fast-growing progeny. The top characteristic for buyers was temperament and this was emphasised later in the survey with a total of 97.18% saying that the temperament of their bulls was good (88.73%), or average (8.45%), and with 92.53% saying that the temperament of the progeny was very good or good. Across these two categories less than 5% of purchasers responded that the bulls or their progeny had been below average for temperament.


Just over 70% of buyers indicated that performance figures and EBVs were a ‘quite’ or ‘very’ important aid when purchasing a bull. Of the traits, EBVs for calving ease were ranked the most important and with Maternal (Milk), a close second. The Simmental breed has taken a lead in many aspects of herd health at sales over the years, and the importance of this is shown in the survey with a total of 98.59% of respondents saying that it was ‘very important’ (83.10%), or ‘important’ (15.49%), for them to purchase bulls from herds with a high health status. Over 90% of buyers placed importance on bulls having passed through a pre-sale inspection with 57.34% saying it was ‘very’ important.


Interestingly, and perhaps indicative of some strong Simmental sales, 36.23% of buyers said that they had changed from a different breed of bull in the previous five years, and predominantly from other continental breeds. 53.62% of buyers run over five Simmental bulls with a further 40.58% indicating that they had one to five Simmental bulls. The makeup of buyers’ farms shows that 60% of the bulls have gone to hill farms, and with 40% to lowland. The bulls are used on mainly suckler herds (93.25%), with the dominant breed of suckler cows being Simmental/Simmental X, followed by Limousin/Limousin X; Angus/Angus X; and Luing/Luing X. The largest percentage of buyers run 31 to 100 cows (41.43%); with 37.14% having 101 to 200; and just over 21% having over 200.


The working abilities of the breed are again highlighted with 94.12% of buyers saying that they were happy with the physical and structural condition of the bulls bought, and with over 85% of the bulls still working in purchasers’ herds. In an anticipated strength of the breed, just over 92% of buyers said that they retained heifer calves as herd replacements. 42.86% of buyers said that they used bulls on heifers, and of those, 44.12%, aiming to calve the heifers at 28 months and under.


In another strong endorsement of the performance and commercial attributes of the Simmental breed, a remarkable 89.65% of those surveyed said the progeny of their bulls had been of the standard they expected (81.03%), or better than expected (8.62%), and 10.34% saying that the progeny had been average. No respondents replied that progeny from their bulls had been below expectations.


At the conclusion of the survey buyers were asked for ‘any other comments’, and again these were a combination of extremely positive, constructive, and insightful points. A number of comments remarked on what they saw as the ‘big strides’ in ongoing improvement in the Simmental breed over the last ten years. A further similar sentiment was that if the breed maintains and improves its strengths in milk, easy calving, docility, and good locomotion, ‘Simmental bulls will sell themselves’ in the forward industry. Breeders were given some ‘signals’ for forward sales to not overfeed bulls, and the importance of feet, good legs and mobility. Herd health, the versatility of Simmentals on all breeds, the importance of good growth rates, and food conversion from grass were also noted. Producing ‘bulls that make good cows’ was also a sentiment with a clear overall emphasis on the desire for Simmentals many recognised maternal strengths.


Commenting on the survey BSCS General manager Iain Kerr said: “It’s really important for the Society to engage with Simmental buyers to find out how satisfied they have been with their purchases, and to feedback their thoughts to breeders. The Simmental breed is renowned for breeding quality heifer replacements and for being first class suckler cows with plenty of milk, good fertility, easily calved and crossing to advantage with any other breed. We also see Simmental progeny being easy fleshing, with good growth rates, top weights for age, and being the industry leader for age at slaughter. To have these qualities recognised and endorsed by the breeds buyers, with an approval/repeat customer rate of 94%, is really encouraging. A massive well done is extended to pedigree Simmental breeders for these results and for consistently bringing forward a high standard of bulls. There is an ongoing commitment from the breeders and Society, in the sum of all its parts, to keep working hard to consistently produce the choice and quality of bulls that commercial beef producers and pedigree breeders require.”


The survey results have been released in the run up to the next round of pedigree Simmental Sales with sale fixtures at Stirling on February 20th; Aberdeen on 1st March; Dungannon on 24th March; and Melton Mowbray on 25th March.