Comparison with Other Breeds 20 20 a Estimates for Hereford, Angus and Red Angus were adjusted to the level of heterosis expected in 3-way F1 crosses (estimates of 23.9 lb was added for 400-d weight, and 15.0 lb was added for 550-d weight) to provide for unbiased comparisons to 3-way F1 crosses by Continental sire breeds. b Frame scores were calculated from height using the equation recommended in Guidelines for Uniform Beef Improvement, Beef Improvement Federation (BIF, 1996). c Actual age at puberty (ranging from 84 to 100%) and adjusted age at puberty, adjusted to remove bias due to differences in percentage expressing first oestrus when observation of oestrus was discontinued in early May by adding i(s) where i is the expected negative deviation from the true mean in standard deviation (s) units. These preliminary results suggest that the Limousin breed in the USA has made significant progress in fertility traits while losing very little, if anything, in carcase yield and dressing percentage over the last 30 years. From Germplasm Evaluation Program Progress Report No. 21 on under Online Information.

Comparison of Limousin with British, Continental and Tropical breeds in Australia. Presented at the International Limousin Conference September 2000 Background and Industry Context This project is part of an overall Co-operative Research Centre breeding strategy to identify, by progeny test, the sires, breeds and crosses of Australian beef cattle best suited to the meat quality specifications of our domestic and export markets. The experiment used nine sire breeds (Brahman, Santa Gertrudis, Charbray, Belmont Red, Charolais, Limousin, Hereford, Angus and Shorthorn) mated to Brahman cows. Belmont Red is a composite breed derived from Africander, Shorthorn and Hereford. The offspring from each sire were allocated to finishing on pasture in northern Australia or to feedlots in northern and southern Australia. They were fed to three market end points; Domestic (180 - 260 kg. carcase wt.) Korean Export (220 -280 kg. carcase wt.) and Japanese Export (280 - 400 kg. carcase wt.). Twelve sires per breed were used with a target of 15 progeny per sire.

The CRC experiment was designed to achieve these targets over three years of mating. Approximately half the sires were replaced each year to provide links between years and increase calves per sire from some sires. Cattle targeted for the domestic market were fed for 70 days on a commercial feedlot ration. For the Korean Market they were fed for 100 days and for the Japanese market they were fed for 150 days. The trial includes a comparison of Limousin X Brahman with pure Brahman and also a comparison of Limousin X Brahman with Charolais X Brahman. Results The breeds were compared for a wide range of traits including weights, carcase traits and meat quality traits. Table 1 shows the effect of sire breed on birthweight, weaning weight and yearling weight. The Charolais sired calves were heavier at all weights than the other breeds. Limousin X Brahman were 25 kg heavier at yearling age than Brahmans. Table 1. 168 Table 3 shows the effects of sire breed on measures of meat quality in steers.

Limousin X Brahman cattle had the lowest levels of intra muscular fat percentage (IMF%), were intermediate for cooking loss (%) and ultimate pH. They were low for peak force and instron compression which both indicate greater tenderness. Limousin X Brahman were slightly better than Charolais X Brahman for all objective meat quality measurements except IMF%. They were significantly better than purebred Brahmans for all objective meat quality measurements except IMF%. Table 3. Effect of sire breed on intramuscular fat percentage (IMF%), cooking loss, ultimate pH, peak force and instron compression in steer progeny. Sire breed 1.73 Eating Quality To test the objective measurements of eating quality a striplion sample from each animal was tested by untrained consumer panels. Breed effects on the eating quality (MQ4) scores are shown in figure 1. The MQ4 score was made up of tenderness x 0.4 + flavour x 0.2 + juiciness x 0.1 + over all acceptance x 0.3. Angus X Brahman carcases were assessed to have the highest eating quality.

Limousin X Brahman had similar eating quality to all other breeds except Brahman which had substantially lower eating quality. It is clear from these results that marbling has little impact on objective measures of tenderness or eating quality as assessed by Australian consumers. The eating quality of Brahman cattle is substantially improved by crossing with Limousin. These results were extracted from "Producing and Processing Quality Beef from Australian Cattle Herds" 2000 edited by P Dundon, B Sundstrom and R Gaden. The complete paper is available from Alex McDonald, PO Box 262, Armidale NSW 2350, email limo@northnet.com.au . Effects of Diet, Breed and Slaughter Endpoint on Growth Performance, Carcase Composition and Beef Quality Traits in Limousin and Charolais Steers Authors I.B. Mandell, E.A. Gullett , J.W. Wilton, O.B. Allen and V.R. Osborne Source Can. J. Anim. Sci.

(1997) 77:23-32 Abstract: Ninety-six Charolais and Limousin steers were used to evaluate 75% grain (whole barley or corn) diets and two slaughter endpoints (7 mm backfat or 568 kg liveweight) in an experiment designed to constrain carcass weights to under approximately 341 kg yet produce optimal beef quality. Each breed was represented by eight progeny from each of six sires. The trial was terminated after 281 d feeding regardless of individual steers attaining designated slaughter endpoints. Limited availability of dietary energy in whole-barley diets resulted in decreased (P<0.01) average daily gain and increased (P<0.01) dry matter intake, feed/gain and days on feed for barley- vs. corn-fed cattle. Charolais outgained (P<0.05) Limousin but dry matter intake was similar.on a g BW0.75 basis. Feeding to 568 kg liveweight was associated with high (P<0.

10) ADG and decreased (P<0.05) feed/gain compared with feeding to 7 mm. Corn feeding increased (P<0.001) carcass weights, fat deposition and longissimus muscle area. Lean deposition was greater (P<0.01) in Limousin than Charolais. Taste panel assessment of tenderness, flavour and juiciness in longissimus muscle was generally not affected (P>0.10) by diet, breed or slaughter endpoint. Twelve primal ribs from each of Agriculture Canada's marbling classifications (A, AA, AAA) were purchased and processed identically to ribs from the test cattle. Shear and tenderness scores were similar (P>0.10) across test cattle and purchased ribs, despite intramuscular fat contents of 20.2, 27.1, 3 5.6 and 49.7 g kg- 1, respectively, for test cattle and trace, slight and small marbled ribs. Slight and small marbled ribs did have higher (P<0.05) taste panel scores for initial juiciness and flavour than ribs from the test cattle.

