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The name Simmentaler is derived from the Simme river valley
(“tal” in German) in
Switzerland, where the breed originated. The breed is a
descendant of the Aurochs (Bos Taurus primegenius), the
indigenous cattle of Europe, and its low relationship with
Zebu, Sanga and British breeds renders it the ideal breed
for cross breeding due to increased hybrid vigour
(heterosis). Simmentalers, and not watches, once was
Switzerland’s
most important export product. In the period 1900 to 1929
app 150 000 Simmentalers were exported via rail to
neighbouring countries and Eastern Europe.
There was a great demand due to the superb triple purpose
characteristics of the breed, viz. milk, beef and
suitability as draught animals.
The World Simmental-Fleckvieh Federation (WSFF) is, after
the Holstein, the largest international stud cattle
federation and Simmentalers are also registered under other
names, like Fleckvieh, Abondance, Pezzata Rossa,
Montbeliarde and Simmental. The WSFF was established in 1974
with, amongst others,
South Africa and Namibia as founder members and today 100
000 registered breeders in 28 countries with 15.3 million
recorded animals belong to the Federation. The registration
and performance testing systems of The Southern African
Society enjoy worldwide recognition through the WSFF.
In Europe
there are 11 countries with 98 000 breeders that belong to
the WSFF and that utelise the dual purpose characteristics
of the breed to the utmost. There are 1.7 million under
official milk testing. The average production of 850 000
milk tested cows in Germany and Austria is 6500 kg milk,
4.2% fat and 3.5% protein. Sons of these dairy cows that
have been bought at stud auctions, weigh 620 kg at 17
months. That is a daily weight gain of 1.3 kg from birth,
which is better than the countrywide average of most
speciality beef breeds in South Africa.
Outside the European continent the popularity of the breed
has inceassed tremendously since the late sixties, with
official WSFF recognised Herdbooks in 15 countries. There,
like in
South Africa, the breed is especially used for beef cattle
production and it owes it popularity to its suitability for
cross breeding.
It started in Namibia
Outside Europe,
Namibia was the first country where the breed was
successfully established. The first imports were in 1893 by
the government of the then German Colony, that promoted
import for cross breeding, with a view to “improving the
milk and beef production of the indigenous animals“ (Stals).
The most important reason for the popularity of the breed in
the first half of the previous century was its dual purpose
characteristics. In the fifties the then South West Africa
with no dairy cattle produced on average of 9,2 million
pounds of butter and 367 300 lb cheese per year. These dairy
products were produced predominantly by Simmentaler and
Simmentaler crosses.
At present the number of Simmentaler breeders is only
exceeded by the Brahman. More than half of all stud breeders
in
Namibia that farm with breeds of British and European
origin, breed Simmentalers. South Africa (SA)
The first Simmentalers arrived in
South Africa in 1905 when President M T Steyn of the
Republic of the Free State established a stud on his farm
Onze Rust, near Bloemfontein.
The breed had, however, maintained an inferior position
until the early sixties when the excellent performance of
the Simmentaler in official interbreed tests were revealed.
It soon became clear that the demand was exceeding the
supply and in the period 1960 to 1970 large numbers had been
imported into South Africa, initially from the then South West Africa, and later Fleckvieh from
Germany and Austria. From Switzerland and France there were
no noteworthy imports. Since 1975 imports have decreased
considerably as a result of the development of a locally
adapted Simmentaler. Breeders‘ Society
Breeders in Namibia and South Africa established a
breeders‘ society for Southern Africa in 1964. Today this
young breeders‘ society is, as far as animal numbers are
concerned, the third largest of 32 non dairy breeds,
surpassed only by the Bonsmara (local synthetic) and Brahman
(Zebu). In comparison with the 16 other British and European
non dairy breeds, Simmentaler have more female animals than
the 2nd, 3rd and 4th largest breeds combined.
