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Advances in Fertility through Genomic Technologies
Fertility is a complex, polygenic trait that is concerned with an animal’s quality of being fertile or its ability to conceive offspring.
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New Staff Member
It is with great pleasure that we welcome Charné Visser to the Simbra team.
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Fertility Trait Block Accuracies for Index Reporting
The Simbra society moved over to the new selection indexes earlier this year where there is significant emphasis on fertility (Days to Calving and Scrotal Size) in all three indexes.
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Feedback on Bleka Information Day
On the 14th of June Bleka Simmentalers and Simbras hosted their annual beef information day. The day was very well attended by commercial farmers from the area and was very interactive.
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Interpreting Genetic Condition Reports
Pompe disease is a lethal inherited genetic disorder leading to acid maltase deficiency. This leads to a buildup of glycogen in muscle and nerve cells and impairs normal tissue function.
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UFS Course 2023
On 23 and 24 May 2023, the Simbra Society held a beginners course for the University of the Free State (UFS). Many thanks are extended to Mr Chris Richter who generously hosted us on his farm outside of Bloemfontein.
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Royal Show 2023
The royal show took place from 26 May to 4 June 2023 in Pietermaritzburg. The KZN Sim Club hosted both the Simbra and Simmentaler breeds at their Royal showground’s clubhouse for the last time.
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The DNA Pipeline
The office has put together a useful resource that explains what is required in every column of the DNA3 Producer Submission (780) Form. This resource is available on the Simbra website and can be downloaded for your convenience
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Interpreting Genetic Condition Reports
Double muscling is associated with muscular hypertrophy (increase in the number of muscle fibers) and arises from a mutation in the myostatin (MSTN) gene.
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Bloemfontein Show 2023
Joshlin Simbra, Blue Water, Eastern Cape, competed at Bloemfontein show, May 2023.
Thursday 4 May, simbras were judged by the very experienced Jaco Mare and Carl Rautenbach.
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Council meeting feedback
Congratulations are extended to Mr Diethelm Metzger who was elected as Vice-president
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Reminder: Simbra Spring Showcase
Please save the date and take note of the Simbra Spring Showcase events happening between the 4th and 9th of September 2023 in Parys at the Afridome
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Inbreeding and Inbreeding Depression
In its simplest term, inbreeding is the result of mating closely related individuals. Inbred offspring are more likely to inherit recent copies of the same allele from each parent
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Beef Cattle Information Days
As part of Simbra’s mission to provide quality service and leadership to both it’s members and the broader industry – on the 15th and 16th of March the Simbra Society, with the sponsorship of Plaasmedia and Molatek hosted two Beef Cattle Information Days.
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Club Information Days
Op die 17 November 2022 het Sentraal Vrystaat Klub ‘n baie suksesvolle bees inligtingsdag by Edenburg Golfklub gehou. Die dag was goed geondersteun
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CUT Simbra Beginners Course
On the 2nd and 3rd of March, the Simbra Society held a beginner’s course for the Central University of Technology (CUT). Mr Phillip Viljoen was kind enough to host us on his farm outside Bloemfontein.
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New Breedplan Software and Selection Indexes
The Simbra society moved over to the new selection indexes and also moved onto a new version of Breedplan (V6.2). This newer version of Breedplan contained some updates to the models, particularly for the Days to Calving Model.
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Benefits of Ultrasound Scanning
The need for accurate, objective and reproducible measurements of body composition has long been of interest in livestock production. Real-time Ultrasound (RTU) scanning is not only a measure of the physiological makeup of an animal, but also an indication of carcass traits
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Simbra Semen te Koop!
Jacmar Magnum (JM1925) is a proven stud sire, who comes out of one of the best lines in the Jacmar herd.
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New Staff Member
The Society received a number of requests in the last breeders meeting to make someone available to assist breeders with the capturing and submitting of data to the Simbra office.
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Rain and its effect on Roundworm Infections
Internal parasites such as roundworms (nematodes) regularly infect ruminants. High infection burdens can have a detrimental effect on the health and production of the animal.
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Body Condition and Breeding Season Performance
It is well known that reproduction is the most important factor in determining profitability in a cow-calf enterprise, and the poor reproductive performance is directly linked to body fat in beef cows.
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Developing Farmers Information Day
The Simbra Society is committed to providing quality service and leadership that promotes genetic progress within the breed and ensures a high return on investment to our valued members.
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New Structure in the Primary Red Meat Industry
The primary role players in the red meat industry, namely the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (RPO), the National Emerging Red Meat Producers’ Organisation (NERPO), the South African Feedlot Association and the Red Meat Abattoir Association requested the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP) to set a vision for 2030 for the red meat industry.
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Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (CMS)
Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome, more commonly known as CMS is caused by a deletion of the homozygous base pair 20 (470del20), the function of this base pair is to code for the epsilon subunit of the acetylcholine receptor at the neuromuscular junction.
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Breeders Manual
The English version of the Breeders Manual has arrived, and the Afrikaans version is currently at the printers. This Breeders’ manual aims to provide Simbra breeders with the essential information,
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Welcome to new breeders
We would like to welcome the following new breeders to the Simbra family
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LRF Stockman School
The LRF is committed to educating Livestock Farmers, emerging through to stud, to improve their farming enterprises and to become more profitable.
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Simbra Spring Showcase Highlights
On the 7th of September Simbra held a breeders meeting, important details relating to the 2023 financial budget, breed improvement and breed standards were addressed and discussed with the breeders.
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Myostatin (Double Muscling)
Myostatin is found in all mammals and influences the protein that controls muscle development. Natural mutations of the gene produce proteins that are less effective at controlling muscle development, and often results in increased muscle mass (Double Muscling).
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Farmer’s Day – Terugvoering van Fiducia inligtingsdag
Fiducia het ‘n uiters suksesvolle inligtingsdag aangebied wat deur 90 mense by gewoon is. Die Steenekamp familie se passie vir hul Simbra beeste was nie net aanvoelbaar nie maar aansteeklik.
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Feedback from Mpumalanga Club Information Day
At our AGM in March 2022 the importance of Clubs and Regional Representatives were identified as a strategic intervention. From March to date this strategy was implemented and many Simbra events were arranged throughout the country with great success and positive feedback from the attendees.
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Foot and Mouth Disease
Many farmers have been affected by the recent “lockdown” placed on the movement and sale of cattle due to Foot-and-Mouth disease (FMD).
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Pompes – Generalised Glycogenosis
Generalised Glycogenosis (GSD-II), more commonly known as Pompes, is a lethal inherited genetic disorder which
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Farmers days
Bleka Simbras het op die 16de Junie ‘n baie suksesvolle inligtingsdag aangebied. Daar was spesifiek gefokus op die ontwikkeling van ‘n doeltreffende koeikudde.
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Feed Efficiency – Net Feed Intake
The overall aim of beef cattle breeding is to improve profitability through genetic progress.
Semen Bank
A reminder that there is a Semen Bank available for advertising of AI Bulls. You
Inspections
Inspections serve as a quality guarantee of phenotypic characteristics for the buyer of a registered animal and ensures that all registered animals comply with the minimum breed standards.
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Training days and courses
Over the past few months there have been a number of Simbra Courses that have taken place.
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Farmers day – Mica Simbras
Farmers days are a great opportunity to get together with like-minded breeders and showcase your cattle and share from each other’s experiences.
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Regional clubs
Clubs are elevated by our constitution as one of the important corner stones of the Society.