1:05: Why Simmental?

(From Chp. 1 ~ 1966, titled "Foundation Work," in a book begun several years ago by SMSmith to document the early history of SBL and Simmental in North America.)

From Travers' research, the Simmental seemed to have every quality he desired to find. Not only were they a dual purpose animal with excellent milk production and beef quality, but they had a reputation for being docile, having been bred in times past for draft as well as the milk and meat. They had excellent muscling and conformation, and were efficient foragers having developed a hardiness in their native mountain terrain. Their calving weights were reasonable, too, despite the animal's enormous size. In addition, they had reputation for early maturation, high daily gain ratios, longevity, and high fertility. At times, Simmental seemed almost to good to be true.

Travers' first intent was to crossbreed the Simmental with his Herefords. He was used to the solid coloring of Herefords and expected that trait would hold. The white-face of the Simmental was also a pleasing feature to him along with their imposing, fine stature. He anticipated that crossbreeding could produce a cow with milk supply and butterfat content sufficient to dramatically increase the weaning and finishing weight of calves. Genetic-based gainability of calves would also improve.

In short, Travers became converted. What more could one ask than:

▪ Fertility—Calf every year
▪ Hardiness—Long life
▪ Growthiness—Size for age
▪ Temperament—Quiet and gentle
▪ High milking ability—average butterfat over 4%
▪ Excellent meat carrying conformation¹

This author remembers hearing Travers suggest during a speech in Great Falls, Montana about 1970 (and not entirely in jest) that the Simmental breed might be descended from Biblical Jacob's "speckled and spotted" superior cattle mentioned in Old Testament Genesis, chapter 30.
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1. These traits would be detailed in a Canadian Simmental Association leaflet about 1969.