Weigh-in at halfway point
See who is leading the premier carcase event
THE Callide Dawson Beef Carcase Competition has just reached the halfway mark with a field day and weigh-in last Friday.
A senepol angus cross from Southern Star Rural in Canowindra, NSW is leading the herd at the midway point.
The steer is part of a pen owned by Clayton Maynard.
He said he was surprised with the results so far.
“I expected them to do well but I wasn’t expecting them to excel in the way they have,” he said.
Mr Maynard said he had a few concerns with how his cattle would fare in the different conditions.
“It is a lot colder down this way in winter, but in summer it can get quite hot and dry,” he said. “We also sent our cattle as yearlings to a property in Jambin to get them used to the weather.”
He said it was a real eye opener to see how the environment differs and how the cattle adapt.
The 2018 competition is the first time Mr Maynard is
❝It’s a good benchmark to set for yourself and it’s good to get some feedback and data.
— Clayton Maynard
participating in the Callide Dawson event.
“This particular event is one of the premier competitions in the country,” he said.
“It’s a good benchmark to set for yourself and it’s good to get some feedback and data.”
He said there were a few things he looked for when picking his competition cattle.
“I look for good structure and make sure they have a good even cover,” he said.
Mr Maynard said preparation for the event took a lot of time.
“It takes years of decision making,” he said.
“You’ve got to make sure your cattle are meeting the right specifications.”
Mr Maynard said he had taken away a few pointers from past competitions.
“Sometimes I use the feed they have used on the cattle depending on seasonal conditions. It’s really good to see them take up that grain.”
WEIGH-IN RESULTS
The group of 143 steers, in the two classes are averaging 2.87kg a day.
The steer leading the weight gain, is a senepol/angus cross steer, doing 4.6kg a day, from Clayton and Sarah Maynard’s, Southern Star Rural in Canowindra, NSW.
The 24-month-old steer, is sired by Five Star 130509, a senepol sire purchased at the Five Star senepol sale in Rockhampton in 2014 out of an angus commercial cow from NSW.
In second place is a three-quarter senepol, one-quarter charolais steer, exhibited by Guthrie Maynard, of Mt Eugene, Jambin, doing 4.42kg a day.
In third place is another Guthrie Maynard entry, doing 4.19kg a day, a senepol/belmont red steer, the steer is sired by a Five Star senepol bull.
In fourth place is a steer, by Bonnie Maynard, also of Mt Eugene, Jambin, a ¾ senepol steer doing 3.96kg a day.