On The Land
19 September, 2024
Best beef to rise to the top
ONE of the region’s premier beef industry events is back again this year, with the NQ Best Beef Carcase Competition to be staged the end of next month.
The competition, which runs from 31 October until 2 November, is aimed at promoting the region’s butchers who support local producers and showcasing our best beef.
The Byrnes family, who own the Rocky Creek Abattoir, launched the competition in 2001, but it ceased in 2005, before being re-introduced in 2022.
All butcher shops from Ingham to Cairns and across the Tablelands, who are customers of the abattoir, are invited to put their best producers’ cattle forward.
Rocky Creek Abattoir manager Cailan Byrnes and his wife Shannon Byrnes said the purpose of the carcass competition was to build up the meat industry in Far North Queensland and to promote careers in it as an attractive and viable option.
Last year, 96 head of cattle were entered into the competition, from 23 vendors (producers) supplied by nine local butchers. David and Glenyse Hampton, who have been breeding cattle for 35 years, scooped the pool with their wins, winning Class 1, Overall Champion Pen and also winning Overall Champion Individual. Their cattle were entered by the Babinda Meat Mart.
The competition on the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) Index which is the predicted eating quality of the whole carcase.
Mr Byrnes said they were fortunate that MSA Research and Development Officer Matt Scott is returning to the Far North from Adelaide this year to grade the beef for the comp.
In reflection of the different modes of butcher shop operation and customer preference, the competition has three weight categories – 240.1-290kg in Class 1; 290.1-340kg in Class 2; and 260.1-380kg in the heavier Class 3 division.
The judging criteria are in line with the Australian Beef Carcase Appraisal System (ABCAS) which was developed by the National Beef Carcase Competition Committee of Beef Australia 2024.
To enter, the producer must work with the butcher/wholesaler to enter a pen or pens of three head, either male or female of pasture fed or open cattle to meet the local trade requirements.
Producers can enter as many pens of three as the butcher is willing to take.
The pens of cattle need to be run together as a mob for 3-4 weeks prior to entry and they must be clearly marked to display which class they are being entered into.
All entrants must have stock delivered to the abattoir by 30 October for processing on 31 October.
Carcase grading will occur on 1 November, with all producers and butchers invited to the Rocky Creek Abattoir open day on 2 November from 8am to 12 noon.
The public is invited to come and listen to talks from industry experts and learn about the principles of MSA and eating quality and have an opportunity to have a chiller tour.
The presentation dinner for the 2024 competition will be held at Little Eden, Yungaburra on 2 November.
Local producers who wish to enter the competition should contact their local butcher to see if they have availability to process the cattle. Alternatively, producers can contact the abattoir on 4095 4358.
