May 2011 Volume 11, Issue 2

Wallawong Whisperer: Have you heard the news? Lachlan and Kate James PH: 0402 83 93 73 Farm: ’Marriot Park’ Gunnedah

Wallawong Clients’ Steers Shine at Sydney Royal Easter Show Murray Greys showed their outstanding carcase quality with

sixteen steers sired by twelve different Wallawong bulls per-

forming strongly at the 2011 Sydney Royal Easter Show

Steer and Carcase Competition.

Wallawong clients’ steers filled many of the high ribbon

places in the state’s premier carcase competition, including a

steer bred by Lyn Louis ‘Merrilong’, Barraba, winning Middle-

weight Carcase Class 10 and being awarded the 2011

Champion Middleweight Carcase. The 476kg steer was

sired by Wallawong Quasimodo out of Wallawong Alma

26th, both of these animals being purchased by Ms Louis from

our Annual Sale in the last five years.

The steer ‘Merrilong Louis’ placed fifth in his

live class of 19 steers and went on to score

89.5 points as a carcase winning his class and

becoming the Champion Middleweight Car-

case. A Silver Medal was also awarded by

the Royal Agricultural Society for carcase

quality and the steer was a member of the

Murray Grey Stan Hill Memorial Trophy

Team that came 3rd.

The carcase dressed at 61.6%, had an eye

muscle area of 99 square cm and fat cover

of 8mm on the rump and 9mm on the rib. It

scored maximum points for yield and carcase

quality traits: eye muscle area, fat coverage,

meat colour and fat colour.

Also scoring well in the middleweight carcase division

was a steer entered by Warren and Judy Picton, Cur-

lewis and sired by Wallawong Octane. The carcase

won Middleweight Carcase Class 8 and scored maxi-

mum points for fat cover, pH, and meat and fat col-

our, combining this with a high marble score and eye

muscle area to accumulate 88.0 points. This carcase

was also awarded a Silver Medal for carcase quality

from the RAS.

These steers showed Wallawong carcase genetics

dominated the Middleweight division, having the 1st

and 3rd highest scoring carcases from the 81 inter-

breed middleweight entries.

Above: Champion Middleweight Carcase rib eye

Above: Merrilong Louis, Champion Middleweight Carcase

Above: Mountview Picton—1st place Carcase Class 8

2011 Sydney Royal Carcase Results Wallawong’s Lightweight Division entries were not to be

outdone, placing 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 7th in Carcase Class

4. This included an entry from Stella Downs Pastoral Com-

pany, ‘Caradoc Park’, Mullaley, sired by Wallawong

Quickstep, that was awarded 1st in the Virtual Taste Test

section of the class. Stella Downs Chris is pictured right.

This result was mirrored by a steer bred by the Plummer

family near Bathurst sired by Wallawong Real Deal. The

entry placed 2nd in Carcase Class 5 with 84.5 points and

was also awarded 1st in the Virtual Taste Test section of

the class. The Plummer’s other entry in Class 4 sired by

Wallawong Rumble also achieved 2nd scoring 86

points. Also of note were two entries sired by Wal-

lawong Qualifier entered by Neil and Felicity

Fleck, Mullaley. The two steers finished 3rd and 4th

in Carcase Class 4 of fifteen entries, having scored

85.5 and 83.0 points respectively.

All the steers were selected back in December

2010 and fed for 80- 100 days on a home mixed

ration at ‘Marriot Park’.

It’s great for all the hard work to pay off and to

see what you are really producing with carcase

results like these. Congratulations to all the breeders. It

was a pleasure helping clients to be part of a strong

showing of Murray Greys and demonstrating their car-

case quality to the wider industry.

All together sixteen Murray Grey steers from Walla-

wong and clients were shown in Sydney, collecting a

bounty of ribbons including 2 first places and the Mid-

dleweight Champion Carcase, 2 Virtual Taste Test Win-

ners, 2 Silver Medals for eating quality, 2 seconds, a

third, a fourth, six fifths and seven Highly Commended

ribbons across the purebred and trade steer and car-

case classes.

Above: Stella Downs Chris, 1st Virtual Taste Test

Wardell Richard, 2nd Carcase Class 5, 1st Virtual Taste Test

Lonsdale Neil, 3rd Carcase Class 4 with 85.5pts. 5th live

Wallawong Optimum Steer/Ideal Carcase Open Day Success We hosted a successful Optimum Steer/ideal Carcase Open Day on Saturday 2 April welcoming around 40

people from as far as Blayney, Gravesend, Muswellbrook, Gloucester and throughout the North West to

‘Marriot Park’. The people travelled to learn more about breeding and assessing steers for carcase traits

and utilized the 16 Murray Grey steers being prepared for Sydney Royal Easter Show as demonstrations.

Lachlan began by discussing the components of a steer, muscle, bone and fat and where to assess each on

the steers prepared for Sydney. Participants could visually assess the steers and then Roger Evans of Bovine

Scanning Services used the ultrasound scanner to measure rib and rump fat depths, eye muscle areas and

marbling percentages. Using a simulated carcase judging model, the steers were allocated points to predict

how they might perform in the upcoming Sydney Royal carcase competition.

It was exciting to watch each steer go through, and talk about what we thought about the muscling and fat-

ness, and then actually get some live measurements made it all a lot clearer. It allowed potential clients to

see the benefits of selecting genetics with sound BreedPlan data that includes carcase measurements.