The main objective of the Society is to provide its
breeders with comprehensive advisory services. This is
handled by independent accredited Breed Advisors. Apart from
these consulting services and compulsory inspection of all
animals, the Society manages its own modern registration
system and world-famous BREEDPLAN performance services. This
comprehensive one-stop service package costs a breeder with
100 animals the equivalent of two culled weaners per year.
Breeding programmes are conducted in accordance with the
breeding objectives of the breed.
Other important objectives are the commitment towards
animal improvement in Southern Africa, the promotion and
genetic improvement of the Simmentaler, to act as
registering authority in accordance with the Animal
Improvement Act 1998, free access to the pedigrees, breeding
values, calving records and other particulars via the
internet, and sustained improvement of services to its
members at market related tariffs. Industry leader
The Breeders‘ Society is rated as progressive with new
programmes to serve the industry. Already in the
mid-seventies the breed was the first to move away from the
subjective way of judging, by combining performance and
appearance in the showring. This is the only breeders‘
society where judges are bound by the constitution to use
production figures in placings of cows. An AI bull testing
scheme, farm growth testing scheme for young bulls and a
star cow register for cows that excel have already been
introduced in the eighties. The well known Simdex system
(SIMmentaler reproduction inDEX) that expesses intercalf
period, age at first calving, number of calves and even
embryo flushes as one figure, was instituted in 1988. It was
also the first breeders‘ society that, after deregulation,
established its own modern systems . Simsational performance
How does the breed perform compared with the ten best known
performance tested breeds (more then 2 500 performance
tested female animals – Beef Breeding in SA, 1993-98)?
-
1 st in reproduction index (1CP and age first calving)
-
1 st in weaning weight
-
1 st in yearling weight of heifers
under ‘farm conditions’
-
1 st in feedlot growth (ADG
in bull growth tests intensive) Most Modern Performance
Testing Technology
Objective performance information of hundreds of thousands
of Simmentalers, together with extensive pedigree links,
coupled with modern computer technology enables the Society
to express performance in a valuable figure, viz. BLUP
Breeding Value. The Breeding Value is the best prediction of
how an animal will breed and enables the buyer to compare
animals of various breeders and age with one another.
The Society makes use of the world’s most advanced beef
cattle genetic evaluation system, viz. BREEDPLAN
International, to process breeding values for a range of
important weight, milk, reproduction and carcase traits.
These values are available free of charge to everybody (not
only breeders) at www.simmentaler.org. Select Animal Info.
The bull buyer’s friend
This is the first society in SA that has replaced – already
in 1998 – the old fashioned “mom and dad certificate” with
an modern five generation performance certificate. This
piece of paper is the most powerful selection aid for the
Simmentaler bull buyer:
(i) To bring about constant genetic progress in any cow
herd, the new bull has to be genetically better than the
previous one. The only way to achieve that is to look at the
breeding values on the certificate (or auction catalogue or
web page ), because by means of this you can compare bulls
over years and herds.
(ii) Since the inception of the Society, inspection by our
own breed experts has been a prerequisite for registration.
In this system strong emphasis is laid on visual traits with
functional merit. Animals that do not comply with the
requirements, will not receive a certificate; neither will
any of their progeny. The certificate of a Simmentaler is
therefore proof that the animal, as well as its ancestors,
have been inspected according to stringent standards.
The bull is The most important investment the farmer makes
in his herd. An unapproved bull without breeding values can
cost him dearly. Utilisation of the Simmentaler breeding
value and pedigree certificate reduces this investment risk.
That is why you should ALWAYS insist on the certificate.
Reasons for Simmentaler‘s sustained popularity *
The breed can be used with great success in cross breeding
for breeding of BOTH (i) cows with much milk and (ii) heavy
weaners/oxen. *
Large numbers to choose from - More performance tested
bulls than the 2nd, 3rd and 4th largest British/European
beef breeds combined. *
Excel in a number of traits - see proofs above. *
Comprehensive advice and other breed improvement services
to its breeders. *
Animals that do not pass stringent inspection by breed
experts, are permanently eliminated from the herdbook *
Compulsory participation in the world’s best beef cattle
performance system. |
