British Simmental Newsletter - March 2023

NEWSLETTER

SIMMENTAL CATTLE SOCIETY

REVISION OF SOCIETY RULES

Pleasenote that the Council of Management are presently in the process of ratifying a full update of the Society rules, which were last reviewed in 2017. It is intended that the updated version will be in place, and able to be downloaded from the Society website, in April and we will send you a further notification once they are ready. In the meantime, we would like to draw your attention to a number of changes which will come into place immediately or within the next 12 months.

Maximum showing age of bulls at Society sales

With immediate effect, bulls being sold at the Worcester sale, will be able to be shown up to the age of two years and six months old, this is to accommodate members who are unable to sell their bulls before this age. At all other sales, the maximum showing age will remain two years, but if a bull is entered for sale which is older it may be paraded.

PLEASE NOTE: Embryo Calf Registrations

It is a requirement of the Society, presently under rule 7.8, that all ET calves are fully parentage verified upon registration. This means that both the sire and dam must be DNA tested as well as the calf. However, as per previous correspondence, the Council of Management is aware that some older embryos may be stored where the parents have not been DNA tested, and where there will not be samples available for these animals. Therefore, if you have embryos stored please contact us before use at the Society office on 02476 696513 or by email at information@britishsimmental.co.uk to check if the parents are DNA tested. The Council of Management will consider cases individually, where

parentage verification cannot be performed on ET calves due to the sire or dam not being DNA tested. However, all such calves must be registered before 31st December 2025, after which no further exceptions to this rule will be considered.

IMPORTANT: DNA testing of animals at Simmental Society Sales

As from 1st May 2023, all animals including calves which are sold at sales held under the auspices of the Society British Simmental Society (entered into collective, draft, production, reduction and dispersal sales) which are registered as polled, must be DNA tested to confirm their polled status. This test can be ordered at the same time as the parentage verification or if your animal has already been DNA tested, it can be done retrospectively. The additional cost of the polled test is £6.60 including VAT. Effective from 1st January 2024, all animals including calves which are sold at sales held under the auspices of the Society British Simmental Society, must be DNA tested and sire verified. This includes all Collective Society sales (including draft animals), production, reduction and dispersal sales.

Society Sale Inspections

As from 1st January 2024, all animals which have been given a yellow mark during the inspection under rule 15.8.1, will be eligible to be shown in the presale show.

Change of Sale Upset Price

Effective from 1st April 2023, the standard upset price for bulls will be raised from 2,000gns to 2,500gns. The upset price for bulls being sold at the February, May and October Society Sales at Stirling has been raised from 2,400gns to 3,000gns.

REMINDER: BSCS REGISTRATION FEES

Thisimportant note of update is further to the Society’s Council of Management meeting held at Stoneleigh on December 13th, and further to previous communications. In a wide ranging meeting the finances and running costs of the Society was one of the principle subjects considered. As is the case across the board at present, the Society is seeing a significant percentage increase in almost all of its day to day running costs. To address this, and after full and considered discussion, the decision has been taken to apply a small increase to pedigree registration fees.

Therefore, applicable from the 1st April Birth

SIMMENTAL OPEN DAYS

Furtherto previous we are pleased to confirm that the following Simmental Open Days are scheduled for the coming months. Please contact the Society office to register your interest in attending.

Saturday 20th May

First up is the commercial and pedigree enterprise of RJ McKane, Spring Farm, Ballymena, County Antrim. Look out for further details of this one, just recently confirmed, on Facebook.

Thursday 1st June

Vernon and Jon Bailey’s Mixbury Hall, Near Brackley in Northamptonshire. This 530-acre mixed farm of beef, sheep and arable carries a closed herd of 70 pedigree Simmentals with 10 to 12 retained each year, and remaining heifers sold to other breeders across the UK. Young bulls not suitable for breeding are finished and sold direct, with the remaining male calves sold as yearlings through the local Thame market.

