BACK again and bigger and better than previous years was the annual Western Region Charolais Silver Calf competition at Boyanup, held in conjunction with the recent Boyanup WALSA weaner sale.
Run by the WA Charolais Society, the competition helps highlight the benefits the Charolais breed has to offer WA beef producers.
It encourages commercial clients to nominate a minimum of six Charolais sired calves to a pen, to be awarded the best draft, either steers or heifers, demonstrating the breed's characteristics that influences profitability.
The Charolais breed slogan is 'Cross into Profit' and the results were evident, with the calves nominated in the competition being strongly supported by live exporters, who paid a premium for both mixed sex weaners compared to other breeds.
Central Stockcare managing director Dean Ryan, Bullsbrook, not only purchased the majority of the Charolais and Charolais cross calves for Livestock Shipping Services (LSS), but had the rewarding task of judging the 33 pens nominated by eight breeders.
Mr Ryan said it was a credit to the vendors on the quality and presentation of their weaned weaners.
"There was a preference for Livestock Shipping Services today as they have a specific market in the Middle East for purchasing these types of calves Australia-wide," Mr Ryan said.
"Every year the company supports these particular sales by buying Charolais calves, both white and apricot colours.
"The champion pens were very even and more the pure Charolais types."
There were two champion pens selected from both the Elders and Landmark yarding, with an even line of thick, well-shaped Charolais steers taking out the champion title in the Elders section for Mark and Rose King, Brighton Farms Pty Ltd, Elgin.
The 14 steers weighing 291kg were appealing due to their outstanding market suitability, evenness, performance and top eating qualities.
In the sale, the steers by home-bred Spring Valley Charolais stud sires and Bellevue Charolais stud sires sold for 330c/kg to LSS to return $962.
In the judging, these pure-bred weaners were awarded 89 points, the highest points in the breed competition so far.
The Landmark champion pen was 13 Charolais cross steers nominated by Clayton and Carla Minson, C & C Minson, Roelands.
The white pearlers, with substantial growth and thickness, weighed 357kg and were snapped up by Mr Ryan on account of LSS for 334c/kg ($1193).
They were bred by Liberty and Bardoo Charolais sires and out of first-cross Angus-Friesian which derive from their herd of 250 milkers.
Mr Minson said it was suggested by their local Landmark agent Errol Gardiner that they should enter their calves in the competition and a last-minute decision was made to do so.
"It was the first year of entering and we are extremely pleased with the results we have achieved," Mr Minson said.
"Thank you to the WA Charolais Society for the promotion of the breed."
The Minson's champion award, along with the King's champion award carried a $500 cash prize, as well as a 2.5 litre Ivomec drench donated by Zoetis.
The second and third place getters received a $300 and $200 cash prise respectively.
Placing second in the Elders fixtures was a line of 14 Charolais heifers weighing 290kg, offered by Oakland Farm, Capel.
On the day these stylish calves reached a top price of 290c/kg for weaner heifers and returned $842 when purchased by LSS, while the third-place getters were their steer counterparts.
The 10 Oakland steers averaged 338kg and were secured by LSS for 312c/kg ($1053), while the Landmark yarding saw a draft of 11 steers by EB & G Quick, Donnybrook, get presented with the second-place ribbon to go on and achieve 326c/kg ($1101).
These, along with the third-placed pen of 13 Charolais cross steers from the Minsons, which made 325c/kg ($1061), were snapped up by LSS.
The Charolais Society is giving producers another opportunity to showcase their weaners calves in an additional Charolais Sliver Calf competition, when S & C Livestock host its annual Pinjarra and Districts weaner sale at the Muchea Livestock Centre next Friday, December 13.
