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Beef Cattle Breeds

Simmental Cattle: From the Simme Valley to Every Inhabited Continent

One of the oldest and most widely distributed cattle breeds, valued for size, milk and fast growth.

Where Do Simmental Cattle Come From?

Simmental cattle are named after the Simme Valley in Switzerland. The Oklahoma State breed profile calls the Simmental one of the oldest and most widely distributed cattle breeds, and says red and white cattle of this type appear in western Swiss property records before the first herd book was kept in the Canton of Bern in 1806.

The Swiss Parliament limited cattle exports in 1785 because of a domestic shortage, and the Swiss Red and White Spotted Simmental Cattle Association was formed in 1890.

A Dual-Purpose Breed

The breed is known for imposing size and strong dairy qualities, with red and white spotted coloring. The Oklahoma State page lists its uses as milk, butter and cheese production, draft work, and beef, where it is valued for fast growth.

That mix explains the many local names. The same page lists Fleckvieh in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Pie Rouge, Montbeliarde and Abondance in France, and Pezzata Rossa in Italy.

How Far Did the Breed Spread Before 1960?

The page estimates 40 to 60 million Simmental cattle worldwide, with more than half in Europe. A few animals went to Italy as early as the 1400s. In the 1800s the breed spread across Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Russia, and reached South Africa in 1895. Guatemala received the first Simmental in the Western Hemisphere in 1897, followed by Brazil in 1918 and Argentina in 1922.

Spread was gradual until the late 1960s.

Early Attempts in North America

Reports of early imports to the United States include Illinois around 1887 according to one source and New Jersey in 1895, with others around 1916 to 1920 in New York and New Mexico. An 1896 Breeder's Gazette advertisement referred to Simmenthal cattle.

These early imports did not gain lasting interest, and the breed's influence faded until the late 1960s.

The 1967 to 1971 Breakthrough

In 1967 the Canadian Travers Smith imported the bull Parisien from France, and semen was introduced into the United States that year. The first half-blood Simmental calf was born in the United States in February 1968, and the American Simmental Association was formed in October 1968. The first purebred bull was imported to the United States in 1971.

Elsewhere, Great Britain, Ireland and Norway followed in 1970, Australia in 1972, the World Simmental Federation formed in 1974, and cattle were shipped to China in 1976. A Simmental history page and a Tri-State Livestock News interview with the association give the association's own view.

What Made It Work

Simmental took off in North America only when importers could pair a proven European breed with the crossbreeding wave of the late 1960s. The documentation supports the following points.

The Oklahoma State page does not give weights or breed standards, so those are omitted.

  • A breed with milk, beef and draft uses suited many farm systems.
  • A herd book dating to 1806 gave pedigree credibility.
  • Semen and live imports in 1967 to 1971 got around the limits on live cattle imports.
  • Quick association formation followed: October 1968, months after the first half-blood calf.
  • The association now registers about 80,000 cattle a year in its Simmental and Simbrah herdbooks, per the page.

Learn More

The American Simmental Association ranks among the top four US beef breed associations by annual registrations, according to the Oklahoma State page. For more history, see the ranching section of farm.FM or a farm.FM story about Simmental cattle.

Timeline

  1. 1785Swiss Parliament limits cattle exports
  2. 1806First Simmental herd book, Canton of Bern
  3. 1890Swiss Red and White Spotted Simmental Cattle Association formed
  4. 1897First Simmental in the Western Hemisphere reaches Guatemala
  5. 1967Bull Parisien imported to Canada
  6. 1968First US half-blood calf in February; American Simmental Association formed in October
  7. 1971First purebred bull imported into the United States
  8. 1974World Simmental Federation formed

Frequently asked questions

Where do Simmental cattle come from?

Simmental cattle come from the Simme Valley in Switzerland, in the Canton of Bern. The first herd book there dates to 1806, and the breed is now found on all six continents.

Are Simmentals beef or dairy cattle?

They are dual-purpose. Oklahoma State's breed profile lists milk, butter and cheese, draft work and fast-growing beef among their uses, which is why many countries know them as Fleckvieh or Pie Rouge.

When was the American Simmental Association formed?

The American Simmental Association was formed in October 1968, a few months after the first half-blood Simmental calf was born in the United States in February 1968.

Sources and further reading

Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.

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