Keith Nelson's Farm: Boosting Dairy Herd Profits with Simmental Genetics

Keith Nelson runs a mixed farm in Rosslea, County Fermanagh alongside his family, where they milk 120 pedigree Fleckvieh and Holstein cows in a robotic system, run a small suckler beef herd and a bed and breakfast pig system.

For Keith, focusing on genetics is crucial to performance, both for milk production and the marketability of his beef calves. Sexed semen is used for retaining replacements and a Simmental bull covers the rest.

Pleasing Prices
So far this year, akin to general market trends, Keith has welcomed noticeably higher prices for his beef calves sired by Aghalaan Norton, bred by fellow Fermanagh farmer, Gavin Aiken. He is a bull sired by Omorga Isaac and out of a Kilbride Farm Delboy cow, Omorga Harmony. Previous to this, other local Simmental bulls have also been purchased.

From averaging at £500 for calves sold anywhere between eight and 35 days of age this Spring, Keith has now noted prices from £830 to highs of £1180, selling both some privately and at market.

Demand for different coloured calves seemed to depend on the buyer, with Keith commenting that some farmers prefer red and coloured calves whilst others prefer black and white.

Keith has also used his Simmental bull on his suckler herd where he has eight pedigree Simmental cows. Norton progeny have performed well, and sons have been sold as breeding bulls with prices being noted at £4,500 selling from his yard.

Management
The bull ran with his dairy herd for around ten months from 8th November 2024 to 16th September 2025. This reduced labour pressures around breeding and helped maintain cow condition. Keith was pleased with the fertility and fitness of Norton who served over 90 cows in his first season.

Simmental characteristics
Temperament, growth, calving ease and maternal traits such as milk production are all characteristics of the Simmental breed Keith looks out for.
In the past Belgian Blue genetics have been used as well as Aberdeen Angus, however, Simmental has outperformed on a weight and price basis.

Future Plans
Keith plans to maintain a similar management system going forward, AI’ing heifers to keep around 15 or 16 replacements for approximately three weeks in November and running the bull with the remainder of the cows.

The next NI Simmental Cattle breeders club sale is set to take place on Friday the 24th of October at Swatragh Livestock Market at 7pm with showing prior at 5 pm under the eye of Erin Nelson (junior stock judging winner 2024 at the UK Simmental stockjudging final). Erin Farms along with her dad George and her grandfather William Nelson under the Drumacritten herd prefix in Co Fermanagh .

There is 14 pedigree Simmental bulls catalogued along with a selection of pedigree haltered heifers and commercial Simmental heifers on sale. Breeders from 5 of the 6 counties in Northern Ireland will have pedigree cattle to sell from herds such as Haystar, Hiltonstown, Longbeach, Wellbray, Lakeside, Hillhead Farm, Drumagarner , Lisglass, Edenbann, Drumsamney and Mullynock.

Some of the top AI sires in the breed have been used on these animals such as Denizes Hamish, Ranfurly Klinker, Dermotstown Delboy , Saltire Impressive , Coose Lincoln , Curaheen Gunshot ,Auroch Deutor and Aurochorachan Hercules.