| 21 Bringing superior genetics to the public Kerrah Simmentals was founded when the Knauf family recognised the superior performance of the Simmental cross cows in their crossbred herd. Anne Boswell RURAL PEOPLE » Kerrah Simmentals Australasia’s most pre-eminent Simmental stud, Kerrah Simmentals, is bringing its superior genetics to the public for the 11th time this May. The Kerrah Simmentals annual sale, to be held on Tuesday, May 19 at 1pm at Tangiwai Station, is a celebration of over 20 years of Simmental breeding by the stud’s founders, Kevin and Colleen and Jon and Sam Knauf. The stud, located in hill country north of Wairoa, will put 80+ rising two-year-old bulls up for sale, with Kerrah Kingdom and Kerrah Kilowatt and Kerrah Joker some of the better-represented sires in the catalogue. All bulls are polled, with over half homozygous polled. “It was a conscious decision to move that way,” Jon says. Kerrah Simmentals is run alongside a commercial sheep and beef operation on 1,400 effective hectares. The cow herd comprises 600 fully registered females – 500 spring calving and 100 autumn calving – with all progeny carried through. Operating in true commercial conditions, Kerrah’s cattle must prove their ability to thrive on challenging hill country, competing with ewes for resources. The Kerrah breeding programme prioritises functional, high-performance cattle, selecting for docility and structure balanced with good estimated breeding values (EBVs), with the goal being to produce easy-calving, fast-growing polled animals that finish well before their second winter. Kerrah Simmentals was founded when the Knauf family recognised the superior performance of the Simmental cross cows in their crossbred herd, in growth, fertility, and milking ability. The foundation herd was built through the acquisition of leading Simmental genetics from Puriri, Ailsa, and Rissington studs. Performance recording is at the heart of Kerrah’s breeding philosophy. Every cow in the herd is registered and fully recorded through Breedplan, allowing for precise genetic evaluations. The large herd size provides meaningful comparisons, resulting in breeding values that are 10% more accurate than those of other Simmental studs selling 20-monthold bulls. Jon says that while the Simmental breed’s growth rate and yield remain the biggest attractions for commercial farmers, other genetic aspects are at play. “We’ve worked hard to improve polled genetics, and we’ve also focused on docility, ensuring our bulls are easy to handle,” he says. Each bull sold undergoes comprehensive DNA testing, guaranteeing accurate parentage verification, polled status and testing for important genetic traits such as the dilution gene, which influences coat colour. This reassurance is important to Kerrah SimAldridge Contracting For your Hay and Balage needs Steve 027 395 1833 KERRAH SIMMENTALS PROUD TO BE WORKING WITH mental’s customers; the sale consistently attracts a regular client base of commercial and stud clients from all over New Zealand, as well as new clients. The large offering of bulls presents an opportunity for all budgets to source good bulls. Despite anticipation building for the sale, this year’s event will carry a tinge of sadness: auctioneer and agent Phil Transom, who has conducted the auction for the last 10 years, passed away suddenly last year. “Phil has been an integral part of our business and sale day since it started, and there is sadness that he won’t be involved this year,” Jon says. “He will be deeply missed.”
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