Champion of Champions Bull
It’s been a long time between drinks for the Bassingthwaighte family and the Santa breed, but they placed top of the bulls during the 2017 Champion of Champions competition at the Royal Queensland Show. The impressive Santa Gertrudis sire, Yarrawonga Fixer, took the eye of judge Brett Nobbs who placed the bull in first over a show ring full of top sires. It’s been at least 20 years since a Santa won the Champion of Champions bulls with the Bassingthwaighte family also exhibiting that champion bull.
Champion of Champions female
New South Wales Limousin breeder Donna Robson, Flemington Limousins, Batlow has watched the Champions of Champions being judged for many years and often hoped and dreamed that one day she would win. And at Ekka in the RNA centre ring her dream became a reality when her exhibit Flemington Cupcake L3 claimed the Champion of Champions interbreed female award. Flemington Cupcake is by the home-bred sire Flemington Exception E19 from Summit Magic H1. Mrs Robson and her husband Ian, have been breeding Limousins since 1994, and this was their first time exhibiting at the Ekka.
Champion of champions pair
The Charolais continued to stake their claim as one of the best breed duos at the Royal Queensland Show and were rewarded for their "sheer power and performance" by judge Brett Nobbs when they were named the Champion of Champions breed pair at Ekka 2017.
It was the combination of champion female, TCW Livestock Kristal and her calf Magic Mike, owned by TCW Livestock, Delungra and champion bull, Colinta Levi, owned by Stephen Hayward and Brendan Scheiwe, Allora and Marburg who took out the title.
This is the eleventh time the Charolais team has taken out the pair title since 2004.
People’s Choice
Success continued for the Bassingthwaighte family when their bull and female were voted the People’s Choice Pair of Champions at Royal Queensland Show 2017.
Pain relief delivered at MDH
IT was a case of seeing is believing. A squirt of the blue gel from the purpose made applicator onto the wounds left by the dehorning, branding or, in the case of bull calves, castration, and the job is done.
But it’s the behaviour of those young calves almost immediately after leaping up from the branding cradle that is perhaps the most impressive. Despite having just undergone these invasive animal husbandry practices, only minutes later they stand with their mates appearing calm and relaxed.
There is no headshaking, no calves lying down, and no obvious distress. Most impressive is there is no visible bleeding. In fact, because of the barrier the blue gel creates across the entire wound, it is hard to even see the wound.
That was in August when Queensland Country Life visited major pastoral company MDH to see the use of the Bayer pain relief product Trisolfen on its Cloncurry property, Devoncourt. The product will be used on more than 40,000 MDH calves from next year, pending final registrations.
Trisolfen is now an integral part of its husbandry practices at branding. Partly because it reduces the stress imposed on the young animals, partly because it helps guard against infection, and partly because it is part of bigger picture of ensuring that on-farm animal husbandry practices are inline with consumers expectations.
Mount Isa-based vet Ed Butterworth, North West Veterinary Clinic, who helps oversee the 170,000 head MDH herd is clearly impressed with the effectiveness of the now commercially available pain relief product. “It’s easy to use and obviously effective,” Dr Butterworth said. “The behaviour of the calves suggests they are obviously under less stress once the pain relief has been applied.”
Initially developed to provide pain relief for lambs after mulesing, Trisolfen is a pain relieving and wound healing formulation that has short term and long term analgesia, antiseptics, reduces blood loss and coats the wound. It costs between about a $1 and $1.50 to treat each animal.
The gel is described as best suited to calves aged six to eight weeks and is designed to provide pain relief for 24 to 36 hours.
$110,000 record Angus bull
THE Qld record price for an Angus bull was broken in August with Carabar Docklands L36 selling for $110,000. He was bred by Darren Hegarty, Carabar Angus, Meandarra, and purchased by NSW breeders Shane Adams, Vince Larkin and Sharala Ramsey. The 74 sale bulls averaged $9318.
Barnaby in citizenship strife
The dual citizen saga exploded in August when it was reveled Deputy Prime Minister, Barnaby Joyce was a dual citizen of NZ with his father born there. The matter was referred to the Court of Disputed Returns to assess Mr Joyce’s eligibility under section 44 of the constitution, relating to dual citizenships. Eventually Mr Joyce was forced to a by-election which he comfortably won in December.
CQ Carcase Classic
The Central Queensland Carcase Classic held their annual awards dinner in August and it was Lawson and Linda Geddes, Couti-Outi, Marlborough, who walked away with the big prize, with the grand champion carcase. Taking out the most successful exhibitor award was David and Julie McCamley, Palmal, Dingo.
Shannon Coombs, Meurl Plains, Rockhampton, took out the highest individual weight gain award from class 10. Class 10 was a new addition to the competition this year, and was a feed-on class of a pen of three steers, maximum four teeth, 300-420kg carcase weight.
Churchill shuts
The fragile nature of the domestic beef processing industry was exposed in August with the shock announcement Churchill Abattoir at Ipswich would cease operations on September 28. Churchill Abattoir provided a service kill to Woolworths and processed 600 cattle daily, but had reduced it’s kill from five days to four days each week. Director of Churchill Abattoir, Barry Moule said stock shortages and high cattle prices had had a devastating impact on the business. Both Churchill and Woolworths said the decision to cease killing at Churchill had been mutual.
Food Heroes – Tully
In August we headed to Tully for the final forum in our Food Heroes series held at a banana packing facility owned by Mackay Farms. Hosted by Cameron Mackay (pictured), the forum was a great success with Mr Mackay taking attendees through the business model and how the family-run operation had reached such great heights. He provided an insight into how the family are managing waste by creating new markets, processing seconds for the baking industry.