NSW and WA sweep carcase prizes

The competition has been making big gains, with 582 carcases assessed from 194 entries across Australia.

A chuffed John and Liz Manchee, Manchee Agriculture, Narrabri, won the ANZ Achievement Award Overall Champion Carcase, with an MSA index of 89.7.

The MSA index ranges from the 40s to 70s and is calculated by giving a specific value to different cuts on a carcase.

This was the couple’s first time entering the competition at Beef Australia, but they have been quietly picking up awards at most of the carcase competitions in their region.

“My father entered his first carcase competition in 1971 and I would like to dedicate this to him – he’s not well – and he set the platform,” Mr Manchee said.

Lawson and Linda Geddes, Couti-Outi Brangus, Kunwarara, with Elizabeth and David Hill, Clarkwood, Clarke Creek, catch up at the ANZ National Carcase Competition awards dinner. Click on the image to view a gallery from the event.

The secret, he said, was pure hard work, dedication and staying focused.

The Manchees run predominantly Shorthorn and composite Durham Tropicals – a Shorthorn and Santa Gertrudis-cross – and focus heavily on the meat, carcase and performance.

“The MLA-funded research and development trials for Durham Tropicals has helped our genetic gain over the last 10 years,” Mr Manchee said.

“Performance recording plays a big role and we focus on getting that right, and we certainly see the results sky-rocketing since the research trials.”

The Manchees also won two other classes in the competition: Class 5 pen of three heavy trade chiller steers or heifers grain-fed – 260.1-340 kilograms; and Class 6 pen of three export chiller bullocks grain fed – 300-420kg.

For the second time at Beef Australia, Western Australia’s Gavin and Raelyne Muir, Wyndarra Red Angus Stud, Manjimup, took out the MSA Index Award for the individual carcase with the highest total MSA index.

The pen of six were all in boning group 1 and had an MSA index of 69.36 and the couple attribute this success to the breed’s quiet docility.

“I put a lot of time into it,” Mr Muir said, who also transports his cattle and keeps his truck slow in order to keep their stress levels down.

Entering this competition did take effort, he said, from weaning the stud calves at the end of October and then picking out the bigger muscled calves.

After a month, the group was pared down, and then again after another six weeks.

“We don’t go for carcases but go more for a self-replacing herd, and we'll put our bulls to the heifers for six weeks and for cows, nine weeks.”

Fellow Western Australians Bruce and Gaye Campbell, Keysbrook, won three awards: Beef Australia reserve champion pen award (pen of three classes 1-6), Beef Australia highest pen award (highest scoring pen of three – classes 1-6) and ANZ achievement award reserve champion carcase.

The Campbells could not make it to the awards, but neighbours Kelly and Michele Fleming represented them.

“Bruce has won a lot of carcase competitions in Western Australia, but this is the icing on the cake,” Ms Fleming said.

The final top prize went to New South Wales producers, Guy and Suzanne Lord, Branga Plains Pastoral Company, Walcha, who were awarded MSA index award (group of three carcases with the highest total MSA Index Classes 1-6).

The couple has been supplying their cattle from their New England property directly to Stapleton Family Butchers in Sydney for the past 16 years.

“These cattle are cross-bred and we are trying to mix the genetics for good maternal characteristics for on-farm and good carcase for production,” Mr Lord said.

The operation consists of 2500 breeding cows of mainly Herefords that are used in a cross breeding program with Angus, Charolais and Shorthorns.

“We spend a lot of time on managing our pastures, and have different tiers of pasture for breeding, growing and finishing,” Mr Lord said.

“I am so supportive of the MLA and MSA grading system, as it gives us an ability to learn about cattle.”

Entries into the competition increased dramatically from the previous Beef Australia, with 582 head from 194 entries up from 336 head from 112 entries.

The purpose of the competition is to give feedback to producers about the compliance of beef carcases to market specifications, yield of saleable meat and predicted eating quality of those carcases.

“It allows producers to benchmark cattle from around the country, from their normal production systems and normal turnoff,” competition’s committee chair, David Hill said.

Processing began in June last year and finished this March to allow producers to get their animals through at peak performance.

Beef Australia representative Janine Lau has visited 17 processing plants around the country in that time and graded every animal in the competition.

The competition is divided into grass-fed and grain-fed classes, and within these two categories there are another three categories: medium trade – 180-260kg; heavy trade – 260.1-340kg; 300-420kg. Entries are made up of pens of three.

This criteria has been set up to best reflect the current requirements for each market segment.

The carcases are judged on a score out of 100, made up of 40pc on MSA index, 25pc market specification, which are P8 fat, meat colour and distribution, and 35pc on saleable meat yield – rib fat and eye muscle area.

Class 1: Pen of three medium trade chiller steers or heifers crop or pasture fed – 180 – 260kg: AS&M Campbell; 256.96.

Class 2: Pen of three heavy trade steers or heifers crop or pasture fed – 260.1 – 340kg: Waverley Station Pty Ltd; 241.91.

Class 3: Pen of three export chiller bullocks crop or pasture fed – 300 – 420kg: MH&GA deJonge; 250.87.

Class 4: Pen of three medium trade chiller steers or heifers grain fed – 180 – 260kg: Cooloola Blondes; 241.37.

Class 5: Pen of three heavy trade chiller steers or heifers grain fed – 260.1 – 340kg: Manchee Agriculture; 249.38.

Class 6: Pen of three export chiller bullocks grain fed – 300 – 420 kg: Manchee Agriculture; 246.55.