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Origins of the breed

Simmentals originated in the Simmen valley in Switzerland. Throughout the last 200 years the Simmental breed grew to become Europe’s dominant dual purpose beef/milk breed. Over the past 50 years, the Simmental breed spread to other continents, including North and South America, Africa and Australasia, where Simmentals are predominantly used for beef production.

Today, the Simmental breed is present on all continents and with 41 million animals is the second largest breed in the world.

In the last decade of the last century and first decades of this century the breed was utilised for milk, beef and draught purposes in Europe and for extensive beef production in Namibia and South Africa.

In the late sixties and during the decade between 1970 and 1980 the breed which had been changed to a dual purpose breed for milk and beef, established itself on all the continents.

Simmental cattle are healthy, hardy and show an excellent adaptability to the different geographical and climatic conditions. Easy calving, high fertility and long productive lives are, besides the high performance potential for milk and beef, the basis for efficient production.