Simmental Cross

[ChWorley]

I was on this board last year asking for the best herd bull to cross with my Angus cows to increase weaning weights. After many suggestions I choose a Registered Simmental, the bull I choose had good EPDs, he has a longer muscled up build to him. Anyway I just wanted to say his calves are incredible! They hit the ground running, muscled up, and growing like a weeds. This is a amazing cross and I am now a believer in "hybid vigor". They look like they are growing twice as fast as to our angus bull. His newborn calves are bigger than we are used too but not huge. I just wanted to let farmers know that is this black friendly market this may be the way to go if money is your goal!

 

[kenny thomas]

If you keep the heifers you will be impressed with how good a cow they make.

 

[inyati13]

I like hearing that! Would you be willing to post a picture? Not for a critique but to provide an picture of what he looks like. Or another option is what pedigree he has. The reason I ask is because I have black angus and simmental as the basis of my herd. I like them too.

 

[ChWorley]

I will try to post some pics of the bull and calves tomorrow. I put him in last year as a 14 month old a small herd of eight angus cows. I have got 5 of his calves on the ground all bull calves so far. I put him in another pasture with a commerical herd 26 cows(angus, hereford, charolais) this winter. He was two in March about 1500 lbs right now I'm guessing. I'm still amazed at how fast his sons are growing, looking forward to getting better genetics in my herd.

 

[insurman]

Great news..what kind of breeding in the bull?

 

[ChWorley]

BRS Saginaw Z2P is my bull, his sire was KCC Saginaw 6W purchased from Black Ridge Simmentals. I couldn't be happier with this bull. No calving problems yet but I'm not using him on heifers either.

 

[Nesikep]

You mean couldn't be HAPPIER by the sounds of it... Glad you like him.. I've thought about going with a Simmi (red for me) but I don't know if I will, at least not in the next 10 years... Have a limo now, Next a Saler, and then back to a Gelbvieh,... Depending on how I like the limo I might stick with that rotation

Would love to see pics too!

 

[FlyingLSimmentals]

I'm glad you're happy with your Simmental. The Simmental Angus cross as well as the Gelbvieh Angus cross are really creating some nice cattle right now. There are still those that won't even look at Simmental now because of bad experiences decades ago with calving problems. I don't blame them none for leaving, at the time we were just raising commercial cattle (cow calf operation) and we had the calving trouble with the Simmental bulls that we were using therefore we quit with them as well. We went through periods of having Black Angus, Red Poll, and Gelbvieh Bulls since. Our Black Angus calves didn't grow well enough and liked to kick, the Red PolI's were to maternal, and Gelbvieh bulls got hard to find at a time when we needed one, which led us into buying a TN State Fair Grand Champion Black Simmental Bull. Have been raising them for seed stock and breeding the commercial cow herd as well as our heifers to purebred Simmental and 3/4 Simmental bulls since with not much trouble at all. I know of several who will only buy Angus Bulls for their commercial cows usually angus cows at that and miss out on any hybrid vigor, just because they think Angus bulls are the only calving ease bulls available who will sire black calves at ease. Say the word Simmental to some people and they flat out get scared you are trying to kill their herd by recommending a Simmental, but I think that perception is gradually changing. Again glad to hear your report and I hope your Simmental Bull will continue to please you.

 

[ChWorley]

Yes, my bull is throwing slightly bigger calves that I have been seeing out of our angus bull. However the calves look to be growing twice as fast. It has amazed me. I will try to post some pics.

 

[Williamsv]

Glad to read your report. We bought some simangus heifers and they are raising their first calves. I cannot believe how fast they are growing. I am well pleased with them. We are using an angus bull. Now I think I will consider a Simmental next time. Thank you for your helpful report.

 

[shortybreeder]

I also gave simmental a shot last year on one of my commercial cows, and you should have seen the look on our breeder's face when I mentioned I wanted to try it... Just like what Flying L said above... he thought she was gonna get ripped apart and we would lose her. So far, out of the 4 calves that have been born, that cow was the only one completely unassisted!! :lol: We actually went simangus, because our breeder had some Encore semen in his tank and he said that Encore has been turning out some really nice calves. I would have to agree with that! When we were moving the cow/calf pairs out to pasture and were tagging/tattooing/etc. my dad grabbed hold of the little Encore bull calf and thought he was 2 months old, when in actuality he was only about 3 weeks old!! Gotta love that hybrid vigor! (the calf is 1/4 sim, 1/4 black angus, 1/4 herf, 1/4 hol)
Edit: The mom is also only working off 1 quarter but the calf had complete access to good quality hay and grain.

 

[Nesikep]

Your heifers may make some really good momma cows too!, bred to any combination of sim/angus, or balancer would be good too.