RED DEER – A cavalcade of Simmental sales based on the Fleckvieh influence drew big crowds and healthy prices to a recent sale.
Only fullblood Simmentals with a minimum of five generations of German or Austrian Fleckvieh in their pedigrees are considered full Fleckvieh. These days animals imported through South Africa are especially valued among breeders because they offer additional outcross opportunities.
The Fleck Select sale held Dec. 5 in Red Deer drew one of the largest crowds for any purebred cattle sale this fall. In total, 56 live lots grossed $213,550 to average $3,813. Eight embryo and semen lots sold for $12,350 to average $1,544.
Read Also
Growth plates are instrumental in shaping a horse’s life
Young horse training plans and workloads must match their skeletal development. Failing to plan around growth plates can create lifelong physical problems.
The high seller of the sale was $25,000 for an open heifer consigned by Bar 5 Simmentals of Markdale, Ont. It sold to Phillips Farms of Adarsville, Georgia.
Second highest seller was another Bar 5 heifer born last August, which sold for $20,750 to Indian Creek Cattle Co. of Huntsville, Alabama. The Bar 5 outfit consigned nine animals to the sale and posted an average of $11,875 on its offerings based on animals tracing back to South African-imported semen and embryos.
The high selling bull was a polled, January calf that went for $19,750 to Gist Simmentals of Westerose, Alta.
The calf came from Dominion Cattle Co. owned by Dayton and Carol Funk of Richard, Sask.
“This calf was our showpiece animal from our breeding program,” said Dayton. They retained half the semen rights on the bull, which has been genetically tested for the tenderness gene.
The Funks have been raising polled Fleckvieh-influenced Simmentals for about 15 years, importing semen and embryos from Germany after they had travelled to Europe to view cattle.
The German government retains a polled Fleckvieh herd and releases cattle genetics through a state owned artificial insemination stud. The Funks acquired semen through the stud in 1996 to infuse German genetics into their Swiss-based bloodlines.
The polled factor is relatively rare in Fleckvieh cattle and many buyers are seeking that quality, said Dayton.
They also like the cattle because they adapt well to Canadian conditions.
“They are more adaptable. This calf has the genetics to adapt to any conditions,” said Carol after the sale.
They raise about 100 commercial and 80 purebred cows, preferring the red and whites over the newer black or solid red models found in the Simmental circles.
“We’re traditional Simmental breeders and probably always will be,” said Dayton. He and his wife do considerable genetic and market research to constantly upgrade their cattle for consistent production.
“We breed for the customers and seek feedback on what works for them,” he said.
They bought a large share of the embryos offered for sale because they rely heavily on embryo transfer work to constantly introduce genetic improvements.
Before consigning to the sale, they pondered whether to join because of the trade embargo on live Canadian cattle due to a single case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
Sale manager Jay Good of Transcon Livestock reminded them that commercial producers watch the purebred sector for leadership in terms of quality offered and prices paid. Joining the sale with their best animals would send a positive message.
The second sale, Fleckvieh Fest on Dec. 6, saw 49 head go through the ring for a total of $145,950 to average $2,979. Four embryo and semen lots sold for a total $9,990 to average $2,493.
The high seller was a bred female from Salmon Arm Fleckvieh of Salmon Arm, B.C. It sold to Dollar’s Diamond D of Russellville, Arkansas.
The final sale was held in Calgary on Dec. 8 with 47 lots earning a total of $133,200 to average $2,834. The high seller was a 2003 bull from Sunset Simmentals of Edgerton, Alta., going to Virginia Ranch at Cremona, Alta.
The top female was a bred female from Virginia ranch and sold on order to Jeff Sorenson of Garretson, South Dakota for $6,200.