Saturday 8th July

Next up will be noted commercial producers Colin and Robert Manson, D & G Manson and Sons, Brodieshill

Notification fees will increase by +£2; Telereg and online registrations will increase by +£3; and Paper registrations will increase by +£5. The December newsletter had already gone to print at the time of this decision being made, however we have been able to include the price changes within the annual Review. This is the first increase to core fees in a number of years and the change is made with some reluctance. Council are very mindful of costs to members but feel it is responsible governance to ensure solid financial management, and to enable the Society to continue to provide its core pedigree, technical, and promotional services on behalf of all members.

Farm, Forres, Inverness. The Mansons have 145 head of suckler cows the majority of which are Simmental crosses, calving in the Spring, and they breed all of their own replacements. Previously finishing the bull calves, they have more recently been castrating them and selling them as stores at Thainstone. At present the Mansons run three Simmental bulls purchased from the Blackford and Islavale herds. A very focussed commercial herd and will be a top venue.

Friday 18th August

The Society and Wales Simmental Club will hold a further Farm Open Day at the Dewisland herd of Mark and Emma Evans, Upper Harglodd, Haverfordwest, Pembs. Farming across holdings, there’s an emphasis on home grown feed in what is both a pedigree and commercial suckler system. Fifty pedigree cows and 20 in-calf heifers form the basis of the pedigree herd at Upper Harglodd. In added value diversification, the Evans’ also have a boxed beef scheme, and run a micro-brewery! Sure to be another hugely interesting day.

WORCESTER SIMMENTAL SALE, SATURDAY 29th APRIL

Closing date for entries Friday 24th March

If you haven’t already, please get your entries in for the upcoming Worcester Sale before the closing date.

Please also ensure that when you enter your animals you submit a Herd Health Declaration form (which can be downloaded here) and if the animal has not already been DNA tested, please send a hair sample to us at the Society office as soon as possible, so that the tests are completed in line with Society requirements before the sale.

It’sbeen a strong start to the Simmental Sale year with record averages set at both the Stirling February sale and the Aberdeen March Sale. Please see the

If you are performance recording member, please also ensure that you have had any bulls weighed and scanned by the end of the March, so that if possible, their figures appear in the sale catalogue.

The Worcester Sale will also feature a genuine reduction sale of 50 pedigree Simmental cows with Simmental and Blue calves at foot from the noted Wroxall Herd of CH Evans & Son.

To enter the sale, please click here and to view the schedule of the sale, please click here

summary report and pictures here, and head to www.britishsimmental.co.uk to see the extended reports.

28,000GNS BANNHILL FARM MASTERPIECE LEADS THE WAY AT STIRLING AS STRONG SIMMENTAL DEMAND SEES A NEW BREED

RECORD AVERAGE

• 97 bulls average a new February record of £7,260, up £425 on the year

• Clearance rate of 88% with eight more bulls sold on the year

• 28,000gns bull sets a new Northern Ireland Simmental record

• Two bulls break the 20,000gns mark with twenty bulls in all at 9,000gns and over

• Bulls sell to all four home nations, and with nine heading to Orkney

Bannhill Farm Masterpiece - 28,000gns

Therewas a snap, crackle, and record-breaking pop to the Simmental Bull Sale at United Auctions, Stirling, on Monday 21st February, with some fierce bidding from start to finish generating a new breed record average at this fixture of £7,260, up by £425 on the year and for 97 bulls sold, up by eight on the year. With commercial breeders again going headto-head with pedigree breeders for the quality bulls on offer, the sale continued the surge in demand for Simmentals with this being the fourth Stirling fixture, and fifth Society Sale, in a row where a new record mark has been set.

Leading the sale at 28,000gns, and setting a new record top price for a Simmental bull from Northern Ireland, was the stylish Bannhill Farm Masterpiece from Alan Wilson, Rathfriland, Co Down. In the pre-sale show, in front of the judge Colin Fordyce who runs the Blair herd at Islabank Farm, Meigle, Blairgowrie, and is also herd manager at Strathisla Farms, this June born bull won the Intermediate section before going on to lift the Overall Supreme title. Commenting on his champion, Colin Fordyce said: “This is a typical and modern Simmental bull with a lot of class. He had tremendous length with plenty of shape but is not extreme. Really good across the plates, he had good legs, walked well, and really showed himself. A quality bull and a worthy champion from within a strong show of Simmentals.”

