Simmentals ideal as sucklers
Editorial Department • Published 1 Oct 2010 09:00
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NI Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club chairman, Pat Kelly( right) with Lisbellaw suckler farmer, David Henderson.
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Dungannon Farmers Mart is the venue for the Northern Ireland Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club autumn sale tomorrow(Friday), October 1, commencing at 1pm.
The catalogue includes nine pedigree bulls, 16 pedigree heifers, and a large selection of commercial females from the herds of Malachy Connolly, Clogher; B. J. Cowan, Fivemiletown; Andrew Hanna, Irvinestown; James Hanna, Trillick; M. Murphy, Macken; William Nelson, Rosslea; Adrian Richardson, Maguiresbridge; W. and K. Stubbs, Irvinestown as well as others.
The bulls range in age from February to September 2009 and the herds represented include: Camus, Clonmolly, Killynure, Longbeach, Lummin, Slievenagh and Stralongford.
The heifers range in age from September 2008 to October 2009, and are being offered for sale by leading herds such as: Ashdale, Castlehill, Cleenagh, Inishrush, Owenskerry, Stralongford and Woodford.
Log on to www.britishsimmental.co.uk and select sales to view the on-line pedigree catalogue.
Club chairman, Pat Kelly said:”We are delighted that this sale has attracted over 40 commercial Simmental females. The commercial females have all been on-farm inspected, and buyers can be assured that only top quality females will be offered for sale.”
One farmer who produces top quality Simmentals is David Henderson, a suckler herd owner and Focus Farmer.
“Traditionally this has been a calf to beef farm,” said David who farms in partnership with wife, Iris, and their sons, Richard and Neill. “The beef market has changed, and as there is a limited demand for bull beef, we are now concentrating on producing top quality weanling male calves. In the future we hope to boost our income further by selling surplus suckler heifer replacements.”
Last year David Henderson sold a batch of 24 Simmental bulls. They achieved an average daily liveweight gain from birth of 1.3 kilos per head, and when slaughtered at 415 days the average carcase weight was 350 kilos. The bulls achieved E and U grades and sold for a £950 per head.
“There is a strong demand for quality weanling bull calves. We sold our male calves privately, all to one customer, during February, March, April and May. They were coming straight off the cows and were aged between nine and 12 -months-old. The customer was very impressed with the quality and uniformity of the Simmental calves, and they sold for £250 over their weight.”
As well as being a leading terminal sire the Simmental is recognised for its maternal traits, and according to David Henderson the breed is essential for the development of a profitable suckler herd. “My ideal suckler cow is a Simmental and Limousin cross,” explained David, who runs 100 commercial cows at Cappy near Tamlaght on the outskirts of Lisbellaw.
David Henderson purchased his first Simmental bull in 2005, and is currently running three Simmental stock bulls in the herd. They are sons of Seepa Tee Jay, Hillcrest Champion and Woodhall Sympa.
David Henderson will be offering a selection of cross-bred heifers with calves at foot at tomorrow’s Northern Ireland Simmental Cattle Breeders’ Club autumn sale.
This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 30 Sep 10
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