Simmental Cattle
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The Simmental or Simmenthal breed originated in western Switzerland. Simmentals are one of the oldest and most widely distributed breeds of cattle in the world today. They were known to man as Simmentals as early as the Middle Ages and as “large spotted cattle of red, yellow, and white". (5)
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[edit] History
In the 1990's,The American Simmentals fur hide was yellow, red, and white.(2) Today they are dominantly homozygous black. One reason for this change is because commercial breeders will get more profit for their livestock if they are black verse the original shades Simmental cattle came in because they are more show presentable. This makes Simmentals more show presentable because it gives the cattle a more uniform look. Another reason is because of the increasing influence of show animals. The original yellow, red, and white color has now changed to black or black baldie fur hides. Black baldie is what a breeder would call cattle with all black bodies besides their head, which has white fur. The reason for this change is to enhance the appearance of the animals and make them more competitive in the show ring.
[edit] Breed Characteristics
The Simmental breed is one of the more docile and easy breeds to manage and is most commonly known for their extreme muscle pattern and leanness. Original Simmental cattle were large in their frame size and shallower in their rib design, but today’s breed characteristics tend to be more moderate in their size and have more internal capacity. Simmental bulls on average range from 2000- 2900 pounds at mature weight, while the females can range from 1200-1700 pounds.(1) Typically the females have a productive reproductive lifetime of ten to twelve years and are known for their exceptional milk production, while having a calf at side. Simmental females tend to have the highest daily milk yields and highest calving ease scores, but they also have the heaviest fall weighted calves along with the lowest pregnancy rates.(3)
[edit] Uses
Advertisers commonly promote selling Angus beef to their customers through their markets. What most consumers do not know is that Simmental genetics are included of those certified Angus beef. Advertisers have recently been advertising that only Angus beef is used in hamburgers and steaks, but the advertisers also use Simmental meat to make their hamburgers and steaks. Laura’s Lean Beef harvests cattle that have primarily Simmental genetics because of their leanness as well as tenderness and flavor. Simmental beef is sold in businesses everywhere including restaurants that are commonly known to the public. Not only are Simmental chosen for their exceptional leanness, they are also commonly bought and sold because of their ability to adapt to a variety of climates.(5) Many breeders and commercial cattlemen desire Simmental genetics within their herd because of their easy fleshing ability,or low management and they have a natural pesticide control. Having more skin and not as much hair gives Simmental Cattle natural pesticide control, therefore insects will not bother the cattle as much as other breeds with longer hair. Because, of their calm docile nature Simmental Cattle can be worked with without stress, which makes them a desirable breed. They are also one of the few breeds that can be found in almost any state in the United States.
[edit] Genetic Defects
[edit] Tibial Hemimelia
- The cattle industry,including Simmental Cattle, has recently suffered severe effects from show ring competition. Genetic defects have swept cattle breeders by surprise. One of the mostly common and well known genetic defects to Simmental Cattle is Tibial Hemimelia.(3)
- Tibial Hemimelia, also known as TH, is caused from two different genes that are abnormal. TH is a disorder of multiple congenital defects seen in calves. Tibial refers to the absence of the tibial bone which is between the hock and the stifle, and the Hemimelia refers to the absence part or all of a limb. Although the name only encompasses the word tibial it affects more than just the tibial bone. It also tends to show defects where the abdomen is protruding in the form of a hernia, tissue is coming out of the skull, and exceptionally long shaggy hair. Calves with TH can be born dead or born with defects that make them unsuited to live. Many cattle are born that are carriers of the TH gene yet show no sign of having the fatal condition. The condition is only visible to humans if both of the calf’s parents are carriers for the gene.
- Tibial Hemimelia was first found in Galloway cattle in the 1960s and most currently swept the industry in 2000 with the Shorthorn breed. Research done by Dr. Jon Beever has shown that TH is inherited as a recessive gene.(5) Since Shorthorn cattle are commonly crossed with other breeds of cattle for more exceptional offspring, TH has spread to other breeds bloodlines. The American Simmental Association, also known as ASA, is taking extensive measures to ensure the security of its breeders. The ASA is requiring that any and all percentage Simmental cattle have Tibial Hemimelia testing done before they can be registered and accepted by the association. If an animal is found to be a carrier for TH they can still be registered, but none of their offspring can be registered with the association prior to the genetic abnormality testing. If a percentage and or hybrid animal is found to be free of that specific genetic abnormality, then breeders are allowed to register their offspring without testing them.(4)
[edit] Pulmonary Hypoplasia with Anasarca
- A more current defect that is affecting the cattle industry more harshly is one known as Pulmonary Hypoplasia with Anasarca also known as PHA. The staff at Agrigenomics recently found the DNA genetic marker for PHA. There is currently not a commercial test available for PHA, so the Simmental Association is not requiring that test before registration. Pulmonary Hypoplasia with Anasarca is a disease that causes the calf to have small deformed lungs and an excess of body fluid throughout. Very rarely are the calves born alive because of the defected lungs and the dystocia that occurs. Even though some calves can be removed by cesarean section most of the cows do not make it through the delivery of a PHA positive calf. TH is more prominent in Simmental cattle than PHA, but both are affecting the Simmental and commercial industry.
