Beef producers will more easily be able to benchmark the carcase quality of their cattle, with the Southern Grassfed Carcase Classic changing its format.
In previous years the successful carcase competition has been held over a fortnight in early October at Teys Australia’s Naracoorte abattoir, but with the wet winter and spring the delivery period this year has been extended from now until late February.
Instead of individually ear tagging the animals they wish to enter producers will enter either whole truck consignments or part loads- a minimum of 10 animals.
These will automatically be allocated to the appropriate classes based on their carcase weight, fat depth and dentition.
SGCC chairman Allan Kain hopes the change of format will encourage more entries from across SA and Vic, particularly from the Lower South East and western Victoria which often turn off grass fed cattle later.
“A lot of those rising two-year-old heavy calves aren’t really ready until mid November through to Christmas so we are hoping to open it up to these cattle ,” he said.
“Rather than taking the handful that are ready or the tail end of last year’s cattle we are now hoping to get into some better cattle with higher eye muscle areas.”
In the past seven years the SGCC has consistently attracted around 200 cattle but Mr Kain hopes having a longer delivery window will grow entries further.
He is thrilled how the industry has embraced the commercially orientated competition and says there has been a vast improvement in those hitting grid specifications and improving their Meat Standards Australia indexes.
“For every animal and every kilogram you get right you are well rewarded, and if you are not getting it right you are missing out on easy money,” he said.
The three classes for 2016/17 are:
- Single steer or heifer 180-240kg, 0-2 teeth, P8 fat 5-10mm and rib fat 5-8mm
- Single steer or heifer 240-320kg, 0-2 teeth, P8 fat 8-13mm and rib fat 6-10mm
- Single steer 320-420kg, 0-4 teeth, P8 fat 12-17mm and rib fat 8-13mm