Simmental vs SimAngus

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I used to breed fullblood simmies, so I'm obviously biased towards them....but I have to ask, what is your end product you want to sell?? If it's breeding stock, obviously purebreds will likely bring more than crossbreds. If it's just commercial cows, without a doubt I'd go with Sim/Angus females then a third breed for the bull (here I'd seriously consider Charolais, but your area may be very different)for maximum heterosis. If it's freezer beef etc, what size of carcass do you want? There are many different criteria which will help you with your decision!
 
If you are going to raise breeding stock I think it is fairly easy to do both. Afterall, if you start with purebred Simmental females, you can easily breed some AI to the best Simmental bulls and others AI to the best Angus bulls available. That way you can offer both purebred and hybrid bulls to your customers.

Many beef seedstock breeders are digging in their heals and refusing to accept that hybrid breeding stock will have much appeal in years to come. I've been involved with the livestock industry for over 30 years and have seen hybrid breeding stock dominate the poultry and swine industries for a very simple reason...they're more profitable.

I know of many highly successful purebred swine breeders from the 70's and 80's who refused to develop hybrid breeding stock. They used to sell boars and replacement gilts by the trailor load, but now their only premium market is 40 or 50 4-H pigs per year.

I'm concerned that we will see the same thing happen to the beef seedstock suppliers who refuse to accept that hybrid breeding stock has a valid place in our industry; though I do think it will take many more years to see hybrid influence in the commercial herds as extensive as it is in the swine industry.
 
I will also considered the use of Limousin with the Simmangus females but I agree with you breeding stock will bring more $$ to your pocket

> I used to breed fullblood simmies,
> so I'm obviously biased towards
> them....but I have to ask, what is
> your end product you want to
> sell?? If it's breeding stock,
> obviously purebreds will likely
> bring more than crossbreds. If
> it's just commercial cows, without
> a doubt I'd go with Sim/Angus
> females then a third breed for the
> bull (here I'd seriously consider
> Charolais, but your area may be
> very different)for maximum
> heterosis. If it's freezer beef
> etc, what size of carcass do you
> want? There are many different
> criteria which will help you with
> your decision!

[email protected]
 
Again, this will show my bias, but I'd personally not use Limos. I'd get much larger calves at weaning with a Charolais (Limos here average less than 500lbs at weaning, Charolais about 750lbs) and even with a few cents less per pound,(lighter calves bring more cents per pound) they'd bring considerably more per head. With a Sim/Angus female, I've seen very few calving problems due to very large pelvices (that spelling just doesn't look right to me) on the dams. I admit, this is my bias. It could also be that I've been charged by a heck of a lot of Limos and that's also in my mind...

Remember, these are just my opinions, not gospel. Figure out what your market is, what you need and go from there! What works in my climate (Eastern Canada) will not necessarily work elsewhere!
 
I had use Charolais as a terminal breed, I will began using Limos for next year(breed rotation) in my comercial herd.

I just began with the Simmangus cross, I A.I. some Simmental cows with Red Angus, for next year I will began breeding my first heifers.

Do you have any experince using Blonde d'Aquitaine as a terminal breed? I have herd a lot of it that I A.I. some of my commercial Simbrah and some Romagnola with Blondes to see how it work. But as for know it's just theory what I have of this breed.

> Again, this will show my bias, but
> I'd personally not use Limos. I'd
> get much larger calves at weaning
> with a Charolais (Limos here
> average less than 500lbs at
> weaning, Charolais about 750lbs)
> and even with a few cents less per
> pound,(lighter calves bring more
> cents per pound) they'd bring
> considerably more per head. With a
> Sim/Angus female, I've seen very
> few calving problems due to very
> large pelvices (that spelling just
> doesn't look right to me) on the
> dams. I admit, this is my bias. It
> could also be that I've been
> charged by a heck of a lot of
> Limos and that's also in my
> mind...

> Remember, these are just my
> opinions, not gospel. Figure out
> what your market is, what you need
> and go from there! What works in
> my climate (Eastern Canada) will
> not necessarily work elsewhere!

[email protected]
 

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