The Simmental cow breed is one of the oldest. It is universal, has both excellent meat and milk characteristics. Simmental bulls gain weight very quickly. Their meat tastes good, so farmers often feed them. Simmental cows produce excellent fat milk, which is great for making cheese. They give birth to strong calves and have a steady lactation. Simmental cows are very hardy and easily adapt to any conditions.
Breed history
Work on Simmental cattle began in the 5th century. The breeders were Celtic farmers, the ancestors of modern Swiss. The name of the animals was given by their homeland - the Simmental Valley. Breeders wanted livestock that could be grazed in highlands and had good milk production. However, it was possible to obtain higher yields from cows only in the 19th century.
Until that moment, the Simmental cattle breed was distinguished by a strong physique, but mediocre milk productivity. Cows were in excellent health, so many peoples sought to pour blood on their local burenki. For example, simmentals were used to create breeds: Bulgarian red, flexi, Montbeliard, Hungarian motley, etc.
In the 19th century, serious work was carried out on livestock in order to obtain higher milk yield. And the breeders have finally achieved success. In the mid-19th century, Simmental cattle was brought to Russia. Here, work was also done to improve the quality of the breed. She was acclimatized to many republics of the Soviet Union. Even the photo of the Simmental breed of those times has been preserved. Currently, these cows are very popular in Russia. Simmental is bred in other countries: Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan.
Description
The Simmental cattle breed is characterized by a strong skeleton and proportionality of physique. Animals have well-developed muscle tissue, thick skin, strong skin.
Description of the breed Simmental:
- Calves at birth have an average weight of 34 to 42 kg, their mothers 550 to 590 kg, their fathers 850 to 1100 kg.
- The height at the withers of bulls is 138-145 cm, for cows - from 133 cm.
- Animals are mostly red with white color.
Simmental cattle are unpretentious, have excellent adaptive qualities. This breed was distributed in most regions of Russia. Simmental Burenki will feel great both in the cold Urals and in the hot south. These cows most often hide from the feathery times, the number of successful inseminations keeps around 93%. Also, in 5% of cases, pregnancy in cows is prolific. Calving is most often easy, especially if the bull's seed was picked up by an experienced livestock specialist.
Growing Features
The Simmental breed is very hardy and perfectly adapts to any conditions. Thanks to these qualities, calves are born healthy and strong. The milk of Simmental cows is very nutritious, which contributes to the good development of young animals.
Calves of this breed are raised both on suction and separately from mother. If the farmer decided not to separate the baby from the cow, then after childbirth they are left together. The calf can be on the choke for up to 9-10 months. If the baby is planned to be drunk manually, then after birth he is placed in a separate house.
Farmers usually try to teach little girls to grain early, as it is very important to effectively develop a scar. This will allow the cow to give more milk in the future. Gobies with grain are most often introduced a little later. They generally can be very long on suction and practically not interested in concentrated feed.
Simmental meat
This breed in animal husbandry is considered universal. Simmental cattle are able to please the owner with good milk productivity and excellent meat gain. But each individual has a more pronounced tendency to one of the directions. For example, there are cows that produce very little milk, but large and hardy calves are born from them. Then we can say that it is this animal that is best kept for meat purposes.
Simmental calves usually give good weight gain. Large and strong bulls subsequently grow out of them. The weight of many record holders in the Simmental breed is more than a ton. In order to get such large bulls, they need to be well fed. Typically, animals are offered haylage, silage, concentrates, grain. They should always receive a balanced diet. If a Simmental bull is fed low-calorie food, then its weight gain will be small.
Simmental milk
This breed of cows is unique in its versatility. Simmental calves can be raised not only for meat, these cows, with proper care, can show high milk productivity. It’s very convenient that the cows adapt perfectly to any climate. Many breeds dispense milk in the heat, while simmental keep milk yield. They are less sensitive to certain diseases than other animals.
Simmental cows have high fat milk, a lot of cottage cheese, cheese, butter is obtained from it. They make amazing sour cream out of it. Farmers who keep such cows at home say that more than 1 liter of cream is often defended in the bank. But the more productive the Simmental cow, the more it eats. On one hay and water, good yields from this burenka cannot be obtained.
To increase milk productivity in the diet of Simmental cows include meal, meal, barley. If the owner can not independently draw up a nutrition plan for his cows, he can buy ready-made feed. Simmental women who show high productivity, premixes are necessarily included in the diet.
Productivity
It is difficult to call the Simmental breed precocious, usually their first calving occurs in 2.5-3 years. Average milk yield from 3000 to 5500 liters of milk per lactation. Outstanding cows are more productive. There have been cases when Simmental cows fed up to 12,000 liters of milk per lactation. Of course, such productive cows are rare and require special care. The milk of these cows is balanced for protein, so it is so tasty. Fat content usually ranges from 3.8% to 4.5% in different animals.
In a private economy, Simmental cows for the first lactation produce 15-17 liters of milk at the peak. After the second calving, cows increase their milk yield and show productivity of over 20 liters per day. But we are only talking about Simmental cows, which have a milk orientation. If the cow has a pronounced meaty body type, then, most likely, even with good feeding, the owner will receive from it a maximum of 10 liters of milk per day.
Breed advantages
The advantage of simmental is their natural endurance. They are less susceptible to disease than most breeds. This cattle perfectly adapts to any living conditions. Simmental bull-calves with proper feeding will always please the farmer with high gains. Cows show good milk production and stable lactation.
Simmental cattle are affectionate and obedient. Animals are patient, calm and peaceful. They can be grazed in a herd on a free range, but they will also feel comfortable in a farm. Strong immunity allows the use of cows for a long time. It is not uncommon that Simmental cows survived to 15-17 lactation at home.
In this breed, several calves are often born at once. This quality allows the owner to get a good financial profit. Simmental calves will not stay with the owner, most likely they will be bought soon after the announcement. The population likes strong and large young growth. Also, calves can be independently grown for meat and profit after slaughter.
Cons of the breed
As with any productive animals, simmental food should have only high-quality feed. Only a balanced diet will help them maintain high productivity. If the farmer cannot provide this and feeds the Simmental cattle with hay and water, then he will not see milk or meat from these cows. Animals will show good milk yields and gains only if the diet covers all needs.
Simmental cows sometimes have physical disabilities, such as weak legs. If this is not a problem for a light village cow, then for animals that weigh about a ton is a sentence. Also, this breed has a sagging back, which negatively affects the work of internal organs. Cows have a vicious form of the udder, underdevelopment of the lobe, growth of hair on the mammary gland.
Owner reviews
Farmers fell in love with Simmental cattle for their flexible disposition; many liked quiet and affectionate cows. Burenki of this breed are extremely smart, they easily remember the milking sequence or the time when the hostess gives them grain. Simmental cows are confident, but not pugnacious. They will not be offended by the herd, but after establishing the hierarchy, empty skirmishes will not cause problems for the shepherd.
The diet of Simmental cows must be balanced in fats, proteins and carbohydrates. They have a good appetite, eat a lot and enjoy it. But all the money that the owner spent on feed, they will return good milk productivity and excellent gains.