Murdoch University’s led steer takes out carcase title

Murdoch University’s 510kg Limousin cross Angus steer exhibited at the Perth Royal Show’s on-the-hoof competition produced the grand champion carcase, scoring a high 96 points against a field of 63 entries.

The heavyweight steer was judged on-the-hoof on September 25 with judge Brendan Scheiwe of Brundale Charolais stud in Marburg, Queensland saying the live steer had “plenty of meat and fat cover” in a close competition.

After it was processed at V & V Walsh, the steer’s carcase dressed out at 59.4 per cent resulting in a hot carcase weight of 303kg with an eye muscle depth of 103mm, rib fat of 7mm and a Meat Standards Australia marbling score of 360.

The carcase was a mere 0.766 points in front of the reserve grand champion carcase produced from a 493kg liveweight Charolais cross steer exhibited by WA College of Agriculture — Denmark.

Murdoch University nearly made a clean sweep of all the champion carcase titles, but came up against a very competitive lightweight class with Kelmscott Senior High School winning the champion and reserve champion titles with pure Square Meter steers.

The high school’s champion and reserve champion lightweight carcases were the result of 100-day fed Square Meter steers bred by Preston Rise stud principal Erin Wilcock.

Murdoch University’s champion carcase titles included mediumweight, heavyweight and extra heavyweight.

The university’s steers won both champion and reserve champion titles in the medium-weight, while the reserve champion extra heavyweight was won by WA College of Agriculture — Denmark for its Limousin cross Angus steer.

Murdoch University’s farm manager Crystal Henderson said the 13 steers and heifers exhibited by Murdoch were sired by black Limousin bull Dollar General.

“We prepared the cattle on a ration of pellets for 100 days,” she said.

Murdoch University farm manager Crystal Henderson said the steer was AI sired by black Limousin sire Dollar General.