TIMARU CATTLE WIN JUDGING ON HOOF

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30093, 29 March 1963, Page 3

TIMARU CATTLE WIN JUDGING ON HOOF

South Canterbury cattle men truumcihed in the onhoof section of the Canterbury chiller-type beef competition which began yesterday at the Addington saleyards. Three of the Craigmare Farming Company’s twe-and-aHtalf-year-ald Aberdeen Angus cattle filled the first three places and they were followed by two 18-<nonth-oid Aberdeen Angus steers from the Mount Peel Station. The sixth placing was filled by a two-and-a-half-year-odd Aberdeen Angus cross beast entered by W. H. Moore and Sons (Hickory). The judge (Mr H. CUndaß, of Invercargill), who was assessing the Canterbury cattle for the fourth tune, said that the quality was the best that he had seen here, and he warmly congratulated exhibitors. One or two steers were too well done, but it was not easy to keep the cattle down to the ideal form. The winning steer was a shade cleaner than other entries, in his opinion. It was not carrying quite the cover of some other cattle, which was a virtue today when noone wanted fat. It had a small knobble on the pin bone, but it was beautiful right through the loin and had a nice dean fore-quarter. It was altogether a beautiful bullock. The Timaru exhibitors’ second prize-winner had a better buttock but was not as nicely fleshed, and the winner of third place had wonderful hams but was a shade heavier in the forequarter than the other two. Over the whole six, Mr Cundall said, there was little variation. Speaking to exhibitors and others afterwards Mr Cundall predicted big changes in the breef industry, with the emphasis on the production of cattle suitable for sale to the American market in cuts. The aim here would be to have cattle producing the highest proportion of red meat per 1001 b of deadweight. “Case for Change’* Questioned afterwards by “The Press,” Mr Cundall indicated that there was a case flor changing the type of competition to one for cattle most suitable for the American trade in cuts in

preference to that flor chiller beef with little or no chilled beef now being exported. Although the running of such a cornpetitiou would involve more work, he said, it could be done. Mr Cundall said that he was disappointed with the smallness of the attendance at toe competatikxL No-one could learn quicker than through these competitioos and field days, he said. The judging of the cattle on toe hooks will be done on Monday morning by Messrs A. E. White and E. Bell, supervising graders of toe Meat Board, as part of a field day at toe Islington works of the New Zeeland Refrigerating Company. Six beasts will then be selected to take pert in toe New Zealand chiller-beef competition in the United Kingdom. Placings in the competition on the hoof were: Craigmore Farming Company (Timaru), Aberdeen Angus, 1,2, and 3, Mt. Peel Station (Peel Forest), Aberdeen Angus, 4, and 5, W. H. Moore and Sons (Hickory Bay), Aberdeen Angus cross, 6. Entries in toe competition totalled 62 drawn from South, Mid, and North Canterbury, with the southern part of the province being particulamly strongly represented. The competition is conducted by the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association in conjunction with toe Meat Board.