While 26% of carcasses from test cattle graded Canada B I due to either inadequate finish or marbling, similar tenderness and shear scores were probably due to age of test cattle at slaughter which averaged 481+45 d plus the fact that all roasts were aged 7 d prior to freezing. Comparison of Feed intake and milk yield of Limousin, Simmental and Hereford cows in Denmark Presented at the International Limousin Conference, France, September 2000 by Anton Birk Jensen, Secretary of the Danish Limousin Association In Denmark, suckler cows used to be fed according to the standards laid down for dairy cows. Based on information retrievals in the 1990s the energy standards for suckler cows were adjusted and the feed intake capacity of suckler cows was laid down. These standards applying to both suckler cows and young animals stipulate the same needs and intake capacities irrespective of beef breed even though the breeds probably differ. It was also important to study how the different types and breeds of suckler cows manage under different environmental conditions, e.g. feed level which may be due to varying amounts of grass.

To study how the production results of different breeds depend on feed quality, an experiment was conducted, involving Herefords, Simmentals and Limousins. For this experiment a number of heifer calves were purchased at the age of 6 months, evenly distributed on Limousins, Herefords and Simmentals. These three breeds each represent a beef cattle type and it is assumed that results, applying to e.g. Herefords, also apply to other British breeds. Broadly, the three breeds represent the following traits: hardiness, mothering instincts and production results. During the experiment the animals were fed two types of feed - one type contained much straw, i.e. a low-energy diet and the other type contained less straw and included rapeseed cake, i.e. a high-energy diet. All animals were fed ad lib. During the drying period all animals were fed the same type of feed. To simulate a grazing situation the calves were fed the same types of feed as their mothers but from a separate feeder in order that the feed intake of each individual animal in the experiment could be measured. Each cow and calf were housed in the same box with partly deep litter.

The calf was weaned at the age of 6 months and then left the experiment. During the suckling period the cow's milk production was measured once a month by means of machine milking. Both cow and calf were weighed every month. The experiment showed that all cows irrespective of breed ate more of the high-energy diet than of the low-energy diet - measured in both Scandinavian feed units (SFU) and kg feed. This had the effect that the cows on the high-energy diet grew heavier during the experiment whereas the weights of the cows on the low-energy diet remained unchanged even if they were first calvers and should have been putting on weight. The measurements of degree of fatness (determination of body condition) showed that the cows on the high-energy diet had an almost unchanged degree of fatness during the whole experiment whereas the cows on the low-energy diet got thinner. These results are also shown in the table. There was generally no difference in the weights of the individual breeds, except that Herefords grew somewhat heavier in the second lactation compared to the two other breeds. Breed 579 The milk yield of the cows varied a lot from one breed to another, see figure 1.

Fed the high-energy diet, the Simmental cows not surprisingly produced the highest milk yield whereas Herefords and Limousins did not differ much. The yields of the three breeds were almost identical when the cows were fed the low-energy diet. For the Limousin cows the difference between high- and low-energy diets was not significant. This means that Simmental cows produce large amounts of milk if they get ample amounts of good quality feed whereas Limousin cows do not produce more milk even if they get better feed. On the other hand, Limousin milk is more concentrated than both Hereford and Simmental milk, no matter whether they are fed high-energy or low-energy rations. The intake of the calves differed as well, depending on whether they were fed high- or low-energy diets, see figure 2. Both Simmental and Hereford calves ate much more of the high-energy diet than of the low-energy diet whereas the difference was smaller for Limousins. All the calves irrespective of breed ate very little of the low-energy diet which is probably due to the fact that the feed was very rough so the calves could not digest it. The growth rates of the calves differed both as regards breed and type of feed, see figure 3.

Due to the high milk yields of the Simmental cows and their calves' relatively large feed intake the Simmental calves also had high growth rates relative to both Herefords and Limousins. There was no difference between the performance of the Limousins on high-energy and low-energy diets because the cows yielded largely the same amount of milk irrespective of feed type. Based on this experiment it can be concluded that Simmental cows pay for good-quality feed by ample amounts of milk and thus calves with high growth rates. On the other hand, it does not pay to give Limousin cows high-quality feed if looking exclusively at milk yield because this is nearly constant, irrespective of feed type. It is to be expected, however, that the growth rates of Limousin calves will improve considerably if they are fed an high-energy calf mix. Hereford comes in between the two other breeds as regards both milk yield and growth rate of calves. Net weight gain and carcass quality All cattle in Denmark are registered in the official national cattle database. All Danish slaughterhouses return data on carcass quality (EUROP scale), shape, colour etc. for each individual animal. Based on birth date, carcass data and carcass weight the net weight gain of the individual animal is calculated.

The following table shows the results of the last four years for the three beef breeds which have most purebred animals and from which most semen is used for crossing on dairy cows. Classification and net weight gain of purebred animals Year Breed Effects, Dietary Energy Density Effects, and Retained Heterosis on Different Measures of Gain Efficiency in Beef Cattle. Authors: K.E. GregorT, L.V. Cundiff, and R.M. Koch. Source: Journal of Animal Science. 1994. 72:1138-1154. Abstract: Breed effects were evaluated in nine parental breeds (Red Poll, Hereford, Angus, Limousin, Braunvieh, Pinzgauer, Gelbvieh, Simmental and Charolais). Gain efficiency was evaluated in time constant (0 to 207 d), gain constant (310 to 540 kg), carcass weight constant (333 kg), and retail product weight constant (225 and 210 kg) end points and to different marbling score and longissimus muscle fat end points. Significant differences were observed among breeds in all measures of gain efficiency.

Key points related to Limousin include: * Even though Limousin had relatively low initial weight, their high live weight gain per megacalorie of Metabolizable Energy (ME), their high dressmg percentage and high percentage of retail product resulted in the highest values for retail product per megacalorie of ME. * Limousin were clearly superior in terms of retail product per Mcal of ME when evaluated over a constant time on feed of 207 days. Limousin were 14% more efficient than Charolais, 17% more efficient than Gelbvieh, 20% more efficient than Simmental, and 29% more efficient than Angus when measuring retail product with 8 mm of fat. At 0 mm fat the differences are greater with Limousin being 18% more efficient than Charolais and Gelbvieh, 24% more efficient than Simmental and 34% more efficient than Angus. * Another very important finding is that Limousin and Hereford were clearly superior in terms of estimated net energy for maintenance, with approximately 8.5% less maintenance energy than the other continental breeds.

