The relationship between body measurements and growth test results of Simmentaler bulls. The relationship between body measurements and performance of 664 Simmentaler bulls was investigated. Phase C data from three departmental performance testing stations, namely Irene, Vryburg and Cedara, were used. The bulls were divided into five types according to shoulder height and body length, type 1 being the short, dumpy bulls and type 5 the well-off-the-ground, longer bodied and later maturing bulls. Highly significant correlations (P < 0,01) were established between shoulder height and body length with average daily gain (ADG), average daily gain per day of age (ADA), and fine' mass. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was negatively but favourably correlated with body measurements. Partial correlations showed that body length exercised a greater influence on performance traits than shoulder height. Multiple correlations between performance and body measurements showed that the combined effect of body length and shoulder height had a more significant effect on performance than when considered separately. Furthermore, a significant correlation (P < 0,01) was found between the average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). This relationship indicated that selection for growth ability can indirectly increase the feed conversion rate with the advantage that it could eliminate the necessity of individual feeding of animals to evaluate this trait.