Beef cattle breeders are not just raising cattle — we are running a business. And like any business, we must pay careful attention to what the market actually demands.

We have always believed that the Welsh Black can stand up against any other breed in Australia. There are three main markets before us: Domestic. Restaurant. Export.

For Domestic or also called Supermarket, the specks are Weight Range (HSCW) 210-240 kg. Fat Range 7mm – 17mm

So we need cattle that consistently deliver length + depth + width — and we need that ability to reproduce true across the breed. In my feedlot, I had Welsh steers well over the 750kgs on 120 days feed. Never a problem. I believed that carcase competitions were the best way to demonstrate the true capability of the Welsh Black. Because the carcase is the end game. It is the final commercial objective of every animal we breed. And when a breed can regularly win — or place highly — in carcase competitions, people eventually have to take notice. That is why we entered. At the first competition we entered at the Melbourne Show, we won second overall. And we would have won the Champion Carcase of the Show overall if I had entered one weight division higher. The steer was only five kilos over the specification for our class — which cost us the points needed to win the entire competition.

We then entered the 2005 Domestic Feedlot Carcase Competition (hosted by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria (RAS) in conjunction with the Victorian Department of Primary Industries) and and Melbourne Food and Wine. The following are from the application forms.

Overview of the competition

● The competition was introduced in 2005 as the “Domestic Feedlot Carcase Competition”.

● It attracted 63 head of cattle, which had entered a feedlot at ICM Peechelba in late December and remained on feed for 65 days.

● The exhibitors were: Bayrhyll Pty Ltd, Tallangatta , VIC , 3700, Chattan Angus, Bob inawarrah , VIC , 3678, Geelong Grammar School Timbertop, Mansfield, VIC , 3722, R & J Greenhalgh, St James, VIC , 3727, Heatherlie Pty Ltd, Tallangatta , VIC , 3700, A.T. Maddock, Tallangatta , VIC , 3700 , Murrindindi Station, Port Melbourne, VIC, 3207, Dennis Pastoral, Wodonga , VIC , 3691, R.A. Rapsey & Sons, Wodonga , VIC , 3691, Ken & Sandra Sleeman, Armadale , VIC, 3143, Tomintoul Cattle Station, Albert Park, VIC, 3206, Tyrone Park Welsh Black Stud, Stanhope, VIC, 3623

● The competition was designed to recognise and reward beef producers in Victoria preparing cattle specifically for the domestic market (i.e., domestic-feedlot finishing rather than purely export).

● Entrants were judged under the guidelines of Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) / the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) system for eating-quality.

● Awards included categories such as: Best Compliance Rate to Customer Specification; Best Eating Quality; Best Growth Rate; Best line of five from the same sire.

Winner of Best Eating Quality

● The recipient of the Best Eating Quality award in the 2005 competition was Tyrone Park Welsh Black Stud of Stanhope, Victoria.

● We entered two Welsh Black steers. Winning the award for at 330 kg (body weight, or hot standard carcass weight) exhibited by Tyrone Park Welsh Black Stud.

● The feedlot duration was relatively short (65 days) for a domestic finish program — meaning the entrants were under a fairly intensive finishing regime aimed at quality.

● There was an objective rather than a subjective way for determining the winners. They used the MSA grading system.

The highest score was for ultimate muscle score and the carcase weight 243kg

2005 DOMESTIC FEEDLOT CARCASE COMPETITON EXPLANATION OF AWARDS

The Growth Rate award was given according to growth rates in the feedlot. Entry weight was subtracted from exit weight and divided by the number of days on feed. The MSA award is given on eating quality as decided by the MSA model. The MSA grader enters details about the carcase into a computer and the model determines the eating quality of the major cuts in each carcase.

Just for interest.

The best eating quality beef award, was the prize with the highest amount of prize dollars, which implied that it was the most coveted prize in the competition. The owners of the carcase were allowed to view the hung carcases at Tasman’s Meats a couple of weeks before the declarations.(photo above) When I walked in I heard an Angus breeder say, “Bloody Welsh Blacks” it was music to my ears!