[edit] External links
- Simmental New Zealand - Official website of the New Zealand Simmental Cattle Breeders Association
- Simmental Breed Information - Cattle.com
- A History of the Simmental Breed - Oklahoma State
- American Simmental Association - Official website of the American Simmental Association
- Canadian Simmental Association - Official website of the Canadian Simmental Association
Simmental: An Annotated Bibliography
(1)Breeds of Livestock-Simmental Cattle. 12 June, 2003. Breeds of Livestock, OSU. 2, February, 2007. <http://ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/simmental>. This website focuses on the history of the Simmental breed. This site gave useful information, and helped me establish where the breed came from and much more about the background of the Simmental breed. Not only does the website give insight as to where the breed was established, it also tells the reader valuable information, such as the growth of the Simmental industry and where the Simmental name originated and got its name from. This source came from a college website, Okalahoma State University. This University gives credible information about breeds of livestock including the Simmental breed because Okalahoma State University is an Agricultural school. This school has done much research about the Simmental breed, which makes the information that they put on their website very accurate. Another reason this website is credible is because their source was from the official Simmental Association, American Simmental Association.
(2)“Cattle”. The Encyclopedia Britannica. Chicago, 15th Ed. 1992.
The Britannica Encyclopedia is an excellent source which tells about all breeds of cattle. This article lists the names of every kind of breed of cattle with a little blog about each one. This list is very helpful in comparing the Simmental cattle breed to other breeds of cattle. This article in the Britannica Encyclopedia also explain what the average weight for a Simmental bull and cow should weigh at a certain age in their life. This is an important piece of information because the weight of each breed differs from one calf to the next. The encyclopedia gives only facts, with no type of opinion on any of the matters that it proposes. This is very helpful when you are adding an article on Wikipedia because you do not want to have a biased opinion. Having a biased opinion could lead your reader to believe one topic is better than the other, and when you are giving information this is not the point that you want to make to your reader.
(3)Dr. Harmon, Robert. Cattle Genetics. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2002.
Cattle Genetics helped understand the make up of cattle, this book was also very helpful in helping me understand what the diseases Tibial Hemimelia and Pulmonary Hypoplasia with Anasarca are and can do to the Simmental cattle breed. It helped me to understand that Simmental cattle breeders need to have a decent understanding of what the breed is, so they can keep their herd clear of theses serious diseases. This source was an outstanding source in helping me to do this project. I think that it is very credible and reliable source because it was written by Dr. Robert Harmon, whom has a degree in Animal Science. He knows what he very much about the Simmental cattle breed and is able to give correct information on these diseases. This book was a great addition to my sources and was very pliable throughout my whole project. Without this book as a source I may have never understood the extremes and threats these diseases have to this breed.
(4)Dr. Kaiser, Lana. It’s All in the Gene’s. March-April 2006. Cowboy Genetics. 4,February 2007. <http://www.showsteers.com/news/In%20The%20Genes.htm> This source may very well be one of the most important sources I have used. It gave me very much information and insight as to what Tibial Hemimelia and Pulmonary Hypoplasia with Anasarca is. In summary this source tells us what our genes do. While describing the phenotypes and genotypes, Dr. Lana Kaiser also tells us what each of these diseases do and what threats they have to the Simmental cattle breed. Because these diseases are becoming very prominent in cattle today breeders need to be very aware of what kind of diseases are out there. This source had helped me to understand and realize what kind of diseases there are for Simmental cattle and what to be aware of. With using this source I think it will also help readers to understand, be aware, and realize what type of steps breeders have to take to be sure their cattle steer clear of having these diseases.
(5)Simmental Cattle. 1998-2007. Cattle Today. 3 February 2007. http://cattle-today.com/Simmental.htm
Much like the breeds of livestock website this site gave excellent, solid information about the history, management, fur hide color, weight, and lifespan of Simmental cattle. It was very useful in determining how the Simmental breed is managed and what it is used for, along with what color the fur hide used to be, as to what it is today. The site said that weights can vary as to the age, size and birth mother of the calf. It was very easy to use information from this source because it was unbiased, this was very important to me because I was not trying to take sides with the Simmental breed over another breed. With this website getting its information from the American Simmental Association, I feel that it is also very credible. The American Simmental Association is one of the prime ways and sources to learn about the Simmental cattle breed.