Come sale time, there was a tingle in the air as Bannhill Farm Masterpiece raced through the gears before reaching 28,000gns and being knocked down to Noel Kilpatrick who runs the Ballymoney pedigree herd at Banbridge, Co Down. Of his purchase a delighted Mr Kilpatrick said: “This is the best Simmental bull that I have seen since I purchased Saltire Impressive back in 2018. I couldn’t find a fault on him. He is a great walker with a good back end, plenty of length and a lovely head, just very pleasing on the eye. People might ask, why is a man with 26 breeding females spending this kind of money on a bull, and I say that it’s because I want the best quality bull to enhance my herd! The aim from here is that Masterpiece will go straight to stud, while I wait to bring him home. The bull has been purchased in partnership with Bartley Finnegan of Elite Pedigree Genetics and we will be making his semen available throughout the UK as soon as possible. A further aim is to produce sexed semen to target the dairy industry which is important in the trade in Northern Ireland.”

Bannhill Farm Masterpiece is sired by the 12,000gns

AI bull Kilbride Farm Bantry and is the fifth calf bred out of his dam Ballinalare Farm Evita, a full sister to the noted Ballinalare Farm Galaxy she is by the 21,000gns Auchorachan Wizard. This breeding line has seen success at Stirling previously with Mr Wilson selling

Masterpiece’s full brother Ballinalare Farm Legacy at the corresponding sale last year for 10,000gns. It was a terrific day for Northern Irish breeders with the top two prices both coming from the province and further five figure bulls from NI herds selling throughout the sale. Selling at 20,000gns was the much-admired Reserve Junior Champion Hiltonstown Matrix from Richard and Rhys Rodgers, Portglenone, County Antrim. September 2021 born, this calf is by the noted sire Saltire Impressive and is out of the Kilbride Farm Warren daughter Hiltonstown India Rose GP 83. Full of style and breeding, Hiltonstown Matrix also had good performance figures, being in the top 5% of the breed for 400 and 600 day growth and having a +7 figure for Maternal (Milk).

Purchasing this bull was Ross King for the family’s noted Wolfstar pedigree herd at Ormiston, East Lothian, who themselves had enjoyed a hugely successful sale when selling four quality bulls to gross over £43,000. Wolfstar run 180 cows, 60 of which make up the pedigree herd, and the 20,000gns price is the highest they have paid for a Simmental bull to date. Commenting, Ross King said: “We’ve been looking for a bull for a wee while and are delighted to get Hiltonstown Matrix. He’s a young bull with plenty of length, tremendous fleshing qualities, and just full of flash and style. His pedigree adds new lines to our herd, he carries very balanced performance figures, and we think he’ll complement our type of cows. It’s a significant price but a bull of this quality is an investment in the future of the herd and to take that next step forward.”

Speaking after the sale Rhys Rodgers said “I am extremely pleased with the sale, with both of my bulls making top prices. The 20,000gns is a record price for the Hiltonstown herd and eclipsing the 17,000gns for Hiltonstown Dominic, who was sold in October 2013. Matrix oozed style from day one and we’ve long thought he had that x-factor, so it’s great to realise such a trade at the sale and for him to go to a top herd. We look to breed red muscular bulls with power and length, and both Matrix and our other bull

Hiltonstown Matrix - 20,000gns

Magnificent we think typify these attributes”.

Over the course of the two days there had been a tangible buzz around the Simmental lines with a tremendous crowd at the pre-sale show and a packed ring come sale time. The sale itself reflected this with a fierce trade from start to finish realising a new record average for this February fixture and a high clearance rate of 88%. Speaking after the sale Iain Kerr the general manager of the British Simmental Cattle Society said: “It’s been a tremendous sale and well done to the breeders for bringing forward a great show of bulls full of choice and quality for commercial producers, and with breeders’ bulls as well. Bulls with length and width, good tops, square over the plates with a depth of muscle down the thigh, and with good locomotion, were readily sought and easily sold.”

