The World Simmental Federation is founded in Zagreb/Croatia on 24th September on the occasion of the 11th general meeting of the European Simmental Federation. Delegates from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Czechoslovakia, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, Uruguay, USA and Yugoslavia are present.
The Federation aims at the promotion of the breed by means of:
The World Simmental federation has its headquarters in Zollikofen/Switzerland. Its official languages are German, English and French. Spanish is added later on.
Meetings of the presidency and of the general secretariat are held in Zollikofen/Switzerland as well as in Denver/Colorado in order to discuss organizational and technical matters.
Young bulls have been subjected to progeny tests over a decade now in European Simmental cattle breeding.
At the beginning of September the first general assembly and the first World Simmental-Fleckvieh Congress are held in Pretoria/South Africa where also an introductory and a concluding committee meeting take place. Delegations from 16 African, American, European and Oceania countries take part in these events. The numerous foreign visitors can convince themselves of the suitability of Simmental Fleckvieh for an extensive exploit of the steppe and the bush. Simmental cattle is also made dual proposal of on farms of intensive cattle breeding in the south of Africa.
Simmental cattle obtain good results at a comparison of breeds at the research institute "Mara" in the northern Transvaal.
A magnificent cattle show on the occasion of the 37th "Pretoria Show" makes great impression on the visitors. More than 1.900 cattle of 19 different breeds are shown in a perfect condition.
With 480 cattle Simmental has the biggest share. 13 million cattle are bred in the South African republic altogether.
In March a committee meeting is held in Salzburg/Austria. Financial issues are settled; the membership for life is introduced. It is decided that the magazine of the Federation, "Simmental News", will be extended. The mutual acknowledgements of pedigrees as well as the standing orders are discussed.
The situation of Fleckvieh cattle breeding in "Austria is dealt with in specialist lectures. 63% of the total number of cattle, i.e. more than 1,5 million Simmental cattle are being bred in Austria at the moment. The cows included in the Austrian herd book of Fleckvieh yield an average of 4.700kg of milk with 4,15% of fat per lactation.
Up to the age of one year young bulls increase approximately 1.270g in weight per day when fed normally.
In March a committee meeting is held in Paris. I is decided that an international pedigree will be introduced and that the breeding standard will be laid down. "Simmental News" reaches its 12th edition. The French hosts greatly impress the participants in the meeting both by their "Concours General Agricole", at which Montbeliard cows, which yield exceedingly much milk, are presented, and by their stockbreeding research institute in Jouy-en-Josas. At he moment much research is done in the field of embryo transplantation in France.
The standard that is aimed at includes:
In July two committee meetings as well as the second general meeting, i.e. the second World Simmental-Fleckvieh Congress in which 19 of the 20 member countries take part is held in Calgary/Canada. Three teams are set up to work out the fields of finance, hornless ness and genetic defects.
In lectures that arouse much enthusiasm, Simmental cattle is examined from the point of view of large-scale beef cattle breeding and the world market of beef. The cattle obtain good results, which are considered to be justified in the face of the inspection of show cattle breed herds and feedlots with thousands of cattle.
A big parade and rodeo performances within the framework of the Calgary Stampede make a great impression.
It is now eleven years since the first Simmental bull, i.e. the famous Parisien n.1 , was taken from Burgundy' to Canada in 1967. In one year 3,5 million dollars are earned by selling its sperm.
In November a committee meeting takes place in Dijon/France. The outcome of an opinion poll about breed qualities, which was carried out in 18 countries, is analyzed. Most countries announce a continuous increase in the number of cattle. Reasons for this are the suitability of the cattle for dual proposal (according to the original Fleckvieh countries/Europe), as well as the increasing volume of the body, the qualities as beef cattle and the good maternal qualities of the cows (according to the new Fleckvieh countries/ America and Oceania).
Regulations concerning the exchange of sperm and embryos are laid down. The freezing of embryos is almost feasible.
On 24th February 1979 at 5 p.m. (according to press reports) the first French calf was born after an embryo transplantation at the Loire where the first successful artificial insemination of the world was effected in 1885.
Big dual proposal Simmental cattle are presented at the foire Saint-Martin.Exactly 100 years have passed since the first Simmental herd book was founded in Switzerland, the country of origin of the breed, in 1879.