* When efficiency was compared on a gain constant basis there was a tendency for the fastest growing breeds to be the most efficient. The exceptions were Limousin which had below average gain and above average efficiency and the Gelbvieh which had above average gain and below average efficiency. * When compared at constant marbling scores, Limousin were inefficient compared to other breeds because so much maintenance was involved when the cattle are fed to achieve the higher intramuscular fat levels. Breed Effects and Retained Heterosis for Growth, Carcass and Meat Traits in Advanced Generations of Composite Populations of Beef Cattle. Authors: K.E. Gregory, L.V. Cundiff, R.M. Koch, M.E. Dikeman, and M. Koohmaraie. Source: Journal of Animal Science. 1994. 72:833-850. Abstract: Breed effects were evaluated in nine parental breeds (Red Poll, Hereford, Angus, Limousin, Braunvieh, Pinzgauer, Gelbvieh, Simmental and Charolais).

Breed effects were significant for carcass weight, dressing percentage, fat thickness and marbling score; for retail product, fat trim (8 and 0 mm); and for carcass lean, fat and bone percentages and weights at two levels of fat trim (8 and 0 mm); and for carcass lean, fat and bone percentages and weights (see attached tables). Key points related to Limousin included: * Limousin exhibited significantly less growth in terms of average daily gain than all breeds with the exception of Red Poll. * Limousin had a significantly higher dressing percent than all other breeds (Carcass Wt/Live Weight). * Limousin had a significantly larger rib eye area than Charolais and Simmental; and a significantly lower percentage grading USDA Select or better than all breeds except Gelbvieh. * Limousin had significantly less bone than all other breeds. * Limousin had significantly less fat trim than all breeds except Gelbvieh; * Limousin had a significantly higher % retail yield (trimmed to 8 and 0 mm) than all other breeds.

* While slaughter weights were 54.7 kg greater for the Gelbvieh, Simmental, and Charolais breeds, there was no significant difference in retail product weight or carcass lean weight because of the higher dressing percent, lower fat trim percentage and lower bone percentage of the Limousin. Breeds of Livestock - Charolais Cattle — Breeds of Livestock, Department of Animal Science Breeds of Livestock, Department of Animal Science Breeds of Livestock - Charolais Cattle Breeds of Livestock - Charolais Cattle Charolais The Charolais originated in west-central to southeastern France , in the old French provinces of Charolles and neighboring Nievre. The exact origins of the Charolais are lost to us but it must have been developed from cattle found in the area. Legend has it that white cattle were first noticed in the region as early as 878 A.D., and by the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries were well and favorably known in French markets, especially at Lyon and Villefranche. Selection developed a white breed of cattle which, like other cattle of continental Europe, were used for draft, milk and meat.

The cattle were generally confined to the area in which they originated until the French Revolution. But, in 1773, Claude Mathieu, a farmer and cattle producers from the Charolles region, moved to the Nievre province, taking his herd of white cattle with him. The breed flourished there, so much so that the improved cattle were known more widely as Nivemais cattle for a time than by their original name of Charolais. One of the early influential herds in the region was started in 1840 by the Count Charles de Bouille. His selective breeding led him to set up a herd book in 1864 for the breed at Villars near the village of Magny-Cours. Breeders in the Charolles vicinity established a herd book in 1882. The two societies merged in 1919, with the older organization holding the records of the later group into their headquarters at Nevers, the capital of the Nievre province. The French have long selected their cattle for size and muscling. They selected for bone and power to a greater extent than was true in the British Isles.

The French breeders stressed rapid growth in addition to cattle that would ultimately reach a large size. These were men that wanted cattle that not only grew out well but could be depended upon for draft power. Little attention was paid to refinement, but great stress was laid on utility. The Charolais of France are white in color, horned, long bodied, and good milkers with a general coarseness to the animal not being uncommon. Introduction to the United States Soon after the First World War, a young Mexican industrialist of French name and ancestry, Jean Pugibet, brought some of the French cattle to his ranch in Mexico. He had seen the Charolais cattle during World War I while serving as a French army volunteer and was impressed by their appearance and productivity. He arranged for a shipment of two bulls and 10 heifers to Mexico in 1930. Two later shipments in 1931 and 1937 increased the total number to 37 - eight bulls and 29 females. Not long after the last shipment, Pugibet died and no further imports were attempted.

The first Charolais to come into the United States from Mexico are believed to be two bulls, Neptune and Ortolan, which were purchased from Pugibet by the King Ranch in Texas and imported in June 1936. Later imports of bulls were owned by some of the early "pioneers" in the industry: Harl Thomas, Fred W. Turner, C.M. "Pete" Frost, M.G. Michaelis Sr., and I.G. "Cap" Yates, all of Texas, J.A. "Palley" Lawton of Louisiana, and others. In the mid-1940s an outbreak of Hoof and Mouth Disease occurred in Mexico. As a result, a treaty between the United States, Canada and Mexico set up a permanent quarantine against cattle coming into any of these countries from Europe or any country in which Hoof and Mouth Disease was known to exist. This barred any further importation of French Charolais on this continent until 1965 when Canada opened the import doors via rigid quarantine both in France and in Canada.

Development in the United States Until the mid-1960s, all the Charolais in Mexico, the United States and Canada were descendants of this initial Pugibet herd. Due to the limited number of original animals and the import restrictions which were in place, they have been crossed on other cattle in an upgrading process. Because of the use of the upgrading process few of the Charolais cattle currently found in the United State are of pure French breeding. With the lightening of the import restrictions in Canada in the mid-1960's fullblood Charolais were again imported from France. This allowed for the importation of new bloodlines from France. This meant new genetic material for tightly-bred Charolais pedigrees of the time. Several breeding herds were estabilished in Canada, as well as the island of Eleuthera, in the Bahamas. Japan, England and Ireland also imported purebred Charolais directly from France. Offspring from these herds were later imported to the United States. American Charolais are referred to as "purebred" or "recorded" depending upon the percentage of known Charolais blood.

The term purebred is used on those that carry 31/32 or more Charolais blood and those less than 31/32 can be referred to as recorded. People wishing to develop a herd will still find it possible to upgrade, using purebred Charolais sires, a foundation cow herd of one of the other cattle breeds or their crosses. Five generations of purebred bulls are required to produced the 31/32 level for classification as "purebred". Sires used in the grading-up process must be registered. The offspring from the first as well as succeeding generations must be registered as "recorded" until they reach the 31/32 level at which time they are referred to as purebred. It has been said that no other breed has impacted the North American beef industry so significantly as the introduction of Charolais. The Charolais came into widespread use in the United States cattle industry at a time when producers were seeking larger framed, heavier cattle than the traditional British breeds. The increased use on the range indicates that the cows have performed well under a variety of environmental conditions.

