Newsletter for the Week Ending 30 July 2004

The Complete Carcase Competition

Last weekend I attended the presentations for what is arguably the most complete carcase competition in Australia; The Gympie Carcase Classic.

It is the most complete carcase competition because at entry the cattle go into a feedlot for 90 days and when slaughtered half of each carcase is boned out at Nolans abattoirs so that the actual retail yield of each carcase is measured.

The overall winner is calculated from a combination of weight gain in the feedlot, dressing percentage, retail yield percentage and eating quality factors of the carcase.

The 113 entries came from 38 exhibitors and included a wide range of breeds including 28 purebreds of Red Poll, Droughtmaster, Charbray, Blonde d'Aquitaine and Limousin together with 85 crossbreds with a wide range of breed mixes. There were 10 pure Limousins and 30 crosses of Limousin which included between 25% and 75% Limousin.

Eight of the top 10 all round animals were Limousin or a cross including 50% or 75% Limousin. That is an outstanding result. Congratulations to John and Lesley Groves for winning the overall Championship with a pure Limousin and Len and Wendy Carlson for their Reserve Champion 3/4 Limousin 1/4 Brangus.

However a deeper analysis of the results reveals some quite amazing results in terms of the differences in the profitability of the top 10 animals (which also included a Blonde d'Aquitaine and a Blonde cross) compared to the average of the whole group.

If we look simply at the increase in value from entry to the feedlot to the final value of the carcase allowing for $250 feeding costs, the top 10 animals increased in value by $284.48 compared to an average of $155.57 for the whole group and $301.20 for the winning animal. This profit is collected by the owner of the cattle in the feedlot phase if they are sold over the hooks.

Now look at the difference for the processor who markets the beef as boxed retail product. Compared to the normal boning room yield of 72% for Nolans Meats the top 10 animals had an average retail yield of 79.5% and the top animal had a retail yield of 81.15%.

Assuming an average carcase weight of 240 kg the normal boning room yield for Nolans would be 172.8 kg per carcase. The top 10 animals would have yielded 190.8 kg of saleable beef and the top animal 194.8 kg.

At an average wholesale price of $4.50/kg the difference in return from the top 10 compared to the Nolans average was $81 per carcase and the top animal would have returned $99 more than the average.

Now the most important numbers.

If Nolans Meats had purchased the animals at entry to the feedlot and retained ownership through to boxed beef the average cost of the animals in this competition would have been 245 kg@ 185 c/kg = $467.85 and the value of the resulting boxed beef would have been 183.4 kg @ $4.50/kg= $825.25. Allowing a feeding cost of $250 the margin would have been $107.40 per animal.

The top 10 animals would have cost 269 kg @ 185c/kg = $497.65 and the boxed beef value would have been 228.9 kg @ $4.50 = $1030.05 or a margin of $283.40

That is $176.00 more per carcase.

The top carcase would have cost 271kg @ 185c/kg = $501.35 and the boxed beef value would have been 255.9 kg @ $4.50 = $1150.20. That is a margin of $398.85 for the top carcase.

Is it any wonder that Nolans Meats and many other processors/wholesalers/retailers (including Woolworths and Coles) like to buy cattle with at least 50% Limousin with a growing preference for 75% or more Limousin content.

Competing with Chicken

We are often envious of the chicken industry for the rapid genetic progress they have made in reducing the time to produce a 3.5 kg chicken and at the same time reducing fat levels substantially. Well how is this for size?

The three top pure Limousin carcases in the Gympie Carcase Classic were an average age of 11.5 months at slaughter after just 90 days on feed and an average carcase weight of 308 kg. With an average Retail Beef Yield of 80% these carcases produced an average of 240.6 kg of retail product at under one year of age.

The Limousin breed provides the capacity for the beef industry to compete with the chicken industry in the efficient production of protein.

Did it have any flavour? We ate some of this beef at the Carcase Classic dinner and it was both tender and tasty unlike the blandness of chicken.

And by selecting superior Limousin animals we can still make more genetic progress to allow us to produce beef even more efficiently. 

WodongaSale Toppers

4 Limousin yearling steers 417kg @ 208.2 c/kg = $869.24

Acc JPF Smith, Urana

3 Limousin yearling heifers 393.3 c/kg = $806.33

Acc JPF Smith, Urana

Limousins Top at Cobram (Vic)

The Country Mail 24/07/04 contained a brief sale report of Cobram sale toppers on 21/07/04.

"A superb yarding of quality cattle with many grain assisted cattle that were properly finished all selling to dearer rates. Top prices of the day were 2 Limousin steers grain fed fattened to perfection making 232.2 c/kg."

Tamworth Sale Topper

Member Don Riley of Duri (NSW) phoned in and reported that he sold a Limo cow, 650kg @ 165 c/kg = $1073, at the Tamworth saleyards on the 26/07/04.

More Sale Toppers

Wayne Churchill faxed in the following sale toppers.

Korumburra 16/07/04

Acc J Wilson, Glen Alvie 320kg @ 212.6 c/kg = $680

Acc K O'Brien, Corinella 390kg @ 220 c/kg = $858

Warragul 14/07/04

Acc L & M Moore, Warragul 375kg @ 218.2 c/kg = $818

Acc T Renshaw, Lillico 430kg @ 214.2 c/kg = $921

Acc P Stella, Pakenham 470kg @ 212.2 c/kg = $997

Acc P Moxey, Shady Creek (bull) 620kg @ 180.2 c/kg = $1,117

Northern Limousin Breeders Sale

The Northern Limousin Breeders Sale commenced at midday today at the Scone saleyards. 90 lots are on offer. Prices will soon be up on the web and a report on the sale will be included in next weeks' newsletter.

Casino Sale Reminder

The 6th Annual Casino All Breeds Sale commences 10am 31st July. This sale includes 8 Limousin lots from the Silky Oak and Oakaranda Limousin Studs. These lots are up on the web under Sale Catalogues.

QTL Sale Catalogue

The sale catalogue for the 2004 QTL Limousin Bull Sale with 37 lots is now up on the web under Sale Catalogues.

New Members

Welcome to new Full members Reid and Leanne Dick of Littabella Queensland.

Yours in Limousin

Alex McDonald