“

There’s a bounce in demand for the Simmental breed driven by commercial producers. We were delighted with positive feedback and approval from buyers in the Society’s recent breed survey, and this is also being backed up the strong run of bull and female sales that we’ve seen. The milk and maternal qualities of the breed are well established and add to the Simmentals ability to produce fast growing calves with tremendous weaning weights, and with superior age to slaughter. It’s a low input, high output breed and that efficiency and performance is giving value and profit to producers.”

supplementing pedigree, Islavale Musafa is in the breed top ten percent for growth, milk, and selfreplacing index. Snapping up this bull was Barker and Borlase, Sacombe Hill Farm, Watton at Stone, Hertfordshire, who run the long established Sacombe and Perrywood herds. Commenting after the sale Bridget Borlase said: “We thought that Islavale Mufasa was a very complete and tidy bull, with nice clean lines and great length. He has breeding in his back pedigree that we are keen to introduce and reintroduce into the herd and as both his sire and dam are EX93, which underpins his structural soundness. He will take over as our sole herd sire and will start work in April, running with around 30 females”. The

The sale saw twenty bulls in all sell over the 9,000gns mark and with bulls finding their way to buyers from all four home countries. Orkney has been a strong market for Simmental bulls and featured again with nine heading to the island.

Selling at 16,000gns was the Junior Champion in the shape of Islavale Mufasa from the Stronach family, Berryleys Farm, Grange, Keith. This October 2021 born bull is from a strong breeding line with both parents being classified as EX93. Mufasa is sired by the successful herd sire Corskie Highlander EX 93, who has bred other sons to 18,000gns. Mufasa’s dam is Islavale Amanda 2 EX 93 (EX2), who goes back to the Irish-born Clonagh A Super Star. Performance

Islavale team carried on their prolific sale form with ten bulls on the day averaging an excellent £7,245. The senior section got the sale off to a strong start and featuring within this was the winner of Class Two Backmuir Moonshine from Reece and Andrew Simmers, Keith, Banffshire, who made 15,000gns when selling him to CR Fovargue Bros, Coleorton, Leicestershire. The Fovargues had done their homework pre-sale and followed the bull on the Society’s show coverage before purchasing him over the phone. April 2021 born, Backmuir Moonshine is by the 18,000gns Wolfstar Jackaroo, himself a past Stirling champion, and is out of Starline Orlane 35th, a Skerrington Warlord daughter. Backmuir Moonshine’s Terminal Production Index and Self Replacing Index figures of +102 and +109 respectively place him in the top 10% of the breed. A few lots later the Simmers sold Backmuir Mario, another Wolfstar Jackaroo son, for 8,000gns to GW Woolhouse & Sons, Church Farm, Rotherham.

The Blackford herd of Mr WG MacPherson, Croy, Inverness-shire, had a strong pen of bulls forward and realised a terrific trade with sales at 14,000gns, 12,000gns and 9,000gns. Leading the trade at 14,000gns was the Reserve Supreme Champion, and Senior Champion Blackford Mars. This May 2021 born bull is by the multiple show champion Heathbrow Important (P) EX 93 and is the third calf to be bred out of Blackford Honey EX 91 dam, who herself

Islavale Mufasa - 16,000gns

Backmuir Moonshine - 15,000gns

goes back to the 16,000gns Hockenhull Waterloo. Commenting on his Reserve Supreme Champion, the judge Colin Fordyce said: “This is just another tremendous Simmental bull. He had a really flashy head that caught the eye and was full of style and presence. Square across the plates he was very correct with good legs and locomotion.” Blackford Mars was purchased by WJ and J Green, Garmouth, Moray-Shire, for their noted Corskie pedigree herd.

females will get something different. We have been going down the polled route and with Morikawa’s good homozygous polled mother, and his excellent back pedigree he fitted the bill. He will be with me until the start of the summer and then he will be traveling up to Wadworth to join Tom.” Speaking to Tom Hill after the sale he added: “It was great to go in partnership on this bull with David as Morikawa will come to me in June just when I need him. After initially spotting him in the pen, I was attracted by his figures and conformation. His self-replacing and terminal production index figures place him in the top 10% of the breed which will help me to keep improving my herd of 65 breeding cows, I was looking for a good all round bull that ticked every box. I also liked his back pedigree, his sire in particular, who I bid on when he went through the ring in 2018! We are hoping for around 45 calves or around in his first year so that I have plenty to offer bull buyers at home and in bringing bulls to Stirling.”

