Luke Bowman with ASA says the Marketability of SimGenetic Cattle has Never Been Hotter

Listen to KC Sheperd talk with Luke Bowman about Simmental genetics.

Farm Director, KC Sheperd is visiting with the Director of SimGenetic Development at the American Simmental Association, Luke Bowman, about the latest in the Simmental cattle industry. Sheperd and Bowman talk first about the American Simmental Association board meeting that recently took place in Montana.

“The board meetings in Montana a couple of weeks ago were really productive,” Bowman said. “Although, generally, the January board meeting is a slower meeting for policy development because that is when the new trustees come on the board, and there is a lot of orientation, we did pass a policy and make some resolutions that are very productive.”

One resolution passed, Bowman said, including putting several hundred thousand dollars into a research project involving carcass data on Simmental genetics.

“We are continuing a research project we call the Carcass Expansion Project where we are seeking out carcass data on Sim Genetics or related cattle, so they don’t have to be purebred Simmental cattle, but we are following them all the way through the feedlot and as fabricated carcasses to collect those data measurements to better enhance our genetic evaluation,” Bowman said.

Bowman said the association is also working to develop a percentage Simbra show for national, classic and regionals on the junior side.

“We know that is going to open the door for a lot of juniors that have some percentage Simbra cattle or crossbred Simbra cattle,” Bowman said. “It will give them an opportunity to exhibit that on our national platforms.”

The ASA is working to move many things into the digital realm, Bowman said, including moving to digital registration papers.

“We are going to be working with the shows, especially in Oklahoma and Texas, to get them to allow the use of digital registration papers for the kids when they are showing at these jackpot shows, rather than the paper certificates,” Bowman said.

Bowman also talked more about the Simbra breed, which he said are genetically five-eight Simmental and three-eights Brahman cattle.

“These animals allow for adoption of Sim genetics in the gulf coast region,” Bowman said. “So, from Florida all the way to Texas, and up into Oklahoma and the hotter climates.”

These hybrids, Bowman said, are tremendous in terms of growth, maternal ability and longevity while allowing the thriftiness and quality that come with Simmental cattle to adapt to the southern climates.

While the Simbra breed is only around five percent of the SimGenetics population, Bowman said it is an important breed that is growing in the south.

Bowman said the American Simmental Association was pleased with the breed’s performance, progress, and support at Cattlemen’s Congress, the National Western Stock Show, and just last week- the Forth Worth Stock Show.

“The marketability of SimGenetic cattle, whether it be to the commercial producer, or the kid that wants to show at the jackpots, has never been hotter, so it is a great time to be part of the ASA,” Bowman said.

Regarding EPD’s and other genetic progress, Bowman said the association has been working on heifer pregnancy EPD’s, which is a genetic prediction of fertility in females at a younger age. Bowman said they are also working on an EPD for high altitude disease.

“There is a heart problem amongst cattle,” Bowman said.

Some cattle go into congestive heart failure in feedlots from becoming too heavy and too hot, Bowman said, but those problems show up earlier at high altitudes.

“Simmental is investing lots of genetics and research on trying to figure out which animals can handle higher altitudes, and which animals are thriftier on the feedlots, to prevent some of these things we have seen through social media,” Bowman said.

In two weeks, Bowman said he will be traveling to Australia to work on trade among frozen genetics.

“There is a big demand for what we call ‘modern Simmental’ in Australia, so they are importing a lot of semen and embryos from the states, and so I am going down to visit with a lot of producers and ranchers to help them understand our genetic evaluation and help them understand pedigrees, help them understand why Simmental are generally solid colored and polled today compared to what they were 30 years ago. It is going to be a great trip,” Bowman said

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