Their ability to walk, graze aggressively in warm weather, withstand reasonable cold, and raise heavy calves has drawn special praise from many that have them. Bulls have developed a well-earned reputation when used in grading-up for herd improvement. This is especially noted when they are used in herds where size and ruggedness are lacking Charolais are white or creamy white in color, but the skin carries appreciable pigmentation. The hair coat is usually short in summer but thickens and lengthens in cold weather. Charolais is a naturally horned beef animal. But through the breeding-up program, where naturally polled breeds were sometimes used as foundation animals, polled Charolais have emerged as an important part of the breed. Charolais cattle are large with mature bulls weighing from 2,000 to well over 2,500 pounds and cows weigh from 1,250 to over 2,000 pounds. Simmental NZ :: Cross Breeding Cross Breeding BY Stephen Morris, Professor of Animal Science, Institute Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Massey University Crossbreeding is an established breeding method used in sheep and beef cattle breeding to increase productivity.

It has been used throughout the world and there is ample evidence to support the production gains possible from crossbreeding. However, not all crossbreeding systems maximise these theoretical gains, some are too complicated, difficult to implement under commercial hill country conditions and especially in small herds. The challenge is to identify appropriate crossbreeding systems that are simple and easy to operate in commercial beef breeding cow herds. Note that crossbreeding is not a cure for inferior management and cannot replace the need for continued selection policies in our pure-bred herds. There are two basic breeding systems. If the source of replacement females is heifers produced from within the herd then this is called a continuous system. If heifers are not put back in the herd this is a terminal system. In a continuous system since replacement females are retained in the system the cowherd has genetics of both sire and dam traits. Therefore, if sires have traits that are undesirable in cows, they cannot be hidden in a continuous system. In a terminal system replacement females are purchased. This offers more flexibility in choice of genetic types enabling specialized maternal and sire lines to be used. A combination of relatively small dams (e.g.

Angus cross Jersey) bred to large sires in a terminal system fully exploits breed complementarity. For example, crosses between beef and dairy breeds can be used to produce cows that, when fed suitably, have superior milking and reproductive ability. Mating these animals to terminal sires with large mature size and high growth rates (e.g. Charolais) allows slaughter offspring to be produced with the benefits of growth rate and leanness to attain heavy carcass weights while maintaining smaller, highly productive breeding cows. In this way, the breeds can be chosen to complement each other in a manner not achievable with straightbred animals. This is probably the best reason for using crossbreeding. The benefits resulting from crossbreeding are best achieved through increased fertility of crossbred cows and growth rate of calves. In Figure 1, it can be seen that if straightbred cows reared crossbred calves rather than straightbred calves, on average, there would be an extra 8.5% increase in weight of calf weaned per cow mated (e.g. for a 200 kg weaner this would equate to 17 kg of extra calf weaning weight).

If crossbred dams were then used to rear the crossbred calves, a further 14.8% increase could be expected as a result of the better maternal environment (due primarily to fertility and milk production) provided by the crossbred dams. Using crossbred dams to rear crossbred calves, the expected extra calf weight weaned/cow would be 23.3% compared to straightbred cows rearing straightbred calves. The monetary increase from this at current prices is $115.00 (Table 1). Figure 1. A comparison of % increase in calf weight weaned/cow exposed to breeding, as a result of mating either straightbred cows to bulls of a different breed (centre), or mating first cross cows to bulls of a third breed (right). M= Maternal heterosis due to the dam being a crossbred How to Identify Simmental Cattle: 10 Steps (with Pictures) How to Identify Simmental Cattle Three Parts: Recognizing the Physical Characteristics of Simmental Cattle Spotting Simmental Cattle Colorations Monitoring Temperamental Characteristics Community Q&A Simmental cattle’s muscularity and high milk production have long been sought after traits, allowing the breed to maintain popularity for hundreds of years.

More recently, they have been bred for beef production, and crossbreeding has led to an increase in the variation of Simmental characteristics.. Still, there are some common colorations and physical characteristics that can help you identify Simmental cattle. [1] Steps Recognizing the Physical Characteristics of Simmental Cattle 1 Note Simmental cattle’s weight and size. Simmental cattle are quite large, and notably rugged in physical composition. They have a heavy bone structure, with visibly strong feet and legs. [2] Mature Simmental cows will weigh from 1,100 to 1,500 pounds or more. Mature Simmental bulls, which will show more muscle mass over their shoulders and hindquarters, usually weigh somewhere between 2,200 and 2,800 pounds. Simmental can gain weight particularly rapidly, increasing in weight by four to five pounds per day when in a favorable environment and well fed. 2 Identify Simmental body types. While all Simmental are noticeably blockish, they are not as rectangular as some other breeds, such as Limousins . Simmental cattle tend to have more loose dewlap – the skin that hangs beneath their chin and their underside – than many other common types of cattle.

[3] Use the identification of an especially pendulous dewlap to distinguish Simmental from other breeds that are also often black, such as Charolais , Gelbviehs , Maine Anjou , Salers , and Limousins. Simmental cows tend to have a larger udder than most other cattle breeds - though Holstein have recognizably larger udders. Simmental cow udders will have prominent forward and rear attachments to the underside of the cow, with equal-sized quarters and small, uniform teats that are evenly spaced. 3 Check for common Simmental head characteristics. On all Simmental, the head will be longer and larger than many similar breeds. They have particularly larger ears, which protrude from a low location on their head. [4] Simmental cows have noticeably angular and feminine-looking heads, necks, and shoulders. Simmental bulls have curly hair on their foreheads, some more noticeably than others. Simmental bulls may be horned or polled, the latter being more common. If horns are present, they will be quite short, and point out and upward. Simmental lips and mouths are relatively trim and refined-looking as compared to other breeds, especially in comparison to Herefords.

Part 2 Spotting Simmental Cattle Colorations 1 Recognize general Simmental coloration. Most Simmental cattle have a white face with a brownish-red body. Other Simmental cattle will be lighter in color, while some will be all black, and others mostly brown or mostly red. Some that are otherwise all black or all red will have a white face. [5] In the U.S., where certain traits have continuously been selected for, Simmental are characterized by a wider range of color patterns. While American Simmental are mostly black, they may actually be any color or color pattern – from all black, to spotted or patchy, to all white. European Simmental are red or yellow with lots of white. All Simmental start life as greyish calves with shades of red and yellow hair. Pigmentation around the eyes, as well as the udder and scrotum, are common, especially in the U.S. Nearly all Simmental cattle will have ears that are the same color as their body. 2 Identify Fleckvieh-Simmental cattle. Flechvieh-Simmental cattle will range in color from a light buckskin-yellow to a brownish-red.