AVERAGES:

97 Bulls (+8) £7,260 (+£425)

4 Heifers £3,675

OTHER LEADING PRICES

13,000gns – Lot 6 Corskie Match from WJ & J Green sold to AC Burke

13,000gns – Lot 24 Kilbride Farm Merlin from WH Robson & Sons sold to R McCulloch

12,000gns – Lot 45 Denizes Magic from MA Barlow & Sons sold to RI & GI Davies

12,000gns – Lot 82 Blackford Mosby from Mr WG MacPherson sold to Sam Driver

11,000gns – Lot 36 Wolfstar Mustang from Mr A King sold to T & S Coghill

Also selling for 14,000gns was the winner of class seven and the Reserve Intermediate Champion in the shape of Kilbride Farm Morikawa (P) from the long established and noted Kilbride Farm herd of WH Robson & Sons, Doagh, County Antrim. July 2021 born, this 19-month-old heterozygous polled calf is by the 16,000gns Islavale Harvest. A heifer’s calf he is bred out of Kilbride Farm Eunice 270 J (PP), who goes back to the 15,000 Euro Curaheen Gunshot (P). This bull was jointly purchased by David and Lesley Sapsed, of the noted Heathbrow pedigree Simmental herd, Codicote, Hertfordshire, and along with Tom Hill, of the Scotland Hill pedigree Simmental herd, Wadworth, Doncaster. The Heathbrow herd will be full dispersing at the Society’s October Sale in Stirling this year and speaking of his purchase David Sapsed said it was made with the sale in mind: “We have been very successful with our home bred herd sire Heathbrow Grandslam. The aim is to change the breeding up a bit and with a view to the sale purchasers of our

11,000gns – Lot 41 Wolfstar Moves Like Jagger from Mr A King sold to Garvald Mains Farm

10,000gns – Lot 31 Wolfstar Meatball from Mr A King sold to Philiphaugh Estates

10,000gns – Lot 99 Garmouth Matt from Laura Green sold to A Strachan

9,500gns – Lot 86 Cwarre Mercury from Richard James Cumming sold to CMR Soutar

9,000gns – Lot 49 Wolfstar Mufasa from Mr A King sold to John Lawrie Tillyrie Ltd

9,000gns – Lot 56 Blackford Merlin from Mr WG MacPherson sold to R & E Chapman

9,000gns – Lot 70 Hiltonstown Magnificent from Richard & Rhys Rodgers sold to A Bell & Co

9,000gns – Lot 112 Coltfield Maestro from JC MacIver sold to Mr & Mrs M Ward & Sons

9,000gns – Lot 128 Ranfurly Macgregor M17 from WD & JD Hazelton sold to Craighill Farms

Blackford Mars- 14,000gns

Kilbride Farm Morikawa (P) - 14,000gns

8,500gns – Lot 61 Ballinalare Farm Mack from Mr J & Mr A Wilson sold to MBM Farms Ltd

8,000gns – Lot 20 Backmuir Mario from Reece & Andrew Simmers sold to GW Woolhouse & Sons Ltd

8,000gns – Lot 63 Newbiemains Mayhem from Jim & Patricia Goldie sold to FMJ Forster

8,000gns – Lot 125 Islavale Monarch from Mr WS Stronach sold to JH Logan & Co

7,800gns – Lot 10 Dunmore Mearns from J & E Aitken sold to BCF Lambie Partnership

