St Mary’s Catholic College’s ag show team tasted success with a purebred Hereford steer at Casino Beef Week Hoof and Hook competition by taking out champion lightweight steer.
Agricultural teacher Aaron Kennedy said it was the first broad ribbon for the Casino based school in the carcase competition since 2011.
The steer was purchased as a 10-month-old weaner from commercial Hereford producer Joe Leven, Doubtful Creek, and halter trained and finished on Rhodes grass and a feedlot ration by the students.
On the hook, the purebred steer scored 88.63 points, dressing at 212.4kg with 3mm rib fat, 6mm rump fat, 78sqcm eye muscle area and MSA Index of 57.01.
To cap off the success, the 375kg liveweight steer was sold at auction for 810c/kg or $3037 to the Butler family.
The ag show team consists of 15 students from Years 7 to 12 and they exhibited Hereford, Charolais and Limousin entries.
Casino Beef Week is held in northern NSW each May over nine days providing entertainment, education and competitions showcasing the beef industry.
In the led steer classes, Bonalbo Central School Ag team exhibited a Simmental/Hereford cross steer to second in the under 350kg, and Joe Leven showed a Hereford steer to fourth place.
The Dean family placed fourth with a Hereford cross steer in the 401-450kg class while in the returning steers, FDC Partnership placed second with a Limousin/Hereford.
On the hook, the Hereford steer from St Mary’s Catholic College placed first in the junior under 400kg with the Dean family in fifth. A Simmental/Hereford called Unit exhibited by Bonalbo Central School won the open under 350kg.
The St Mary’s Hereford steer also won the open 351-400kg with the Dean family’s Hereford cross steer in fifth with a 218kg carcase weight Hereford cross.
The champion lightweight steer was the St Mary’s Hereford and the reserve champion the Simmental/Hereford from Bonalbo Central.
“It was a fantastic effort for a small school,” St Mary’s Ag teacher Aaron Kennedy said.
“We were that impressed the Hereford could meet all the market specifications, we have purchased two Hereford steers off Joe Leven for the carcase competition at Lismore show in October,” Mr Kennedy said.
“For us, we wanted a British breed that could compete but with a really good temperament as they are around students all the time – my priority as a teacher is temperament and that is what drew me to the Hereford breed in the first place.
“They are easy to break in and very manageable – I only have praise for the breed to be honest and will back it up and do it again at Lismore show.”
Mr Kennedy said the breed was well represented with four purebred steer entries from the College and Joe Leven.
“What topped it off was when the Hereford went to auction, one of the parents purchased the steer.”
The ag show team students and staff from St Mary’s Catholic College, Casino. Image St Mary’s
The purebred Hereford steer was exhibited by St Mary’s to champion lightweight carcase.
