Barana Simmentals

Over 28 years of breeding Simmentals I have worked hard to be true to Barana’s motto of “Breeding Cattle for the Commercially Minded”. Accordingly, I endeavour to purchase what I consider to be the best bulls available both in Australia & overseas to suit my breeding programme & to continue the type I have produced in the past. The inclusion of outcross bloodlines retains the hybrid vigour in our breeding herd. Since introducing the polled gene I have found these cattle perform equally with our horned cattle of the past. I aim to breed a line of straight coloured cattle either red or blonde as we have found they are more sought after than the broken coloured. I prefer loose skinned, fine haired characteristics as these produce a softer, fleshier result..

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

I place great importance on breeding for ease of calving, milk production & fertility and our females must be able to rear a calf under natural conditions. Our stud herd of 200 registered breeders enables us to offer up 60 sale bulls annually. My aim is to breed bulls that produce quick growing steers with good carcase characteristics and the ability to finish.

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

Polled sires which have produced a consistent line of cattle within our herd have been Karewa Jester, Vintage Maverick, Barana Yeardleigh, Barana Yardley, Barana Zulu & Gowrie Yankee. This year I have purchased two new sires Bullock Hills Buster [P] and Corinda Downs Buckshot [AI] [ET] [P]. Bullock Hills Buster is by a South African bred bull Shawacres Nacobi [ET] and Corinda Downs Buckshot is by another South African bred bull Shawacres Jahari 50L.

Some of the females we have bred & shown with success over the years are Barana Galaxy [Supreme Exhibit at Sydney Royal Show at 12 years of age!], Barana Roberta & Barana Venus.