They will have a white face that almost always has a border line just before the jawline, and a white underbelly. [6] Some may have a patch over each eye; others may have one patch over one eye. White will likely show on the flank and elbows, sometimes forming a stripe from behind the elbows or from the flank all the way up to the topline. They will have a lot of white on their belly and legs. The tail of a Simmental-Fleckvieh will usually be all white or white half-way down. Simmental cattle do not have a white stripe down the nape of their necks, nor white dewlaps. If these are present, the cattle are likely Hereford . 3 Recognize modern Simmental cattle. Some more modern breeds of Simmental will have less white markings and will be mostly darker brownish-red to black. If they do have some white, it will likely be lower on the leg. White faces are common in modern Simmental, though they may have different colored eye patches and less white overall. Some Modern Simmental cattle may still have a recognizable white stripe from the shoulder down to the elbows, or from the top of the loins to the flanks.

4 Identify Fullblood or Straightbred Simmental cattle. These will likely be all black, all red, black and white, or mostly black or red but with a white or mostly-white face. Fullbloods are often bred with Red Angus , Angus or Hereford cattle. Simmental bulls that have been crossed with Angus and Red Angus breeds will often look like Angus at first glance. Distinguish Simmental from Angus cattle by noting ear and dewlap coloration, as well as muscularity, to decipher key differences between an Angus bull and a Black Simmental bull. Part 3 Monitoring Temperamental Characteristics 1 Monitor the cattle’s behavior. Simmental cattle tend to be docile and even-tempered, as these traits have long been selected for by breeders. Since Simmental are often bred for environments in which they are heavily managed by humans, they are noticeably calm. [7] 2 Recognize early sexual maturity in Simmental cattle. Though it takes about four years to reach full size, Simmental cattle are known for experiencing early sexual maturity. [8] Cows begin menstruation when they’re only 650-700 pounds, or as early as 9-12 months old.

Bulls reach sexual maturity by 15 months of age and will readily breed with 25 cows in one season. Mature bulls will happily breed with about 50 cows in a seasons if environment permits. 3 Check for Simmental’s particularly maternal behaviors. Simmental cows' docility and high milk production allow for roughly annual births. A Simmental cow will maintain a yearly calving cycle for as many as a dozen years. [9] Cows can conceive as young as 15 months old. Simmental cows will happily breed while nursing. Community Q&A What is average birth weight using a 2 year old Simmental bull? wikiHow Contributor Simmentals have an average birth weight of around 85 to 90 pounds, but it all depends on the individual sire. Some sires are predisposed to produce heavier calves than others. Simmentals are not ideal to be used on British-type heifers like Hereford or Angus, but can be used on older cows, because incidence of dystocia associated with this breed is high.

Simmental Cattle Simmental Cattle Cattle.com > Cattle Articles > Breeds of Cattle > Beef Cattle Breeds > Simmental Cattle Variability is a lesson that could be well taught by the Simmental. An ancient breed, the ability to adapt to its environment has allowed them to become influential in cattle markets across the world. Simmentals were developed at a time that cattle were multipurpose creatures, not only were they raised for their meat but also for their heavy milking ability and even draft uses. The fact that they were so extensively used made it necessary to highlight docility amongst planned crosses. Most of these traits, some now enhanced, continue in the modern Simmental. The Simmental traces its origins to the Simme in Switzerland . Impressive in size, Simmentals had an early worldwide distribution, some areas having more success in their production than others. Simmentals are known by distinct names, all having regional breeding focuses. The Pie Rouge of France has an emphasis placed on beef production; their cattle are thick with heavier musculature. The Montbeliarde was bred to continue the heavy milking potential of the Simmentals.

Many consider these to be the second heaviest milking strain, surpassed only by the Holstein . The Abondance is more moderate in size; it has a smaller frame and relative to the other varieties, is lighter boned. The popular Austro-German Fleckviehs have superior fleshing abilities and are easy calvers. The Swiss Simmentals continue to be large framed with generously proportioned muscles. The Italian countryside has seen its own Simmentals, referred to as Peseta Rosaâ€”which translated means rose-colored coins, a likely tribute to the marketability of the Simmental. Simmentals were introduced very early into the United States . Their earliest recorded presence was in Illinois during 1887. A transitional time in the country, the Simmental had little success until its reintroduction in the 1960s. The first purebred calf was born in 1968, out of a breeding using imported semen. In 1974, the World Simmental Federation was formed. Its main goals were to unify breeders by providing a base for information and research exchange, and to increase the influence and importance of the breed.

The American Simmental Association came together in order to further the advancement of the breed within the United States . Its members though diverse in their backgrounds coincided in their progressive approach. The ASA has open AI breedings, a cow recognition program and within herd comparisons. It was the first breed association with a sire summary. Performance data for the Simmental has also translated directly in the show ring. Though unmistakable similarities exist within Simmentals of every region, the American Simmental has focused primarily to highlight the breeds beef qualities. They are rugged animals of substantial bone. Ultimately large in size, it may come as a surprise that Simmentals are exceptionally easy calvers. Though they have low birth weights, they have fast growth rates. Cows are excellent mothers and have very long production cycles. Cows and bulls reach sexual maturity early, in contrast to other Continental breeds that may take longer to develop. Though their milking abilities have not been selected for, the Simmental continues to be an above average milker. Their economic benefits to beef breeders are almost unsurpassed by any other breed. They are of renowned docility, and have excellent weight gaining abilities. The carcass yield is very good, with meat grading high.

Simmental beef is tender and highly palatable. The upgrading program in America has introduced a wide range of colors to the breed. The original coloration for Simmentals was red and white or gold and white. All colors and all color patterns are accepted within the American Simmental Association. A gene for polledness has also been established within the breed, most likely coming from Angus crosses. There is so much variety within the breed that ranchers may select those animals better suited to their particular environments. They are such an adaptable breed however, that a universal standard is difficult to quantify. The risk of a lessened genetic pool is minimal for Simmental breeders. A very popular cross is the SimAngus; the resulting offspring combine the best of the English and Continental breed traits. Performance numbers, fertility rates, yield grades and marbling have made these cattle highly marketable. The Simbrah, a cross between Simmental and Brahman is also flourishing in regions that cannot support extensive grazing. The Brahman influence in the cattle makes them hardy and more resistant to the climate and flora of southern regions in the US . Simmental cattle are a wealth amongst beef breeds. Their traits are exceedingly heritable and the data for prediction of offspring qualities is very reliable.

