The Scrivener family at Yarrowitch have proven their prowess in breeding Angus and Angus cross, claiming champion carcase along with a swag of other honours at this year's Wingham Carcase competition.
The usual rules could not apply in this pandemic times but what students lost in being able to physically view carcases in the cool room at Wingham Beef Exports, they gained with increased virtual knowledge through videos of the cattle on the hoof and later on the hook.
Bruce and Helen Scrivener, Bonnie Brook Angus - exhibiting through St Catherine's College at Singleton - followed up with their reserve carcase win at Sydney Royal to take out the competitive Wingham event with a pure bred milk tooth Angus, 299.5 kilograms carcase weight with 8mm rib fat and 20 out of 20 points for hitting market specifications, an eating quality score of 47.43 to record a total of 94.92 points.
St Catherine's agricultural teacher Joanna Towers said the steer was fed on Alexander Downs grain rations and while the school employed ultra sound technician Roger Evans, Tamworth, to help assess finish, the real work fell to the students who spent a considerable time weighing and monitoring animals as they progressed through the program.
The next generation of Scriveners Alan, Megan, Mitchell, Emily and Austin, were awarded champion pen of four for grass fed Angus by Palgrove Charolais with a combined total of 370.16pts; champion pen of two and reserve pen of two as well as winning heavyweight and reserve heavyweight. They entered eight steers that produced carcases more than 90 points.
"For us, chasing that MSA index score is very important," said Mr Scrivener.
Retired meat producer, retailer and wholesaler Allan Waldon, Bowman River, entered grass fed steers in the competition for the first time and scored top MSA index score of 68.36pts with an eight tooth Angus cross, 451.5kg carcase weight, with 24mm p8 fat -which delivered a penalty of just one out of five points for that part of the assessment. Rib fat was perfect at 8mm, ossification was 140 with 16/20pts for market specification but the largest score of the draft for eating quality at 48.36 to deliver a total of 89.66pts.
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