Welcome

 

 

Rainbow River Simmentals is a family run purebred Simmental seedstock operation located outside of the small town of Fisher Branch, in the Interlake region of Manitoba, Canada. We represent the second generation in breeding purebred Simmental cattle, continuing the program that my parents established under the name 'Lazy Rainbow River Ranch' back in 1981 with the purchase of their first registered purebred Simmental bull. Our farm currently consists of 200 red and black Simmental cows, all of which are registered purebreds, and also 1000 acres of grain land.

 

 

Our Focus:

 

Disposition: First and foremost, it is mandatory that our cattle have docile temperaments to make them easy to handle at all times. If any bull or female does not have a quiet disposition, they are culled - no excuses. Our 'zero tolerance for bad attitudes' policy has always been strictly enforced. In turn, we receive many compliments on the good dispositions of our cattle. 

 

Sound Structure: Soundness is paramount over all other phenotypic selection criteria in our program. A sound foot, as well as sound leg, joint and overall skeletal structure is imperative for ensuring longevity and a strong structural foundation capable of withstanding our rugged Interlake conditions.

 

Udder Quality: Functional udders that facilitate newborn calves nursing without assistance are of utmost importance. We select hard for balanced udders with tight suspension and small teats that are equally spaced. These traits result in udders that are problem free for the lifetime of the cow.

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Fertility & Easy Fleshing Ability: For our program, these two criteria go hand in hand. A short 50-day breeding season is utilized each year to insist on high fertility. Our herd is fed forage-based diets year round. We do not feed corn silage and grain is only supplemented minimally, on an as needed basis. This management strategy helps us naturally select for fertile, easy-fleshing cattle who thrive on forages.

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We like our cattle to be functional, balanced, big volumed, moderate framed, and exemplify the milk production, growth and natural muscle expression that the Simmental breed is known for. Strict culling ensures only the most productive cattle remain in our program. Artificial insemination and embryo transfer are used extensively to infuse superior genetics and uniformity into our genetic base. We typically implant approximately 100+ embryos from our powerful donor battery every spring. We also firmly believe in complete and accurate data collection and reporting. Why? Because it's impossible to reach a target or improve something if it is not measured. 

 

Our bulls are sold in our Annual Online Bull Sale held on the last Wednesday of February/ first Wednesday of March, depending on the year. Select open heifers, bred females and embryos are sold in our Online Production Sale on the third Monday of November each year. Females, semen and embryos are also occasionally sold privately off the farm or consigned to fall sales normally held in November and December. We like to use the show ring as a marketing tool and also as a fun way to keep in touch with our friends in the cattle industry. However, with raising a young family over the past few years, we've taken a temporary break from showing, with plans to get back on the show road in the future. Alternatively, we love showing our cattle to visitors on the farm! We welcome tours at any time of the year, but summer pasture tours are especially popular and we enjoy giving visitors a thorough walk-through of the herd. If you're ever in our area, please feel free to contact us to arrange a herd tour.

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Cheers,

Jennilee​​