Simmental cross Vealer wins Grand Champion Carcase at Packenham, Vic

Peter & Michael van Hout, Pemijon Park Simmentals, Shady Creek, Vic, bred the Grand Champion Carcase of the 2005 Pakenham Carcase Competition, with their Simmental- Angus Friesian Steer scoring the highest carcase rating of 94 points.

The 9 month old steer was Sired by the Van Hout Family’s current Stud Sire- Pemijon Park Yuri. 

The steer  was not speciality fed for the competition, but was loaded onto a truck for the Competition straight out of the paddock, off his mother.

The Van Hout family believe that Carcase traits are a vital indication of a Sires suitability, & to this end are keen to test their Stud bulls performance by assessing the carcases of their progeny. 

In  2003, they tested their previous Simmental Stud Sire with this same competition, with the same result, thus this is the 2^nd time they have won Grand Champion Carcase in this Competition.

To further test their herd’s carcase traits over a wider range, weights of vealers due for weaning are often compared to that of their Dams at 9.5 to 10 months of age.    At weaning age a Simmental calf’s weight should be a substantial portion of it’s Dam’s body weight, without heavily impacting on the Cows health or fertility.

An excellent example of this was with a young bull recently sold by the stud. At 10 months of  age Pemijon Park Zeus measured a natural weaning weight (no grain feeding) of an astounding 70% of his dam’s body weight.  His mother was then dried off, and calved again naturally 2 months later.

PAKENHAM CARCASE COMPETITON 2005

A Simmental cross steer with 94 points, bred by Peter & Michael van Hout, Pemijon Park Simmentals, Shady Creek, Vic won Grand Champion Carcase at the Pakenham Carcase Competition in November.

The Hoof portion of the competition was held at the VLE in Pakenham, Vic on Saturday 19^th  November and judged by Larry Cutler, Baw Baw.  The competition is run by the Pakenham Agricultural Society, this competition headed by Roger Leahman, Bob Johnson & George Wall. Three Live weight classes are run. 

In Class 1 (250-320 kg) with 4 entries, Larry placed Angus/ Bazadaze steers in 1^st & 3^rd  places and  a Simmental cross Heifer in 2^nd . 

In Class  2 (325-375 kg) with 6 entries, he placed a Limousin cross heifer in 1^st, a Belgium Blue cross heifer in 2^nd & a Belgium Blue cross steer in third.

In Class 3 (380-440 kg) with 11 entries, Larry placed Limousin/ Hereford cross steers in 1^st & 3^rd, with the van Hout’s Simmental cross steer in 2^nd.

Tuesday 22^nd of November saw the Carcase portion of the competition judged to MSA Grading Standards at Radford’s Abattoir.  Mr Cutler proved to be quite an accurate judge of animals when the results were revealed.

His Class 1 winner from producer F. Tuchtan placed first for Carcase with 70.0 points, an Angus/Bazadaze cross steer taking 2^nd place for G. Fargas with 59.9 points , and his 2^nd  place pick, a Simmental cross heifer entered by P. & M van Hout coming in 3rd  with 58.5 points.

In Class 2 his 2^nd place vealer entered by G & F O’Brien came in 1^st  with 90.1 points, his 1^st  place choice entered by S. Robinson  taking 2^nd  with 87.5 points, & 3^rd place again entered by G & F O’Brien taking 3^rd place honours with 82.0 points.

In Class 3 Larry’s 2^nd place Simmental cross steer entered by P. &M. Van Hout came in 1^st with 94.0 points. The winner of class 3 on the hoof came in 2^nd for Seebeck Pastoral Co. with 89.4 points, & third place was taken out by a Red Poll steer entered by Coles & Rand.

Grand Champion Carcase was the Simmental cross steer of Peter & Michael van Hout with 94 points. 

Reserve Champion was the Belgium Blue cross heifer of G & F O’Brien.