Innovative Event Is A Learning Opportunity For Breeders

Access to the latest information and the opportunuity to compare with peers are both crucial for the cattle breeder. This is what the Simmentaler/Simbra Hoogland Study Group aims to achieve for its members with its annual Young Bull Day. Organiser Rick Dell spoke to Annelie Coleman.

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The Simmentaler/ Simbra Hoogland Study Group’s Young Bull Day was held on the farm Ashtonvale near Bethlehem this year, and a total of 67 Simbras and 42 Simmentalers took part.

One Simbra breeder, Hendrik Grobbelaar, travelled from Tosca in North West, more than 600km away, to attend the event.

According to organiser Rick Dell, the bulls were between one and two years old and competed in four classes divided into the quarters of the year.

The Young Bull Day creates an opportunity for breeders to show animals without the high costs associated with conventional showing, he says. “We provided for both halter-tame animals and animals from the veld in a ring similar to an auction ring.”

The bulls were evaluated by three of South Africa’s most experienced interbreed cattle judges: Fred Dell, Martin Seyfferdt and Marius Barkhuizen. Between them, they have more than 70 years’ experience as adjudicators.

STRUCTURAL CORRECTNESS

According to Seyfferdt, the animals were assessed on structural correctness. A top bull, he stresses, needs to be strong and masculine, with good length and depth. Strong hindquarters and a well-balanced back and loins are also essential.

As some of the bulls were brought to the show directly from the veld, the judges did not take physical condition into account. Judging of young bulls does not differ much from that of older bulls, although bulls can change between the age of, say, 15 months and two-and-a-half years. Pigmentation, testes and mouths, however, remain the same.

“We were, by and large, impressed with the quality of bulls presented at the Young Bull Day. However, we did pick up a few problems pertaining to masculinity and hocks here and there,” says Seyfferdt.