A bull beef finishing trial at Dungannon Meats Ltd., Northern Ireland showed that the top performing Simmental bulls achieved daily liveweight gains up to 2.7 kgs per day over the 98 day period. The group averaged daily gains of 2.08 kgs throughout the trial.

Finished Simmental bulls by 13 months

This group of animals finished between 13 and 15 months of age with Killing 0ut percentages averaging 57.8% - the top animal achieving 60.3%. Carcase weights levelled at 377 kgs.

0ne quarter of the group classified at ‘E’ grade with the remainder all at ‘U’s. Equally three quarters of the carcases had a fat cover at classification ‘3’ with one quarter as 4Ls.

Commenting on the trial, David Chestnutt, Beef Procurement Manager at Dungannon Meats, said:
"The daily liveweight gains of this group of purebred Simmental cattle was terrific. It provided us with an excellent batch of carcases and demonstrated the potential for beef farmers to profit from a very positive cashflow in their business as it is practical to finish such high growth rate stock at 12-13 months of age."

The cattle were fed a complete diet mix. The proportions in each tonne were 750kgs crimped wheat supplemented with 150kgs each of soya and citrus pulp plus 35kgs of chopped straw and beef minerals. In addition, they had access to barley straw.

"Some of these Simmentals were taken through to heavy weights to monitor the impact on growth rate and fat deposition," continues David Chestnutt.
"The two heaviest came in at 710 and 715 kgs liveweight by 401 and 388 days of age respectively. While their liveweight gains averaged 2.19 kgs\day, their carcases graded at E4L and U3. While still delivering a carcase fit for the market, in a practical situation we wouldn’t recommend taking cattle quite so far in weight terms, but we did this to show how far it is possible to go with this type of cattle.

"It is quite clear that the vast majority of Simmenal can provide our target carcase weight of 380 kgs by 12 months of age, and that must provide the opportunity for sound business," concludes David Chesnutt.

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