Turriff Show is gearing up to welcome the biggest entry of Simmental cattle in the UK next month when it will host the Scottish Simmental Club’s National Show.
An impressive 100 head of Simmentals from 21 of Scotland’s top breeders are destined for the event, with cattle set to appear from herds as far afield as Caithness and East Lothian.
The breed show will take place alongside the livestock judging on the Monday and will be judged by well-known breeder Dorothy Moffat of the Innerwick herd at Dunbar.
Initially set out to be a hobby, Dorothy founded the herd in 1981 with a cow and calf outfit from the former Teviot herd and it has since grown into 50 pedigree cows alongside 20 Simmental crosses.
Dorothy Moffat of Innerwick appointed judge
Daughter Louise also runs her own small pedigree herd under the Braidwood prefix which was founded in 1998 after Dorothy gifted her a twin heifer.
The herd has produced two overall champions at Stirling Bull Sales and Innerwick bulls have sold to five-figures.
Meanwhile, a bull from Louise’s Braidwood herd achieved the reserve champion ticket in May and sold for 8,500gns.
Bulls and females are also sold regularly from home and cattle have been exported to the Czech Republic, Italy and Ireland. Innerwick sired calves can even be found in China.
Dorothy has judged at many local shows, as well as Stirling Bull Sales, and in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
She said: “It is a huge honour to judge this year’s Scottish National Show and I’m really looking forward to seeing quality cattle.
“The entry is testament to how many breeders there are in the country and it’s appropriate to be hosting the event in the north-east where the Simmental breed features heavily.
“On the day, I will be looking for an animal that has strong commercial attributes with style and a good well rounded animal with breed character.
‘Entry is testament to how many breeders there are in the country’
“Simmental breeders are a great bunch of people and I really enjoy attending the shows and sales to catch up with them.”
Richard Pettit, of the Spey-Bay herd at Fochabers, is a council member and secretary of the Scottish Simmental Club.
He said: “This year’s event has attracted the largest entry of Simmental cattle in the country, with more entries forward than the likes of the Royal Highland Show and the other national shows in the country.
“Thank you to the exhibitors for supporting it, some of which are breeders entering for the first time, and to Turriff Show for accommodating us.”
Bigger entry than any other show in the country
Iain Kerr, general manager at the British Simmental Cattle Society added: “There’s a tremendous momentum in the Simmental breed at present not just in the north-east of Scotland but throughout the country and the UK.
“The Simmental’s benchmark is their milk fertility, calving ease, temperament, and abilities to rear a fast-growing calf without creep feeding.
“Add in that AHDB data continues to show the breeds advantages in age at slaughter, daily carcase gain, and reduced finishing costs, and it just gives commercial producers the added efficiency and value of super maternal performance with top-class carcase traits.”
