Simmental Herd Management Tips

Simmental cattle are known for growth and milk, and they show up in many crossbreeding programs. Those same strengths need feed and planning behind them.

Key points

Simmental genetics bring growth and milk, which need feed to support them.
Check condition scores at calving and breeding.
Use calving ease sires on heifers and growth sires on mature cows.
Use EPDs inside the breed and set target ranges.
Keep crossbreeding records and work with your vet on herd health.

Know what the breed brings

Simmental cattle are widely used for growth and for the maternal contribution of their daughters. The American Simmental Association keeps performance records and EPDs for registered cattle, and many commercial herds use Simmental genetics in crossbred cows or as sires.

Individual herds vary, so look at the actual cattle and their records rather than assuming the breed name tells the whole story.

A bull from a herd with moderate cows will often suit commercial use better than one from a herd selected for extremes. Be careful that you compare the breed to real herds near you, because performance varies with feed and climate.

Balance milk and growth with your feed

Higher milk and growth can lift weaning weights, but they raise the cow's feed needs. If forage is limited, the cows may fall behind in body condition and rebreed late. The gain at weaning is then lost in the next calf crop.

Check body condition on the 1-to-9 scale at calving and before breeding. If cows are slipping, look at feed, stocking rate and the sires you are using before blaming the cows.

A scale at weaning gives you the numbers to compare. If calves from one sire are heavier but his daughters wean lighter calves later, that is worth knowing.

Match milk level to your forage
Watch condition at calving and breeding
Review stocking rate and supplemental feed with a nutritionist
Cull cows that repeatedly fail to rebreed

Calving management

Choose sires with solid calving ease numbers for heifers, and keep growth-heavy sires for mature cows. Watch heifers closely, have working facilities ready and know when to call your veterinarian.

Record each calving, including any assistance and the calf's vigor. These records help you decide which sires and cows to keep.

Colostrum matters for every calf. Ask your vet how to be sure calves nurse early, and what to do if one does not.

Use EPDs inside the breed

Simmental EPDs are comparable within the breed. Set target ranges for calving ease, growth, milk and carcass traits that fit your system, then choose bulls inside those ranges.

Avoid buying the top bull for one trait. A bull strong in growth may be weaker in the traits that keep a cow in the herd.

Ask the association how genomic testing is used in its evaluation, and which young bulls have been tested.

Crossbreeding with Simmental

Many ranchers use Simmental sires over other breeds, or Simmental-based females in a rotation. Write the plan down and mark females by breed makeup so you know which sire each cow should meet next.

Ask your extension specialist how breed combinations perform in your climate. Heat, cold and forage quality all change the answer.

Health and handling

Work with your vet on a herd health plan for your region, including vaccination timing and parasite control. Any treatment must follow the label or the veterinarian's directions, including meat withdrawal times. Keep records.

Handle cattle calmly in a sound working facility. Larger, heavier cattle can injure people and equipment, so follow manufacturer and extension safety guidance for chutes and gates.

Keep a log of treatments and vaccinations by animal, and review it with your vet once a year. Over time that record shows you which parts of your program are working.

Common mistakes and what to ask

Pushing growth and milk beyond what the pasture can carry, using high-growth sires on heifers and skipping fertility exams are the usual problems. Another is losing track of breed makeup in a crossbred herd.

Ask your extension office about cow size and milk targets for your region, ask your vet for breeding soundness exams and ask the seller for performance records.

Also ask how many daughters of a bull the seller has kept. A producer who keeps daughters from a sire is usually confident in what they do.

Can my feed support this level of milk?
Is the calving ease suited to my heifers?
Do I track breed makeup of every female?
Has the bull passed a breeding soundness exam?

When to get help: Ask your veterinarian for a herd health plan and breeding soundness exams. Your extension beef specialist can help you set cow size and milk targets that fit your forage.

Sources and further reading

Organization homepages are linked so you can search them for current guidance on this topic.

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