To find us on Facebook search ‘Wallawong Murray Greys’

Sale-O! Sale-O! Get Ready for Wallawong Bull and Female Sale 14 July The 2011 sale bulls offer new and exciting genetic lines, including the first offering of outstanding Star-

bright S117 sons Wallawong Quarterback and Wallawong Ripsnorter and the first drop of bulls from our

pick of the Springwell cows by Gnoleda Zac. There is also the first son of Wiltshire Crown Prince—our 2009

purchase whose full brother just sold for $10,000 at the Island State Sale in Tasmania. The Star Lot 1 will

be Wallawong Ripsnorter himself, a proven multi

trait leading sire with colossal physical presence

in the prime of his life at just four years old (see

over). Breeders, an opportunity not to be missed!

The bulls as a whole are displaying good growth

and muscling and we anticipate some impressive

eye muscle areas come scanning time in late

June. As usual bulls will be offered with our 2yr

pro-rata fertility guarantee, free transport offer

and are fully vaccinated against Vibriosis, Lepto-

spirosis and Pestivirus. With Wallawong’s Johnes

status (MN2) all bulls are eligible for entry into

any herd in Australia. More bull photos are

available online at www.wallawong.com.au and

on ‘Wallawong Murray Greys’ Facebook page.

We will again be offering a selection of 23 high

quality registered females at the Sale, 14th July

2011. This year’s catalogue will include 12 regis-

tered rising 2 yr old PTIC heifers and 11 un-

joined yearling heifers. The PTIC heifers include a

line of females derived from the cows obtained

as the ‘pick of the Springwell herd’. These fe-

males have been AI’d to Lindsay Starbright Y47

or Woodbourn Nobleman. Unjoined heifer sires

include Wallawong Quarterback, Wallawong

Ripsnorter and Wiltshire Crown Prince. All fe-

males will be sold with 5 complimentary straws

of a dynamic new Wallawong sire.

For those travelling from afar we are located just

50min drive from Tamworth airport which is ser-

viced by 5 daily Qantas flights to/from Sydney.

Lot 7 Wallawong Thunderbird LEJ E55, a top Ripsnorter son

Lot 6 Wallawong Titan LEJ E50, another solid Ripsnorter son

Lot 3 Wallawong Trailblazer LEJ E14, a M. Sensational son Lot 5 Wallawong Tennessee LEJ E22, a Quarterback son

Check out our website: www.wallawong.com.au or email lachlanj@yahoo.com

Wallawong Calendar – Mark you diaries and plan a visit, see you soon on

24th/25th June 2011 - Open Days (Sale Lots + herd) – Marriot Park, Gunnedah

6th July 2011 - Qld Bull Offering (4 bulls) – Ag-Grow Superior Bull Sale, Emerald

14th July 2011 - Annual Sale (20 Bulls, 23 Females) – Marriot Park, Gunnedah

16th -18th August 2011 - AgQuip Murray Grey site – AgQuip Field Days, Gunnedah

Ripsnorter: Truly an Awesome Sire!

Wallawong Ripsnorter LEJ C46 Don’t miss a bid on this Star!

Wallawong Bulls in 2011 Ag-Grow Superior Beef Bull Sale, Emerald QLD In addition to our on property sale, a solid line of 4

quiet, well-muscled silver bulls will be offered for the

first time at the Ag-Grow Superior Beef Bull Sale in

Emerald QLD, 5-6 July 2011. The bulls all exhibit

above average muscling and have been specially se-

lected for use in Northern Australia being sleek coated

and very mobile. These bulls can be viewed on our

Open Days and arrangements can be made for phone

bidding at the Emerald AgGrow Sale.

2011 Ag-Grow

Superior Bull

Sale Entries

Sire

Birth

Wt.

(kg)

200

DayWt.

(kg)

400

DayWt.

(kg)

600

DayWt.

(kg)

Mat.

CowWt.

(kg)

Milk

(kg)

EMA

(sq.cm)

Rib

Fat

(mm)

Rump

Fat

(mm)

LEJ E5 M. Sensational +2.9 +22 +30 +45 +43 +2 +2.0 0.0 +0.1

LEJ E10 M. Sensational +6.0 +29 +42 +75 +77 +6 +2.1 -1.1 -1.5

LEJ Herd Bull 1 W. Octagonal

Two well muscled, correct young bulls by W.Octagonal who was sold at our 2006 sale

for $7,000. He is in the top 10% for 600day weight and the top 1% of Eye Muscle Area. LEJ Herd Bull 2

W. Octagonal

Breed Avg EBVs

for 2009 Calves

Figures in bold

denote top 20% of

the breed

+3.1 +18 +28 +41 +42 +3 +1.1 -0.2 -0.3

Above: A bull by W. Octagonal being offered at Emerald

Join us for Open Days Friday 24 Saturday 25 June, Marriot Park We will be taking part in The Land Northern Beef

Week and open for two days: Friday and Saturday

24th and 25th June 2011.

On display will be all the Sale cattle including 20

Bulls for the on property Sale plus the 4 bulls for

Emerald as well as the 23 Sale females and a pro-

portion of our breeding herd.

Please take this opportunity to visit and look

through the cattle over lunch or a cuppa and talk to

us about your cattle needs this year and beyond.

Would love see you there, catch up again soon.