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

Diners were asked to rate the steak on a scale of 1-10.

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

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.

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.

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.” “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.

“Thanks again to JBS, the Norman Hotel and the other breeds involved.”

Speckle Park International magazine - 2022 edition Carcase results

Clean sweep for Speckle Park in the Victorian mallee

Murray Van der Drift and judge Luke Spencer with the reserve champion steer, right, and grand champion, left.

This steer was grand champion on the hoof and reserve champion on the hook.

Black Diamond Speckle Park’s selection for carcase traits were quantified with a domination of all classes in the 2021 Swan Hill hoof and hook carcase competition.

Stud principal Murray Van der Drift exhibited the grand and reserve champion on the hoof and hook, winning all six classes with purebred and infused steers. Live judging was at the Woodward abattoir on October 9 followed by the hook section on October 12.

A registered Speckle Park steer was first in his lightweight class on the hoof and grand champion on the hook. Weighing 391kg liveweight, the steer dressed at 221kg with 10mm of fat at the rump, 8mm on the rib, a 75sqcm eye muscle area, MSA Index of 62.69 for a total of 88.05 points.

The grand champion hoof and reserve champion on the hook was a Speckle Park/Angus steer with a carcase weight of 349.5kg, 20mm of rump fat, 12mm on the rib, 102sqcm eye muscle area, MSA Index of 67.71 and a total score of 87.94.Black Diamond exhibited five Speckle Park cross steers and the competition drew 34 entries from throughout the region and beyond.

“We have been lucky enough to exhibit in the competition since 2017 with great feedback every year and more success, although this is the best so far and will be hard to top,” Murray said.

Andy has the goods on the hook for Rocky High

A Speckle Park steer named Andy met with success in the Central Queensland Carcase Classic 2021 for Rockhampton State High School. Agricultural assistants Andrew Oram and Maddison Watson worked with the students to prepare their steers to win the aggregate champion steer trophy despite COVID restrictions.

Andy had an MSA Index of 63.63 points and an eye muscle area of 86sqcm to win the hoof/hook led steer class. The led steer competition is a strand in the schools Cert II rural operations pathway.

Spots n Dots sashed grand champion at elite steer and heifer show

An aptly named purebred steer, Spots n Dots, has trumped all comers at the Combined Forces Special Steer and Heifer Show by taking out grand champion.The steer was exhibited by Luke Cox and Emily Kahler, and received the nod from judge Pat McMahon. The show was held at the Pittsworth Showgrounds on August 28 and offered $2500 in cash and prizes plus a grid price of 750c/kg dressed through Farmers Choice Meats.

“Spots N Dots has the coolest attitude and is a great example of the perfect cross between Speckle Park and Limousin,” Emily said.

“He was bred by Jen-Daview Limousin from Kingaroy and we purchased him from the blue ribbon sale in November last year.

“We had our sights set on EKKA for his final show but were devastated when it was cancelled.

“However, we were lucky to be able to take him to one last led show at Pittsworth. We were absolutely over the moon to have won grand champion, it was a special moment for us.”

The steer went on to compete at the Colin Say & Co Led Beef Extravaganza at Glen Innes. The Combined Forces Special Steer and Heifer Sale has a proven track record of producing champions on the hoof and hook with the grand champion led steers at Stanthorpe, Allora, Clifton and Killarney shows all sourced from the sale.

This year’s sale held in March at Kalbar showground included an offering of Speckle Park/Limousin cross calves among the 30 lots. The sale is an initiative of Sowden Speckle Park, Kingaroy, and Neil Goetsch, Goetsch and Sons, Kalbar. Among the lots, red Speckle Park ribbon winner, Cookies & Cream, sold for $2400, a Speckle Park/Limousin cross weaned steer fetched $3500, and a Limousin/ Speckle Park unweaned calf sold for $2850. Steers averaged $2666 and heifers $1887. A Speckle Park steer, Spotted Warrior, was the jackpot winner in the Combined Forces Super Steer Series 2020 for exhibitor Travis Luscombe, who bought the steer out of the inaugural 2020 sale. Luke Cox and Emily Kahler with their grand champion steer, Spots N Dots.

The Speckle Park/Limousin grand champion steer, Spots N Dots.

Chumps trumps charity auction at $32,000 for cardiac research

A Speckle Park steer called Chumps raised a stellar $32,000 for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute after being auctioned at the 2021 Sydney Royal Easter Show. The steer was bred by Justin and Amy Dickens, JAD Speckle Parks, Yeoval, NSW and prepared by the St Stanislaus College, Bathurst.

“We were approached by a Schute Bell representative last year and asked to donate a purebred steer for this fantastic cause. We are glad we said yes,” Mrs Dickens said.

