Genetics

Charolais cross and Angus claim RAS Beef Challenge domestic and 100-day titles + PICTURES

Alastair Rayner, 09/09/2019

Guy & Suzi Lord Bring Plains Walcha and Ben Hiscox BJA Agencies

HIGH-performing Charolais x Angus entries claimed the overall domestic market title, while straightbred Angus entries topped the 100-day grainfed class in the RAS of NSW 2019 Sydney Royal Beef Challenge finalised last week.

More than 500 animals were entered into both classes this year, with teams of six judged live earlier at the host Wilga feedlot near Bellata, before being judged against other criteria including:

  • Feedlot performance – assessing both Average Daily Gain, Feed Intake and Dressing Percentage
  • Market Grid Compliance – with each team assessed to meet a defined optimum target for domestic and export categories
  • Carcass Assessment – Fat specifications, Meat Yield, and Eating Quality
  • Eating Quality – MSA Index and for the Export teams taste testing.

In addition to these criteria, overall champions were awarded to the team and individually highest scoring animals in both the domestic and export categories.

Chairman of the RAS of NSW Cattle Committee, Greg Watson, congratulated the exhibitors ahead of the awards presentation in Tamworth on Friday night.

“It’s been an extremely difficult year, and to have a full competition with cattle from across NSW entered is testament to exhibitors’ dedication,” he said.

Mr Watson identified the importance the competition has in providing commercially relevant information that “was as comprehensive as possible.”

“Hopefully you can use the results to shape your program over coming years,” he told exhibitors.

70-Day Domestic Class

A total of 53 teams from across NSW contested the 70-Day domestic class. As previously reported in Beef Central, live judging at Wilga feedlot produced a win for Guy and Suz Lord, Branga Plains Pastoral Co, Walcha, with a team of Charolais x Angus steers, with Texas Angus placing second. Mala Daki Simmentals produced the best individual animal.

The winning teams in the feedlot and carcase judging divisions were:

Feedlot Total category: First place went to the Branga Plains Charolais x Angus entries, with second and third place to Truro Herefords. JA Langan exhibited the individual best animal.

Carcase Grid (awarded to the teams and individual animals that were within the optimum specifications): First went to a Santa Gertrudis x Angus group entered by JB Carpenter, while Branga Plains exhibited the individual animal most compliant with the grid specifications.

Carcase Judging: The consistently-performing Branga Plains team was placed first, with best individual carcase selected from a pen entered by the O’Reily family.

In the most profitable 70 day category, the Texas Angus team was placed first, with the individual animal entered by Ambrose Doolan; while in the MSA Index points, standings Hobday Nixon’s Angus team was placed first.

Based on their consistent all-round ability, the Champion Domestic Team was awarded to Branga Plains Pastoral Co with a total of 789.59 points, while the champion individual animal was awarded to Mala Daki Simmentals with 140.78 points.

100-Day grainfed Export Classes

A total 29 teams were entered in the 100-day export classes, with the cattle processed at Kilcoy Global Foods in southeast Queensland. The live judging held earlier saw Texas Angus recognised with both the first place pen and individual animal.

Following judging which included taste testing as part of the Sydney Royal Fine Foods awards, the export class awards were as follows.

Feedlot Total category, Yugilbar Pastoral Co entered the winning team, and the individual animal, with Santa Gertrudis.

Carcase Grid (awarded to the teams and individual animals that were within the optimum specifications) was won by Texas Angus pen, while the best individual animal was entered by the Brown family from Northern NSW.

Carcase Judging was closely contested, with a team entered by the MacCue family from Wilga feedlot narrowly edging out the team from Yugilbar Pastoral Co.  An individual animal from the MacCue team was awarded first place in this class.

In the most profitable 100-Day category, the Texas Angus team was placed first, with the best individual animal entered by the MacCue family; while in MSA Index points, the McKinnon family were awarded first place.

In the Taste Test judging, Ambrose Doolan, Isla Angus Coonabrarbran entered the team that was recognised in first place, receiving the RAS Perpetual Consumer Trophy for the taste test results.

In a clean sweep of the Champion Export class results, the Texas Angus team scored 746.325 points to take the broad ribbon, with an individual animal from the pen scoring a total of 155.43.

Photo credits: Danni MacCue.

At rear, Greg Ewatson RAS Cattle Committee Chair, Ben Mayne, Judy Mayne, Lisa & Ambrose Doolan. Front Wendy Mayne, Mike MacCue Wilga Feedlot

Jen, Jason & Jacqui Impey of Mala Daki Simmentals – Champion Individual 70 day domestic class

The Doolan Family of Isla Angus Coonabrarbran won the taste test competition among 100-day entries

Wendy Mayne (Texas Angus) collects awards for most profitable, carcase grid compliance and over champion in the 100-day class from Alastair Rayner RAS of NSW Cattle Committee 

 

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