The naturally lean beef, its tenderness and high yield is an asset for feedlots. As more breeds continue the search for heterosis, the Simmental is likely to be a superb complimentarity option. It is their docility and variability which will keep the Simmental a powerful presence amongst the beef industry. Genetics of Coat Color in Cattle This webpage was last updated on January 16, 2016 by Sheila Schmutz sheila.schmutz@usask.ca White Charolais White The bull at the left represents what is probably the most common white breed in Europe and North America, the Charolais. There are white cattle of many types and breeds however. The gene or genes causing white have not all been discovered yet. White, as in the Charolais is actually caused by an epistatic or masking gene. This bull is actually red (e/e at MC1R), but it is not showing its red because it is homozygous for a mutation in the PMEL gene, common to Charolais. When this Charolais allele occurs in homozygous form, the animal is white.

When it is only heterozygous, as in a Black Aberdeen Angus X Charolais calf the color is closer to grey or "smoke". Kuehn C. and Weikard R. (2007) An investigation into the genetic background of coat colour dilution in a Charolais x German Holstein F2 resource population. Animal Genetics 38:109-13. Gutierrez-Gil, B., Wiener, P. & Williams, J.L. (2007) Genetic effects on coat colour in cattle: dilution of eumelanin and phaeomelanin pigments in an F2-Backcross Charolais x Holstein population. BMC Genetics 8:56. White in Shorthorn Cattle White Shorthorn cattle, such as the cow pictured at the right, are white from a mutation in the KITLG gene or Roan series of alleles (see more below). The white in this case is only present in the homozygous condition, with the heterozygote being roan, and the other homozygote being red. Seitz, J. J., S. M. Schmutz, T.

D. Thue, F. C. Buchanan. 1999. A missense mutation in the bovine MGF gene is associated with the roan phenotype in Belgian Blue and Shorthorn cattle. Mamm. Genome 10: 710-712 White with Colored Points White cattle, such as White Galloway cattle are quite different from Charolais in that they have black noses and ears. This white is inherited as an autosomal dominant. Heterozygotes are not dilutions of another color but just as white as homozygotes. Their noses and ears can be either black or red or dun. Their underlying skin can be black or red or spotted. The White Galloway cow at the left is shown with a calf that did not inherit perfect white markings. White Park cattle, right, are similarly marked. Although an old breed, from the time of the Druids, they are now quite rare. Speckled Park cattle probably also fall into this category.

The colors of the points in White Galloway can be black or red, which is determined by the MC1R gene, described above, or dun, based on a mutation in the PMEL gene (Schmutz unpublished). The white body color with colored points appeared to linked to the tyrosinase gene on cattle chromosome 29, based on data collected by Barbara Schmidtz for her Master's degree. Similar patterns exist in the mouse, Himalyan rabbit and the Siamese cat and also are caused by mutations at tyrosinase. However, this pattern is caused by a very complex mutation in the KIT gene in cattle. A segment of DNA from near KIT on chromosome 6 is inserted onto chromosome 29. Although tyrosinase is near the centromeric end of chromosome 29, this insertion is apparently nearer the middle of chromosome 29. Brenig et al. (2013) further suggests that the whiteness depends on how many duplications of this segment occur.

Brenig B, Beck J, Flore C, Bornemann-Kolatzki K, Wiedemann I, Hennecke S, Swalve H, and Schutz E (2013) Molecular genetics of coat colour variations in White Galloway and White Park cattle. Animal Genetics 44, 450-453 Schmidtz, B.H., Buchanan, F.C., Plante, Y., and Schmutz, S.M. 2001. Linkage Mapping of the Tyrosinase Gene to Bovine Chromosome 29. Animal Genetics 32:119-120 Schmidtz, B.H. 2001. Characterization and mapping of cattle tyrosinase. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Saskatchewan, Canada. Schmutz, S. M. , J. S. Moker. 1999. In Situ Hybridization Mapping of TYR and CCND1 to Cattle Chromosome 29. Animal Genetics 30:241-242. Albinism Some people immediately think of albino when they hear white. However, most white cattle are not albino.

However, the calf at the left is an albino and she has no pigment production at all, even in her eyes, which are pink. This is also called oculocutaneous albinism. This type of albinism occurs rarely, but can be present in various breeds and has even occurred in Bison. This Braunvieh calf, Snowdrop, has a mutation in her tyrosinase gene (TYR) which renders it dysfunctional. This gene is the cause of several forms of albinsim in other animals and humans. She has a normal TYRP1 gene sequence, another gene causing albinism in humans. Both of her parents were of normal coat coloration and therefore we presume this albinism is a recessive, as are most forms of albinism in most species. A recessive form of albinisim was reported in Brown Swiss or Braunvieh cattle since 1934 at a very low frequency. Note that another albino calf, a Holstein, did not have this mutation. Her albinism is either caused by another gene, such a P, or by a different mutation in tyrosinase. Winzenried, H.U. and J. J. Lauvergne.

1970. Spontanes Auftreten von Albinos in der Schweizerischen Braunviehrasse. Schweizer-Archiv-fur-Tierheilkunde 112: 581-7. Sheila M. Schmutz, and Tom G. Berryere, Daniel C. Ciobanu, Alan J. Mileham, Barbara H. Schmidtz, Merete Fredholm. A form of albinism in cattle is caused by a tyrosinase frameshift mutation. Mammalian Genome, 2004, 15:62-67. Dilute This Highland calf photo was taken by David Pease. Dilute has come to have a negative connotation to some ranchers. I often use the word pale to try to break that connection. The PMEL gene is now known to be the gene responsible for dilute vs dark colors. At the top of the page, Charolais cattle were mentioned. They are homozygous for one mutation in this gene. Other breeds, such as Highland and Galloway, have another mutation in PMEL.

Dun is the name given to a pale color in cattle such as Galloway or Highland. In Galloway and Highland cattle, Dun is dominant to black. Silver dun is the color resulting when Galloway cattle are homozygous for this allele. The gene causing this coloration is PMEL. The Galloway heifer, at the right, is also called dun which is a dilution of black in these breeds. In Highland cattle, the dark red (D/D), illustrated by Dominique at the left below, is harder to distinguish from the pale red (D/d), illustrated by Dahlia on the right, than black (D/D) and dun (D/d). For this reason, some owners may want to DNA test their cattle to determine which carry the d allele. The d/d animal would be cream to white. All colors of Highlands have always been accepted, since the beginning of their herdbook. Schmutz, S. M. and Dreger, D. L. 2013. Interaction of MC1R and SILV alleles on solid coat colors in Highland Cattle. Animal Genetics 44:9-13. The two bulls shown above are purebred Simmentals.

