Northern Ireland milk producers are reaping the rewards of a new initiative to show how the use of Simmental genetics can maximise profits from the dairy herd.
Working with Cogent Breeding, the British Simmental Cattle Society has distributed more than 1500 straws of semen to Northern Irish dairy farmers from the heterozygous polled bull, Fallhills Marvel 21 (P). Carefully chosen for his figures and performance, Marvel is in the Simmental breed’s top 1% for calving ease; top 5% for shortness of gestation length; and top 10% for 200, 400, and 600-day growth. A bull that has been through his calving survey, he is producing easily born calves that grow and develop quickly.
From publicising the initiative through the NI Simmental Breeders Club, and also a Dale Farm Group publication, some 42 NI dairy farmers have now been allocated more than 1500 straws of Fallhills Marvel 21 (P) semen, distributed by Cogent Breeding.
Andrew Clark who farms at Tynan, Co Armagh, said: “Beef production to increase profit margins on dairy farms has become so important. Where dairy farmers are using Simmental genetics we’re seeing the marketability of these calves, and a real lift in sale prices. Through giving this free semen we want dairy farmers to see and experience these Simmental advantages at first hand. All we have asked in return is farmers agree to feedback information on ease of calving, the growth and weight of the calves, and how they go on to market. In what is the first phase of this initiative we have really been delighted by the level of interest.”
Keith Nelson who runs a mixed farm in Rosslea, Co Fermanagh alongside his family, milks 120 pedigree Fleckvieh and Holstein cows in a robotic system and run a small suckler beef herd, and a bed and breakfast pig system.
Keith uses sexed semen for retaining replacements and a Simmental bull covers the rest. Through 2025, akin to general market trends, Keith welcomed noticeably higher prices for his beef calves sired by the Simmental bull Aghalaan Norton, bred by fellow Fermanagh farmer, Gavin Aiken.
From averaging approximately £500 for calves sold anywhere between eight and 30 days of age this spring, Keith has now seen prices from £830 to highs of £1180, selling both privately and at market. This has continued into 2026, and on March 11, Mr Nelson sold two, four-week-old Simmental-sired calves, out of Fleckvieh dairy cows, for £950, and £920 – the top two prices at a sale of 80+ dropped calves at Dungannon Farmers Mart.
Keith Nelson said: “In the past we’ve used British Blue genetics as well as Aberdeen Angus, however we’ve found that the Simmental has outperformed on both a weight and price basis. We use a Simmental bull, which works well in our system, and we really see the all-round benefits in fertility, calving ease, growth, temperament, and in the marketing of the calves.”
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