Barana Simmentals Home page

Barana is a 2300 acre mixed farming & grazing property situated 15km north of Coolah in the North West slopes of New South Wales. With very little rain since February we are once again preparing for a return to the dry conditions experienced over the past 5 years. Unfortunately, after promising rains in December 2007, the expected return to normal seasons did not eventuate.

Barana Simmentals was founded in 1980 on traditional European and New Zealand bloodlines. We began showing at major Royal Shows in 1986, securing many Champion awards and earning a reputation for breeding good, sound, functional cattle. We ceased showing in 2001 after 15 years exhibiting & achieving success at all major shows. Stud Principal, Peter Cook has worked hard over 28 years breeding Simmentals to secure Barana’s reputation with both commercial & stud cattle producers throughout Australia.

Barana is the largest Simmental breeder in the eastern states with the stud herd including 200 registered breeders. Great importance is placed on breeding for ease of calving, milk production & fertility & females must be able to rear a calf under natural conditions.

Barana has endeavoured to breed bulls that produce steers that are quick growing with good carcase characteristics and the ability to finish. We have achieved success in the Australian National Field Days Grass-fed Steer and the RAS NSW Feedlot JapOx Competitions. Our clients have also achieved results with Barana bulls in carcase judging competitions where their progeny are consistently dressing out at 58% & outdoing other breeds in weight for age. Refer to our “Achievements” page.

In 2000 Peter purchased Karewa Jester, a polled son of the renowned German sire Eizenherz from Karewa Simmental Stud’s dispersal sale in New Zealand. This bull has bred very well in Barana’s poll programme. German genetics have been utilised with Zimbo who has produced some very good progeny of which one bull, Barana Zulu has been retained in the Stud. Zulu has produced some outstanding calves which are represented in this year’s sale. Another of our sires who is breeding well is Gowrie Yankee. Several of his sons are included in our 2008 sale & display similar characteristics to their sire. Barana Yeardleigh is also well represented the sale with some exceptional progeny on offer.

2008 saw Barana venture into the black Simmental market with the aim of meeting the needs of our clients. We purchased a dozen black Simmental females which have since been implanted with embryos from Canada. Barana’s black Simmental will complement our existing herd and the breeding programme will aim to produce black cattle with similar characteristics to our traditional Simmentals.

The annual Barana Bull Sale is the premier Simmental sale in NSW and the Barana Sale is the biggest offering of purebred Simmentals by a single vendor in Australia. This year we will conduct our 8th Annual On-Farm Bull Sale on Thursday 3^rd July at 1pm. Peter has made the decision to sell earlier to better accommodate our client needs. On offer will be a draft of 51 bulls, polled & horned including three black Simmentals as well as 10 specially selected heifers in a line-up equal to the best in any breed.