The yellow bull on the left is a diluted e/e or red animal. The mouse colored bull at the right is a diluted black ED/e bull. Yellow or Pale Brown "mouse" coat colors are believed to be caused by the Diluter gene (D) or genes. The identity of the mutation or mutations causing these paler colors in Simmental is not clearly identified. In 2003, MATP or "underwhite", now known as SLC45a2 was found to be the gene causing palamino in buckskin in horses. One copy dilutes a sorrel to palamino and two copies to cremello. All these horses are producing only phaeomelanin. On the other hand a bay is producing eumelanin also which is evident in its mane and tail. One copy of this SLC45a2 mutation in a horse that also produces eumelanin results in a buckskin and two in a perlino. We have done a small experiment using markers near this gene in cattle and did not find that this gene fit as a diluter gene in cattle.

Gray in Belgian Blue Late in 2015, the genetics group in Belgium discovered that a few Belgian Blue cattle that were gray instead of black were homozygous for a mutation in exon 2 of the MLPH gene. They also reported that this mutation was not found in any other breeds they examined. We studied this area of the gene in Braunvieh and the mutation was not present in them either. Li W, Sartelet A, Tamma N, Coppieters W, Georges M, Charlier C. (2016) Reverse genetic screen for loss-of-function mutations uncovers a frameshifting deletion in the melanophilin gene accountable for a distinctive coat color in Belgian Blue cattle. Animal Genetics 47:110-113. Dun Brown In Dexter cattle, there are black and red ones and then others that are called dun. The dun colors really seem to range from brown to yellow and are inherited as a recessive trait. The photos below and data for the above statements were provided by John Potter. This color is due to a different gene than the color called dun in Galloway cattle or Highland cattle. We have recently developed a carrier test for this mutation in the TYRP1 gene.

Tom G. Berryere, Sheila M. Schmutz, C. Michael Cowan, and John Potter. Affects of the brown locus (TYRP1) on coat color in cattle. International Society of Animal Genetics meeting, Goettingen, Germany, August, 2002. Tom G. Berryere, Sheila M. Schmutz, C. Michael Cowan, and John Potter. TYRP1 is associated with dun brown coat colour in Dexter cattle or how now brown cow?. Animal Genetics 2003, 34:169-175. for further information contact: Breed Description – The British Charolais Cattle Society Breed Description Charolais is the leading terminal beef sire noted for its fast growth and excellent conformation. Charolais cattle are creamy white through to wheaten in colour. Bulls are noted for muscling, with excellent loins, good hindquarters and deep second thigh, while females are less heavily muscled and have well developed udders. Charolais stand on four strong feet and legs and should be alert. History Charolais was the first Continental breed of cattle to be introduced to Great Britain and it revolutionized our beef industry.

The initial importation of bulls, which was led by dairy producers seeking a superior sire to improve their calves’ conformation, arrived in the late 1950s. These bulls were licensed solely for use through AI companies. The importations met with fierce resistance in certain sectors, particularly since Britain was reputed to be the stockyard of the world. On arrival, Charolais immediately demonstrated its superiority over native breeds in terms of growth rate, conformation and killing out percentage, not only to dairy producers but also to key players in the beef industry. The breed’s general acceptance was confirmed in 1962 with the establishment of the British Charolais Cattle Society (BCCS), after which its popularity grew to the extent by 1970, Charolais was regarded as the international leading terminal beef sire. The following year the first British bred Charolais bull achieved a five figure sum with Kersknowe Festival selling for 10,000gns to the former Scottish Milk Marketing Board.

Scores of Charolais bulls have followed since at five figure sums including at Perth in1988, Maerdy Director changed hands for a British record fertile bull price of 56,000gns and Decrespigny Debutante achieved a female record price of 27,000gns at Carlisle in 1989. Demand for the breed at auction culminated at Perth in February 2002 when the 226 lots sold to average £4,144.52, the highest ever Charolais and all breeds average at the centre. In addition, takings from the bulls and females grossed more than £1.1 million, another breed record at the mart’s current venue. Function The breed’s main function is within the national suckler beef herd where Charolais remains unrivalled as a terminal sire due to its combined superior growth rate, muscle development, high killing out percentage and meat eating quality. The added bonus for Charolais crossbred progeny is their distinct colour and markings which gives added confidence to store cattle buyers.

Charolais also demonstrates tremendous flexibility within Britain’s varying beef management systems – Charolais crossbred cattle can be taken through to finishing from 12 months of age, and grade in the preferred specification. This combination of factors ensures that Charolais crossbreds consistently command a premium over any other Continental crossbred on a weight for age basis – the suckled calf ring as confirmed by MLC’s weekly prices, as well as store and finished sectors. Charolais crossbred cattle are favoured by both sectors of the meat trade. Discerning butchers appreciate the Charolais’ intramuscular fat lending to its superior meat eating quality, while processors supplying multiples prefer Charolais crossbreds with their ability to provide the highest percentage of saleable cuts, in particular from their combination of loin and hind muscling. Charolais is the ‘added value’ breed within the beef sector. Charolais also plays a significant role as a beef sire within the dairy herd. Charolais sired dairy bred calves demonstrate they can not only match but outperform growth rates achieved by other Continental crossbreds. In addition, BCCS has recognized Charolais has the potential as a functional suckler cow suited in particular to lowland units.

This is supported by the fact that France has more than 1.2 million pure Charolais cows, while in Ireland, Charolais is the leading terminal sire in the suckler cow herd – both countries have escaped the market disruption cased by BSE and neither has an Over Thirty Months Scheme. A five year commercial field scale trial has been launched at SAC Bush to qualify the Charolais’ role as a suckler cow. Breed Development During the last 40 years, Charolais has evolved to match the British cattle industry’s requirements. British Charolais breeders have carefully selected for the breed’s key performance traits and also for ease of calving. Charolais breed development became increasingly scientific and accurate from 1991 with the introduction of the BLUP procedure. Charolais was among the first breed organizations to endorse and implement BLUP. Since, support for the initiative has gained momentum as an increasing number of BCCS members performance record their cattle on the Signet Beefbreeder scheme. In fact Charolais has been hailed leader in the genetic improvement stakes being the first beef breed in Britain to reach 250,000 cattle evaluations recorded by Signet using the BLUP procedure.

