A Simmental breeder who has been on the frontline during the breed’s improvement over the last 10 to 12 years is Robert Macgregor, Kirkton of Mailer, Perth.
A member of the Simmental Society council for 12 years and past chairman of the Scottish Club, Robert Macgregor has enjoyed seeing weight gain and conformation figures for the breed progress over the years, and now it is securing an increased market share despite a declining national herd. His own herd reflects this trend, and he has put his faith in the breed by replacing all his commercial cows with pure-breds, which he runs on a commercial basis, producing breeding heifers and bull beef as well as a few bulls for sale at Stirling and privately.
Kirkton of Mailer farm has been in the family for nearly 100 years. Robert is the third generation of Macgregors to run it, helped now by son Kevin. Wife Diane shows soft-coated Wheaten terriers, and second son Lewis is doing a PhD in sports science at Stirling University.
The 560-acre farm has an idyllic setting in the Earn Valley, with arable land overlooking the River Earn and about 250 acres of LFA rising above the house to around 360ft above sea level.
As river levels have risen and rainfall increased in the 2000s the fertile, loamy soils are now all in spring cereals.
Robert said: “I remember my father telling me that he had only seen the river come over the banks once in his lifetime. However, since 2000 it has come over nearly every year, ruling out the possibility of winter cereals.”
For the last 12 years the arable land has been contracted out to neighbouring farmers John Sloan and Roy McGregor, while Robert gets all the straw back for feeding and bedding.
He also maintains about 30 acres of rotational grass for silage.
He said: “There were several reasons for making this difficult decision, not least the fact that I needed to buy a new combine.
“Also my sons were still at school and I did not know if they were coming home to farm, and the good young chap I had working for me left for Australia.”
He does not regret the decision, which leaves him more time to concentrate on the cattle; it was then that he decided to focus on pedigree.
He has gradually replaced the commercial cows with heifers from his Team Simmental herd, and now the 70-strong closed herd is all pedigree.
The high health status of the herd it is BVD accredited and Johnes risk level one means he has a good regular market for any excess heifers.
Simmental bulls were used on the commercial cows previously, but the pedigree side all started in 1988 with a cow called Kirkforthar Natasha bought from Jim McGowan, followed shortly afterwards by some females from the Arkmill and Milnafua dispersals.
However, Robert said it is the bulls he has chosen which have been the biggest influence on the herd.
In 2004 he bought Tilbrook Noble for 5,000 gns at Perth. Now he can trace most of the females in the herd back to him including Team Misty 5th, which was reserve interbreed junior champion at the Highland Show in 2009 followed by champion at Perth Show.
Her son, Team Douglas by Auchorachan Winger, is destined for Stirling on Monday and is in the top 1% of the breed for growth, eye muscle and carcase traits.
Auchorachan Winger, which was bought for 10,000 gns in February 2010 from Michael Durno, has “clicked” with the females at Kirkton of Mailer, and his first son, Team Celtic, made 11,000 gns in 2012 to Alex King at Wolfstar.
So far eight sons of Winger have been sold, to average £7,500.
The most recent addition to the herd is Boswell Cracker, bought last February for 10,000 gns from Douglas Smith, Drumsleed. Robert is excited to see his first calves on the ground next month.
The best-price bull sold by the Team herd (Team stands for Together Everybody Achieves More) so far was Team Banker in February 2012, which was by the home-bred Team Volvo out of Team Kasey 4th. He made 17,000 gns to John Dykes’ Mendick herd.
The cows are split spring and autumn calving, so he can easily get away with just two stock bulls, and he has bulls to sell at both October and February sales.
The spring herd calves inside and the bull calves split from the heifers after the bulls come out.
Bull calves are creep fed at grass, and all the calves are weaned at housing in November.
The autumn herd calves outside, and the calves are creep fed over the winter.
All the cattle are fed home-grown silage, with the cows getting straw and minerals too, while the youngstock are fed a blend.
Heifers are kept together and those being retained in the herd are calved down at two-and-a-half, while the remainder are sold for breeding.
Bull calves are kept entire and, apart from a dozen or so each year which are potential sale or stock bulls, the rest are finished at 13 months and 720kg liveweight and sold to ABP. Robert pointed out that last year they averaged £1,640.
He said: “There is no reason to keep bulls for sale unless they are exceptional and I am very critical of my own stock, only separating out the very best for potential breeders.”
He said: “All the bulls over the last few years have been ‘U’ grades, which shows how much the breed as a whole has improved its conformation; 10 years ago they would all have been ‘R’ grades.”
As a council member he was one of the people responsible for the Simmental breed switching from Signet to Breedplan for recording.
However, he said: “I think EBVs are a tool which can be used to help choose a bull, no more and no less. If used correctly they can be a useful management tool.”
His herd is recorded but Robert does not push for figures; he prefers to rear the bulls naturally.
He said: “Repeat custom is more important to me than selling one bull for a very high price. I have breeders who come back time and time again for bulls because they are fit and ready to work.”
The bull pens have access to a paddock and the bulls actually prefer to be outside most of the time, only coming in during the worst of the weather.
Despite this Team Douglas, which is being sold on Monday, has the top figures in the catalogue, while the other two bulls are not far behind despite being twins.
Robert is confident about the future of the Simmental breed, which is now being recognised for both maternal and terminal traits.
He pointed out that 90% of the bulls sold at Stirling head to the north east, Caithness and Orkney the latter having the most highly populated area of beef cattle in Europe.