Speckle Park International magazine - 2022 edition
Carcase results
Teenagers prove their mettle in steer preparation at EKKA A Speckle Park infused steer came up trumps in the Woolworths Premier Carcase competition at the 2021 Royal Queensland Show. Called Winston, the steer was exhibited by teenagers Hayden Beattie and Gabriella Stokes, Lockyer Valley. The steer won the 260-280kg CW class, followed by champion mediumweight and grand champion carcase.The 271.4kg carcase dressed at 64.96 per cent, had 5mm at the P8, 4mm of fat at the rib, and an eye muscle area of 102sqcm. Both the champion and reserve champion scored 86 points with the winner determined by meat yield percentage. The teenagers were equal winners in the overall led steer jackpot competition. The steer had been bred by Greg and Christine Bell at Kingaroy. The carcase sold to the Breakfast Creek Hotel, Newstead, for $20/kg dressed to return $5428 on a Stocklive online auction. Woolworths was the losing bidder. Hayden works as an apprentice butcher at M & K Butcher Brothers, Lowood, for his father’s business JDH Fitting Service and in his own cattle stud.
Hayden Beattie practices paddock to plate with his own cattle and as an apprentice butcher. Image: M & K Butcher Bros The popular led steer competition was limited to a carcase competition due to COVID-19, with all cattle processed at Nolan Meats, Gympie. The King Street junior champion steer winner was a 225.2kg Speckle Park cross carcase from Scots PGC College. The carcase yielded 62.92 per cent, measured 6mm at the rib and rump, and had a 75sqcm eye muscle area. The school’s Cattle Club, under the guidance of Peter Collett, had put in a huge effort to prepare the steer, with the EKKA the pinnacle event on their show calendar.
Speckle Parks win taste test shoot out in Brisbane
“To win the award for 2021 proved what Speckle Park breeders and enthusiasts knew about the meat quality and eating attributes, so to be recognised by the consumers was brilliant,” she said.
Speckle Park beef tickled the taste buds of diners and emerged triumphant in this year’s Battle of the Breeds at Brisbane’s Norman Hotel.
“Thanks again to JBS, the Norman Hotel and the other breeds involved.”
The taste test shootout was between Speckle Park, Charbray, Brahman and Santa Gertrudis with diners asked to rate four 100gram pieces of sirloin served with traditional sides and sauce. Norman’s Best Breed is the steakhouse’s opportunity each year to focus purely on beef over brand, with the general public assessing the flavour, tenderness and overall liking on a simple score sheet of 1-10. Samples were taken from feeder cattle bred across eastern Australia and fed under a 100-day program at JBS Australia’s Beef City feedlot, Toowoomba.The historic Norman Hotel is one of the city’s biggest and best-known steakhouse pubs with a seating capacity of 550 diners and a meat display cabinet as big as any butchery, turning over close to a tonne of premium steak cuts each week.Fine meat texture, moisture and juiciness were the characteristics which stood out in the Speckle Park sample served at the awards lunch.
Diners were asked to rate the steak on a scale of 1-10.
Todd and Dean Missingham, Dorroughby Speckle Park, and Stacy Warriner, Bethvide Speckle Park, represented the breed at the award’s announcement. “From my experience with what I have supplied to friends and family, and what they have told me about the taste, is that it’s the best meat they have ever tasted,” Dean said. “We do finish all of ours in a small feedlot and make sure they have fat around the tail so they aren’t underdone. “I have one friend who supplies the meat to his friends that have travelled the world and they all say it’s the best they have tasted, so definitely a common theme there, mainly due to the marbling and tenderness.”
10
Speckle Park International chief executive officer Hannah Bourke said the breed society was excited to be selected by the team at the Norman Hotel and JBS Australia to be included in the 2021 Battle of the Breeds.
Speckle Park breeder Dean Missingham collects the award for Norman’s Best Breed from executive chef Frank Correnti.
