Six central and southern breeders assembled a field of 140 steers for the 2018 Brangus Carcase Competition and Open Day.
Last weeks Open Day at the Maudsley family enterprise, Nangur Downs Feedlot, Tansey, saw the completion of the competition as far as the feedlot section of the event was concerned.
This years contestants included Wowan breeders, Mark and Katrina Brown, Lancen Creek, Ron and Narelle Hanson, Bindaree, Murgon, Greg and Alicia Magee, St Omer, Capella and the Edward and Kara Quinn and family, Voewood, Calliope. Brad and Nicole Saunders, Thendara, Wowan also re-entered the competition as well as first time competitors, the Dickins family, Nulambie, Theodore.
After 100 days feed the HGP free trade steers were slaughtered on June 15 and processed through Nolan’s Meats Abattoir, Gympie.
Each team involves seven steers with the best six carcasses being judged. The final results of the trial will announced at an awards dinner at the Bracken Ridge Tavern, Brisbane, on August 8.
Looking at the data available on the Open Day the highest daily weight gain was recorded by a Voewood steer that gained 2.60kg/day for the period. Voewood also claimed the runner-up in the weight gain with another team member recording a 2.49kg/day.
Across the board the steers gained on average 1.9kg/day. Highest gainers as a mob for the competition were the four groups (28 head) entered by the Saunders family, Thendara, Wowan, which on average gained 2.15kg/day with the highest group at 2.19kg/day and the lowest 2.11kg/day.
The highest individual group (seven head) in the competition gained 2.38kg/day for the owners, the Quinn family with their team of 56 head averaging 2.12kg/day.
Commenting on the competition and it’s outcome at the Open Day and Australian Brangus Cattle Association (ABCA) Board Member, Edward Quinn said “the event gives producers and breeders an opportunity to become involved and witness first hand the benefits of this great breed and at the same time receive valuable feedback on their cattle’s performance”.
“Our inaugural competition (2016) drew a field of 146 steers, last year saw 126 entered and this year’s field of 140 would have been considerably larger had it not been affected by a rain event that saw two exhibitors (35 head) not being able to enter at induction time,” Mr Quinn said.
“With the competition now open to Brangus and Brangus-cross cattle we encourage producers to contact us for more information on the 2019 competition on 0418 716 442 or the ACBA on (02) 6773 3373,” he said.