Polski Związek Hodowców Bydła Simentalskiego, PZHBS
DER POLNISCHE FLECKVIEHZUCHTVERBAND

FEDERATION OF CATTLE BREEDING AND ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION ORGANISATIONS IN SOUTHERN GERMANY

Breeding and isemination

In 2007, 3.4 million head of Simmental cattle were housed in Germany altogether, including 1127 million dairy cows. 79% of the entire cattle stock are under milk control (887,223 milk recorded cows) and about 94% are inseminated artificially. These figures show an active breeding population of 834,000 dairy cows. All in all there are 17 accredited breeding associations with 19,000 herdbook breeders owning 663,618 herd-book cows. In the German beef cattle herdbook, Fleckvieh is the leading breed. 11,000 herd-book cows were registered in the beef Fleckvieh herdbook in the year 2007, which is approximately 18.2% among the beef breeds. The number of first inseminations performed with Simmental cattle semen was 1,653,470 in 2007, i.e. 37.5% of all inseminations.

Milk yield

In 2007, 633,426 dairy cows in herd-book farms reached milk performance figures of 7040 kg milk, 4.12% fat, 290 kg fat, 3.50% protein and 246 kg protein. This is an increase of 186 kg milk in comparison to the year before.

Lifetime production

2785 Fleckvieh cows reached the limit of 70,000 kg of milk in 2007 and were decorated with longevity badges.

Meat yield: Meat performance data of Fleckvieh bulls are evaluated at performance teŁting stations (ELP), progeny teŁt stations (NKP) and in the field (auction data, slaughterhouse data) (FLP). The average daily weight gain was 1250 g within ELP in Baden-Wurttemberg on days 112?350 (115 bulls), 1364 g within the auction bulls (1825 bulls) and 1452 g within the NKP in Bavaria on days 112? 450 (356 bulls). There are many data available out of numerous slaughterhouses: 212,000 young bulls slaughtered at the age of 19.3 months were characterized by 699 kg of live weight, 696 g daily net gain, 58.3 dressing percentage, 407 kg carcass weight and 3.68 EUROP grade.

Type classification

In total 49,721 teŁt bull daughters aged 31.3 months were described by the linear method on farms. The average height at cross was 142.5 cm and chest girth was 200.8 cm. In all regions, comparison animals are included on every farm.

Breeding programme

Supra-regional breeding programmes are in progress in four breeding units. In 2007, 574 dual-purpose Fleckvieh bulls were teŁted. Around 30 bull sires are selected to be bred to 5000 selected bull dams. As far as embryo transfer is concerned, 501 flushings resulted in 5,110 transferable embryos.

Breeding value estimation

The new Total Merit Index (GZW) introduced in 2006 (milk index 38%, beef index 16% and fitness index 46%) was accepted very well by the Simmental breeders. The newly formulated breed target is now included in the stud-book rules of the breeding associations.

Marketing

The markets for breeding and productive livestock were developing very favourably in 2007. The total amount of animals sold was about 227,000 (+3821). While the sale of breeding and fattening calves was constant with about 195,000 animals, female breed stock underwent a great increase. Nearly 29,000 female stock were recorded over the last 10 years, including 11,100 exported animals (+3900 in comparison to 2006!), another record since 1998. Fleckvieh was exported into 18 countries, with Russia (3769 head), Poland (1066 head) and Netherlands (802 head) as the principal customers.

Other points of interest:

 


Red Rose


Goldfee

 

Polski Związek Hodowców Bydła Simentalskiego z/s w Odrzechowej
Adres: Odrzechowa 1, 38-530 Zarszyn
tel. (013)-467-11-72, fax (013)-435-91-20, e-mail:simentale@simentale.pl