Buyer question
Are Simmental cattle good for beginners?
It can be: our Animal Library rates the Simmental cattle 3 out of 5 for beginners (fine with good feed).
Source: the Simmental cattle page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Simmental cattle in the Animal Library
The detail
Simmental come from the Swiss Alps as a dual-purpose milk and beef breed. In the US they are a growthy, maternal beef cow with plenty of milk, often crossed with Angus to make SimAngus.
- Temperament
- Generally docile
- Best fit
- Crossbreeding, maternal herds
- Docility
- 4 out of 5 (Docility EPD tracked)
- Upkeep
- 3 out of 5 (Heavy milker, eats more)
- Hardiness
- 3 out of 5 (Needs good forage)
What to weigh
Heavy milk production needs feed to back it up, or cows lose condition. Frame size varies widely between old and modern lines.