Cornwall Simmental Club Open Day
Sunday 15th May 2011 saw approximately fifty people attend the club’s Commercial Open Day kindly hosted by Keith, Caroline and Piers (Bert) Hawkey. Visitors travelled from as far afield as Wales and Wiltshire to join pedigree Simmental breeders and commercial beef farmers located throughout Cornwall.
After a welcoming cup of coffee we were transported by tractors and trailers on a tour of the Sowenna Herd. The three Hawkey brothers decided to split up their land and stock to farm independently in 1990. Keith and his family took over 200 acres at Higher Tregolls near Wadebridge, North Cornwall. As the name implies at 500 -550 feet above sea level the land has a LFA status and is in permanent pasture. Running a commercial suckler herd alongside a flock of 250 sheep the Hawkeys tried Limousin and Blonde Acquitaine stock bulls before just by chance buying an 18 month Simmental bull ‘Washaway Jason’ in a local market. The temperament and the growth rates of the resulting progeny impressed and the family were hooked.
A visit to Roy Loud’s Taurus herd in 2004 sparked their interest in breeding pedigree cattle. Some prudent buying at subsequent Bristol sales together with private acquisitions established the foundation for the herd drawing on bloodlines from Beeches, Dinton, Longmead, Lydmarsh, Lynfield, Sway and Woolcombe Valley . Using A.I. they successfully bred Sowenna Tamar by Starline Klassick out of Woolcombe Valley Laura in 2006. Tamar has had a huge influence on the herd running as the main stock bull resulting in EBV figures in the top 5% of the breed and being awarded the EBLEX trophy for most improved Simmental herd in the British Isles in 2009.
Females have been added from the Barost, Beanhill, Killiworgie, Oakhill, Shellthorn, Silver Birch and Sterling herds. Besides using their own homebred bulls , Sirocco, Toby, Womble and Aristocrat There are A.I. calves on the ground sired by Celtic Starbuck, Celtic Rock, Dinton Nautical, Keeldrum Schubert, Samark Superman, Skerrington Legacy, Iris and Midwest.
The bulls are kept entire and weight gains monitored on an ad lib system. Any not considered good enough for breeding are slaughtered at 13 - 14 months at 600+ kilos and regularly return a U+ grade from St Merryn Meat. The Hawkeys have also successfully flushed Dinton Henrietta 6th we saw five embryo calves by Sowenna Tamar, 3 bulls and 2 heifers. Recently the Hawkeys have sold Sowenna Aristocrat to the Skerrington herd in Kilmarnock Scotland.
After a pasty lunch Mervyn Hutchings gave a foot trimming demonstration using a roll over crush and Angus Trotters gave us a talk on the cuts of meat currently in demand by the hotel trade and the qualities butchers look for in a beef carcase. The day concluded with a commercial stock judging competition won by Gethin Lloyd, Crugmelyn Herd, Carmarthen. Our thanks to Master Judge Norman Hawkey.
Jim and Jean Buckland and their family together with other club members took responsibility for erecting the marquee, providing and serving refreshments and tidying up afterwards. Barrie Wynter and Adele James ran the stock judging competition. Everyone’s contribution to the smooth running of the day was very much appreciated.