The 18-month-old steer was out of JAD 58Y Unique N4, the dam of the $40,000 Australasian record-priced purebred heifer, JAD L260 Unique Q33 sold at the JAD sale to Tony and Liz Sutcliffe, Toebelle Speckle Park. The 2021 Schute Bell Badgery Lumby charity steer was bought by long-time supporter of the auction Paul and Val Ferry, Hurstville, NSW.Sired by Six Star 82U Royal Flesh 101Y, the steer had been named Chumps by the College students, weighed 688kg liveweight and had a P8 of 11mm and rib fat of 8mm. Chumps was prepared on a pellet ration from Conqueror Milling Company, Cootamundra. The St Stanislaus College, Bathurst show team, Max Humphries, Alex Clements, Jack Heffernan, Jack Nunan, Virginia van Gend and Jack Morrison with the 2021 Schute Bell charity steer which sold for $32,000. Image courtesy The Land

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QUIET ACHIEVER

Speckle Park infused heifer shows her style on hoof and hook

A Speckle Park cross heifer was sashed as reserve champion heifer on the hoof at the 5th annual Colin Say and Co Led Beef Extravaganza. Weighing 445kg liveweight, the heifer was exhibited by the Syndicate Show Steers to first place in the led heifer 431-540kg. The Led Beef Extravaganza was held on September 12 at the Glen Innes showgrounds but due to COVID the judging was live streamed. The heifer went on to win on the hook with 89.9 points. She had a carcase weight of 248.4kg, 55.8 dressing percentage, 10mm of P8 fat, 6mm rib fat, marble score three, 84sqcm eye muscle area, and a MSA Index of 61.54. The entry was also second in the Colin Say $1000 Incentive winner. Glen Innes High School won the class for heavy steers 451-480kg with a Speckle Park cross weighing 468kg. Specialty steer fitter Travis Luscombe exhibited a Limousin/Speckle Park to second place in the steers 481-510kg.

Travis backed up the placing with a second in the competitive 601-680kg class with a Limousin/Speckle Park entry while Luke Cox and Emily Kahler placed third with a Limousin/Speckle Park steer.

Speckle Parks shine on the hook for eating quality

A focus on carcase performance and eating quality has paid off for Minnamurra Speckle Park with a win in the prestigious 2021 RNA Paddock to Palate Competition for the sixth year in a row. Minnamurra, Coolah, NSW, competed in the 70-day HGP Trade class to finish with the highest MSA Index score of 61.39 and eating quality award on 342.37 points from their Speckle Park/Angus team. Minnamurra ranked in the top 10 overall on 680 points.

The winning steer had an average daily gain of 2.76kg, a carcase weight of 302kg, 51.27 dressing percentage, 9mm of P8 fat, 12mm of rib fat, marble score 4, and an eye muscle area of 90sqcm. Minnamurra Speckle Park/ Angus teams also placed second and third in eating quality in Class 73, the 100-day export class with scores of 339.39 and 336.26 points, with the highest individual index score carcase of the class with an MSA Index of 59.93. The entries were fed at the JBS Australia’s Beef City feedlot and processed at Beef City’s abattoir. Teams comprised seven steers with the best six judged on their scores across feedlot weight gain, carcase and eating quality. The steers were judged on carcase weight, rib and rump fat, fat and meat colour, marbling, lean meat yield, and MSA Index.

Minnamurra Pastoral general manager Dennis Power said the steers were out of Te Mania Angus cows and by Speckle Park bulls, and were a cross section of what they produce. “Speckle Park are consistently delivering better carcase to produce better yields and Spring drop 2020 Speckle Park/Angus weaners in the yards at Minnamurra Pastoral.

Dennis Power enters carcase competitions to receive feedback on the Speckle Park cattle.

better profit. The animal with the highest MSA Index is the one with the most profitable cuts,” Mr Power said.

Minnamurra also placed fifth and eighth with their pen of three carcases (processed at Teys Australia Wagga) in the grain fed export (300-420kg) class at the National Beef Carcase Competition 2021. The Speckle Park F1 steers had endured drought conditions and competed against 87 teams from around Australia. Minnamurra has selected a team from the spring 2020 drop Speckle Park/ Angus cross steer calves for the NSW Beef Spectacular Feedback Trial at Teys Australia Stockinbingal feedlot. Mr Power said buoyant female prices and demand from crossbred herds in northern Australian for bulls augered well for the breed.

“It’s pretty exciting times for the breed at the moment,” he said. “They are crossing with the British breeds particularly well. Speckle Park cattle have a moderate frame and are putting in more muscle, meat eating quality and marbling. “We are finding in our 100-day grain fed day cattle, they finish with 2-3mm less fat than straight British bred animals.”

Mr Power said the breed’s push to performance record registered cattle would only increase interest from commercial producers.