|
Report
by Dan Evans,
World Federation Representative
Report on the Council meeting of the European Simmental
Federation in Poland, on 27-30 August 2008 which was held
in Krakow at the National Research Institute of Animal Production
in the Balice Palace, where 15 out of 20 member countries
attended.
After a welcoming speech by the Polish President
Edgar Benes, the European Simmental President Josef Kucera
reported on the idea that all members should report their
various activities, so that a calendar could be produced
to let all E.S.F. members know what is happening in the different
countries.
Secretary George Rohmoser also appealed for co-operation
and explained that in a total of 10 million cattle, 80% were
dairy cows in Europe, 1.5 million registered in the herd
book, with 150,000 breeders with an average of 15 cows per
herd. I understand that 12,000 dual-purpose cows are plan
mated resulting in 1,100 bull calves being tested, and only
1,000 beef type cows being mated with a result of 30 bulls
being tested.
He also gave a report on the accounts, which
had no significant change. Potential new countries waiting
to join the Federation were Norway and Rumania with Observation
countries Albania, Bulgaria, Russia, Spain and Nordisk Fleckvieh.
Future development of the Federation, to form a Beef congress
meeting, performance tests, type traits, EBV and Breed marketing.
Hungary invited us all to attend the 28th Congress of the
E.S.F. at Lake Balaton the largest lake in Central Europe
in Siofok Hungary, from 22nd to 27th September 2009.
The
meeting closed, and after a very late lunch the delegates
were then taken on a short tour of the city before going
on a very interesting tour of the Wieliczka Salt Mines, which
were established 700 years ago, they took us to three levels
from 64 to 135 metres deep below ground, the route was 2.5
kilometers long with 400 steps down and a lift to return
to the surface.
On the Friday we had a four-hour coach journey
to Malopolskie Biotechnics Centre in Krasne where they paraded
20 of their 200 Simmental Bulls, which were very dairy type,
but well presented. After which we travelled another hour
to Lancut for lunch at the Palace which is now a museum and
home to an extraordinary collection of horse-drawn carriages.
We then traveled another 2 1/2 hours to Sanok through the
mountains to arrive at our hotel for a dinner with the local
dignitaries and breeders of the area.
 Saturday we visited
the Experimental farm of animal production at Odrzechowa
with the largest herd of Simmental cattle in Poland, totaling
1500 ha. Arable land 430 ha. - Maize, wheat and rape being
grown. Grassland 742 ha. 1150 animals with three breeds being
kept – Simmental (930) Polish Red and White (30) and
a small herd of Herefords, they also have 100 Hucul Horses
which includes 40 mares, they are used for horse riding (trekking),
and a new enterprise, 21 Carpatian Goats.
The Simmentals
were being milked, mostly kept loose housed in cubicles with
a low roof and not a lot of sunlight. Moving on next to the
National Simmental Exhibition in Rudawka Rymanowska where
80 head were judged by a panel of three Judges, all the stockmen
were in green dungarees and caps with yellow shirts, looking
very smart, they led their animals from either side the best
they could! The juniors followed, 7 to 10 year olds showing
about 25 calves again all dressed very smartly in uniform
but not much control over the calves, but quite a spectacle.
At the show there were Regional Championship of Hucul Horse
50 to 60 head and quite a lot of trade stands.
At 5pm, we
traveled back to Krakow a three-hour journey which concluded
the E.S.F. in Poland. As we were unable to get a flight back
to Birmingham till Monday night we went to Warsaw 300k away
for two days, and were invited to meet the President of the
Polish Beef Association, Jerzy Wierzbicki and Andrzej Pazdzior,
we had a very good 11/2 hour discussion. They are trying
to get a E.U. grant to develop their beef production and
were enquiring about feeding rations, expected D.L.G. what
killing out percentages we get and what grades we expect
with beef Simmentals. Their aim is to get semen and cattle
to compare with other beef breeds.
Concluding, we met a number
of members that had been on our World Congress and they were
all very complimentary.
|
