It was the battle of the British breeds in the Royal Queensland Show cattle rings today with New South Wales claiming the stake in the Devon competition.
Vic Edwards of Vix Stock Breeding, Coonabarabran claimed both grand champion female and grand champion bull.
The winning bull Vix R2D2 was born in February 2020 and weighed in at 854 kilograms, with an average daily gain of 0.96, a P8/Rib fat depth of 11/8 milometers and an eye muscle area of 121 square centimeters.
The champion bull was born out of sire Vix Mambo M217 and dam Vix Brassy M215.
The champion heifer went to Vix Lilly Q28 born in January 2019 who was the genetics of sire Vix Krypton K157 and dam Vix Lily N93.
No stranger to the winners circle, Mr Edwards said it was always a thrill to win.
"It's always an excitement every time you do it," he said.
"We've been breeding Devon cattle for about 35-years. The Vix stud has been going for about 20-years."
Mr Edwards said he was originally a Hereford breeder, but delved into the Devon world due to the nature of the Coonabarabran landscape and Devon tenacity.
"I do a lot of AI work and I got involved in doing a cross breeding trial in the 1980's that involved crossing the breeds," he said.
"I had thought Hereford were much better performing cattle than Devon, but 200 cows running on the same country side by side in the same paddocks, I realised in the good years, the Hereford's would outgrow the Devon's, and in the bad years, the Devon's would outgrow the Hereford's by about the same amount.
"There was virtually no difference between the two breeds. In other words, the Devon's were a bit better foragers when times were tough."
Mr Edwards said he admired the quality genetics of his winning animals.
"I like his carcase quality, he's a moderate frame bull," he said.
"As far as the carcase quality, the meat quality and the days to finish, the breed perform really well.
"Devon are a moderate frame breed. Devon's weigh heavier than what they appear because they've got a lot of depth of flesh all over the animal.
"They're not as long in the leg, but it's the body volume that weighs. They've got great body volume."
Competition judge Rachael Constable said the grand champion bull displayed quality attributes.
"He had plenty of thickness, plenty of growth and plenty of volume through his hind quarters," she said.
"He walked out very well. I just admire his masculinity through the head and neck area.
"He is also a little bit tidier through that neck area."
Ms Constable said the grand champion female also showed plenty of promise.
"She's a beautiful, roomy cow, showing plenty of capacity," she said.
"But she still has that refinement through the front end. She walks out very well."
Results
Breed: Devon
Judge: Rachael Constable
No. of exhibits: 20
Junior champion bull: Vix Rhyolite R47, Vix Stock Breeding
Reserve junior champion bull: Little Manning Sovereign, Ge & Br Edwards
Junior champion female: Gowan Ross Linda S142, Alison Heap
Reserve junior champion female: Little Manning Sparkle, Ge & Br Edwards
Senior champion bull: Vix R2D2, Vix Stock Breeding
Reserve senior champion bull: Ro Ern Regent R4, Craig Bloomfield
Senior champion female: Vix Lilly Q28, Vix Stock Breeding
Grand champion bull: Vix R2D2, Vix Stock Breeding
Grand champion female: Vix Lilly Q28, Vix Stock Breeding
Zoe Thomas
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
Northern based journalist at North Queensland Register and Queensland Country Life.