The accompanying data revealed the breed has trebled its rate of genetic gain during the following 10 years. The advent of Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) which describe the genetic potential of an animal for selected traits, has enabled Charolais breeders to select more accurately for performance traits as well as for ease of calving and other maternal characteristics. Recent BCCS sponsored trials with the Scottish Agricultural College, which were designed to put EBVs to the test, have concluded it is now possible to select a Charolais herd sire that will leave progeny which are easy to calve without compromising either growth rate or carcase composition. BCCS is an advocate of the MLC’s Young Bull Promotion Scheme (YPBS) designed to promote genetic gain and improved selection differentials. A number of high performance bulls have been selected for use across the scheme and their resulting high genetic merit progeny have contributed towards the initiative’s key objectives. Charolais also has a history of success in the show ring. At The Royal Show, Charolais has won the prestigious Burke beef interbreed trophy on more occasions than any other breed. Export Activities BCCS has played a leading role in establishing cattle populations in major beef producing countries worldwide.

Prior to BSE, Charolais cattle, semen and embryos secured a ready export volume market in South Africa, South America – in particular Brazil, Australasia, Europe, and the USA where Charolais has recently been confirmed number one terminal sire. Demand for British Charolais continues worldwide and BCCS is looking forward to resuming full export business as trading barriers continue to be lifted. Charolais Males • The Charolais bull should be a well-muscled animal on good strong feet and legs to carry the heavy weights associated with the breed. • The head should have a wide muzzle with a strong jaw placement. • The eyes should be set reasonably wide apart. • The ears should be big. • The head should be sat proud on a strong muscular neck. • The back should be long and level without dips, particularly behind the shoulder. • There should be a good heart room and a minimum amount of brisket in the forequarter. • The tail-setting should be set comfortably into good wide plates over the hindquarters of the bull. • The hindquarters should also have a good depth of second thigh and should be well rounded. • There can be two extreme types of Charolais which should be discouraged.

One type would be the tall, flat sided bull which has a slack back and a poor hindquarter. This type has no place in modern day beef production and indeed never has. The second would be the double-muscled heavy shouldered bull which invariably has associated fertility and calving problems. Charolais Females • The females should have a feminine appearance and should not be heavily muscled and masculine in appearance as this sort tends to be either poor or irregular breeders. • The head should be wide muzzled with a longer rather than boxy type appearance. Like the bulls, the head should be alert. • The back should be long and level with a good spring of rig and a minimum of brisket in the forequarter. • The tail setting should not be dropped and preferably should be slightly raised as this is alleged to be associated with easier calving. • The legs should be of strong flat bone on good sound feet. • In the case of cows, the udder should be of good capacity with four well-formed teats for suckled calf production. • The colour of Charolais Cattle is generally creamy white through to a light tan colour.

Broken coloured cattle are not to be encouraged although this would be of secondary importance to skeletal structure and good conformation Charolais | Canadian Beef Breeds Council Map Charolais Charolais were first imported to Canada in 1956 from the United States. Later, cattle were imported directly from France. In 1959 the Canadian Charolais Association (CCA) was formed and in 1960 it was formally recognized as a Breed Association under the Animal Pedigree Act of Canada. The CCA is a non-profit organization that derives funding from member subscriptions and the Whole Herd Enrolment (WHE) fees. The Canadian Charolais Association operates a number of performance testing initiatives on behalf of its members. However the backbone of the performance program is Whole Herd Enrolment in which breeding and calving information is tracked on each cow every year. This tracking ensures the highest possible level of accuracy in Charolais pedigrees and allows breeders to monitor reproductive traits. Research has shown that fertility is the most economically important trait in beef production and total herd reporting sets Charolais apart as an industry leader.

All performance data from the past is utilized in producing a high accuracy, scientifically proven Canadian Expected Progeny Difference (EPD). EPD’s indicate genetic differences in cattle and may be used for comparison across herds. Due to the diverse landscape and the extremes in both temperature and precipitation in Canada, Canadian Charolais are highly adaptable to not only the Canadian environment and production systems but to climates and production systems throughout the world. Charolais cows have performed well under a variety of environmental conditions and are selected as very structurally sound animals with exceptionally good feet and strong legs. This is important when cattle are managed in large herds and on vast areas of land where walking distances for feed and water is necessary. It has been said that no other breed has impacted the North American beef industry so significantly as the introduction of Charolais. Canadian Charolais are highly compatible with the indigenous cow base and the cross is second to none. In Canada the Charolais crossbred calf receives a premium price at the auction market. Breeds - Simmental - The Cattle Site Our Shop Simmental Simmental is a breed of cattle whose history dates back to the Middle Ages.

Early records indicate that Simmental cattle were the result of a cross between large German cattle and a smaller breed indigenous to Switzerland. The name Simmental is derived from the name of the area where the cattle were first bred - the Simme Valley, which is situated in the Berner Oberland in Switzerland. Technically, the Simmental designation includes several breeds in Europe. The name is given specifically to the breed in Switzerland, while in Germany and Austria it is known as Fleckvieh, and in France as Pie Rouge. The Pie Rouge includes three separate herd book registries namely Abondance, Montbeliard and Pie Rouge de l'Est. more... Latest Simmental Breed News Horizon Livestock - holstein, brown swiss, jersey, angus, charolais, hereford, limousine, brangus, simmental, beef master Home > Simmental > Index.php Simmental Simmental cattle are a versatile breed of cattle originating in Western Switzerland. The Simmental has historically been used for dairy, beef and as draught animals. They are particularly renowned for the rapid growth of their young, if given sufficient feed. Simmental provides more combined weaning gain (growth) and milk yield than any other breed.

The traditional coloration of the Simmental has been described variously as "red and white spotted" or "gold and white", although there is no specific standard coloration, and the dominant shade varies from a pale yellow-gold all the way to very dark red. The face is normally white, and this characteristic is usually passed to cross-bred calves. The white face is genetically distinct from the white head of the Hereford. Today approximately 80% of the Simmental cattle in the United States are black, with the remaining 20% being red. Most Simmental cattle are solid in coloring. In the late 1980s and early 1990s there was a large push to rid Simmental cattle of the spots and diluter genes. Because of this push a large number of traditionally colored Simmental cows were bred to purebred Angus bulls. Over the next decade progressive breeders worked to breed their Simmental Angus cross cattle back up to a 7/8 blooded Simmental, also known as a purebred. Today it is common for Simmental cattle in North America to be both Homozygous Polled and Homozygous Black.

Question: 'Charolais' and 'Semental' are both breeds of what?
Answer: CATTLE