Breeding and Genetics
From its beginnings, over a hundred and fifty years ago, the beef herd at Hill View Farms, primarily consisted of Angus cattle. The Pollok family immigrated from Scotland to Pittsylvania County, Virginia in the mid-1800s. Angus cattle, originating from the northeastern region of Scotland, were the family’s breed of choice. Angus cattle have a solid black hide and are naturally polled (born without horns). These cattle are usually moderate in size and tend to have good marbling characteristics in their beef. The Polloks began crossbreeding their Angus cattle with Simmental bulls in the 1980s when they learned they could produce higher performing calves to sell at the local livestock market. This was about the same time that the Rakes family began raising registered Simmental cattle to produce herd bulls for sale to farmers in the area.
Why Simmental?
The history of the Simmental breed dates to the Middle Ages. The name Simmental is derived from the name of the area where the cattle were first bred – the Simme Valley in Switzerland. Simmental are the second largest breed by population in world second only to the Brahman breed. Simmental cattle can now be found on six continents and account for more than half of all the cattle in Europe, that a big leap from their very humble beginnings. The popularity of the breed in Europe was originally due to four features – milk, meat, good temperament and use as draft animals. Although there is very little need these days for draft animals, high muscularity, milk production and calm disposition are still key to the success of the Simmental breed. The traditional colors of the breed in Europe remain in shades of gold, red and white with clearly defined patches. The Simmental breed in America is predominantly black or red, with occasional white facial markings and white utters. Generations of selective breeding have created a breed of cattle that are highly adaptable, heavily muscled individuals that produce high yields of tender, sellable meat with a minimal amount of waste fat and good marbling. Crossbreeding Simmental with Angus has proven to produce quality hybrid cattle that add good growth with a larger frame which in turn produces better beef yields with increased milk production. These cattle are referred to as SimAngus cattle.
Our Breeding Program
Rocky Hill Cattle Co. produces registered pure bred Black Simmental and SimAngus hybrid breeding stock. These cattle are bred predominantly by artificial insemination with some of the top performing bulls from their respective breeds in the country. Our females that aren’t A.I. bred are bred with our own herd sires. We take special care selecting the best herd sires available to breed our herd of registered cattle each season to create the best genetic pairings possible. Our goal is to produce heavy muscled, fast growing cattle with calm dispositions. Our females are heavy milk producers with exceptional maternal instincts. The result of our dedication to our herd is reflected directly in the performance of each animal that is produced from our breeding program. Whether you are interested in a breeding bull or replacement females to build or improve your herd, we have the cattle that will perform for you. But if you don’t own a pair of muck boots and the thought of mending fences day in and day out doesn’t appeal to you, we can still accommodate you with some delicious, all natural beef to throw on your grill.