7,500gns – Lot 7 Auchorachan Malt from D & R Durno & Sons sold to Dalchirla Farms Limited

7,500gns – Lot 9 Caithness Maverick from Jenson Sinclair Gunn sold to Hugh S Reid

7,500gns – Lot 16 Springfield Major from Gavin Brown sold to Parkmount Estate Co

7,500gns – Lot 50 Pistyll Major from GA & HM Francis sold to GT & S Coghill

7,500gns – Lot 127 Islavale Mario from Mr WS Stronach sold to DG & J Walker

7,000gns – Lot 48 Drumsleed Monty from Mr GW Smith sold to WJ Marshall

7,000gns – Lot 62 Finlarg Magnum from Kate & Alan McNee sold to Hamilton Organic Ltd

7,000gns – Lot 80 Corskie Mago from WJ & J Green sold to WSL Muir

7,000gns – Lot 98 Kersknowe Moses from Mr J Jeffrey sold to W & I Gunn

10,000GNS ISLAVALE MARSHALL HEADS UP SIMMENTAL BREED RECORD AVERAGE AT ABERDEEN

by the pre-sale show judge Gordon Mackay, Upper Ardnagrask, Muir of Ord. With good figures for both calving ease and milk, combined with a depth of breeding, Islavale Marshall was purchased by J and M McConnachie, Midtown of Buchromb, Dufftown.

• Auchorachan bull at 9,000gns

• Centre Simmental record average set of £6,638

• 14 out of 15 sell to a 93% clearance rate

• Nine bulls at 6,000gns and more

Thedemand from commercial producers for quality Simmental bulls continued at Aberdeen and Northern Marts Spring Show and Sale at Thainstone Centre, Inverurie on Wednesday 1st March with a new Simmental centre record average set at £6,638 for the 14 bulls sold. Nine Simmental bulls sold at 6,000gns or more with the sale seeing a 93% clearance rate.

Leading the way at Thainstone was the 10,000gns Islavale Marshall from the prolific Stronach family at Berryleys Farm, Grange, Keith, who topped the sale for the second year in a row. This bull is by Corskie Highlander, who has had sons sell up to 18,000gns, and is out of the Ranfurly Confederate C24 11 EX94 daughter Islavale Hanya EX90. Prior to the sale, this April 2021 born bull had been tapped out as the Overall Simmental Supreme Champion

Selling at 9,000gns, and getting the Simmental Sale off to a flying start, was the first bull in the ring in the shape of Auchorachan Lethal Weapon from D & R Durno and Sons, Glenlivet, Ballindalloch. September 2020 born, this calf is by Auchorachan Hercules 16 EX92, the most prolific sire in the Society’s herdbook in 2022, and is out of Auchorachan Gipsy EX92. A bull with width and muscle, and with a +9 figure for Maternal (Milk), Lethal Weapon was bought by J and S Middleton, Cowfords, New Pitsligo.

AVERAGES:

14 Bulls - £6,638 (+£1167)

OTHER LEADING PRICES

Lot 56 – 7,200gns Drumsleed Maverick from GW Smith sold to Stephen Fraser Farms

Lot 43 – 6,800gns Delfur Magnum from Delfur Farms sold to D & J Smith

Lot 61 – 6,800gns Blackford Marquiss from Mr WG MacPherson sold to Firm of Forbes

Lot 45 – 6,500gns Tillyeve Marcus from C & M Bruce sold to IW Hall

Lot 59 – 6,500gns Tillyeve Meldrum from C & M Bruce sold to J Fisher & Sons

Lot 48 – 6,000gns Backmuir Master from Reece & Andrew Simmers sold to JD Penman

Lot 55 – 6,000gns Pitmudie Monarch from J Duff & Son sold to R & N Barclay

Islavale Marshall - 10,000gns

BSCS SALE, SHOW & EVENT DATES FOR 2023

Please see here a list of provisional BSCS sale, show, and general event dates for 2023. As always, these dates are correct at the time of publication but in instances may be subject to change. Where any dates are changed, updates will be notified to members through email, social media, and the Society’s website.