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Texas Angus wins half the 2019 RAS Beef Challenge

Details: Last Updated on Tuesday, 04 February 2020 23:46

Greg Watson (RAS Chairman), Ben, Judy & Wendy Mayne and Mike MacCue (RAS Councillor & Wilga Feedlot at RAS Beef Challenge Awards Night 2019

Friday 6th September was a special night for the Mayne family attending our 5th Royal Sydney Beef Challenge Awards Presentation. Never before has Texas Angus taken out half the competition nor had Judy (Ben's Mum) ever attended but what a night for her to be there with us to celebrate!

Sydney Royal Beef Challenge is one of Australia's prestigious feed and carcase trial competitions that has been running for 9 years. This year the Beef Challenge had 492 head or 82 pens of six animals which is an incredible number considering all of central and northern NSW and parts of QLD are experiencing the worst drought on record. 2015 was the first year Texas Angus entered this competition and it has been an excellent platform for us to benchmark our breeding program against some of Australia's best commercial and seedstock cattle.

This year Texas Angus took home the ***Grand Champion 100 Day Export Pen, ***Grand Champion 100 Day Export Individual, ***Reserve Champion 70 Day Domestic Individual and ***Reserve Champion 100 Day Export Pen along with a swag of over placings. What was most pleasing with our results was the consistency of how well our 5 pens performed against all the 82 pens in the whole competition. All of the 5 Texas Angus pens placed in the top 6 of the whole competition which is a similar result to 2018 Beef Challenge and Beef Australia's feed and carcase trial and it is our 5th consecutive year of receiving broad ribbons at this industry relevant event. This has reaffirmed our breeding program is consistently being feed efficient, carcase compliant and meeting consumer satisfaction which is now even more emphasis when cost of production is so high during this unprecedented drought. Recently Lucy Kinbacher, Livestock Editor for The Land Newspaper has stated Texas Angus has"cemented themselves as one of the country's leading carcase competition entrants". To read Lucy's article click here

Our Grand Champion Export Heifer Pen
We were so pleased to finally win the Export section as it had eluded us since being awarded the Reserve Champion Export Pen back in 2015. After the Beef Challenge had delayed entry dates we found it difficult to find animals that would meet the entry weights however this year the only positive of enduring such a poor season was having just enough lighter animals to be able to enter 2 pens in the Export section and 3 pens in the domestic section. Of the 2 pens in the export category and our heifer pen won the Grand Champion Export Pen by a country mile and our steers we awarded Reserve Champion Export Pen.

For the last 5 consecutive years we have won the profitably section and our winning pen of Export heifers were $1,118.29 more profitable than the average Export pens and nearly $400 more profitable than the 2nd place Pen for the profitably section, remembering these animals did not receive HGPs! While our Domestic Pen were $703.93 more profitable than the average Domestic pens. We had the highest daily weight gains, the biggest EMA for both Export and Domestic pens, the second highest marbling for the domestic Pen and one of our domestic heifers blitzed the MSA scoring an incredible 68.32 points with only 70 days feed! These results clearly show our Angus are efficient and highly profitable feed converters when comparing to industry standards. Full results are below;

**Grand Champion 100 day Export Pen (heifers)

**Grand Champion 100 day Export Individual (heifer)

**Reserve Champion 100 day Export Pen (steers)

**Reserve Champion 70 Domestic Individual (heifer)

‼️ Highest MSA Individual of 68.32 to 70 Day Domestic heifer out 492 head‼️

**1st Live Assessment Export Pen & Exp Individual

♦️2nd Live Assessment Domestic Pen & Export Individual

1st DWG Domestic Individual & 2nd Export Individual

♦️ 2nd Feedlot Trial Export Pen
♦️ 2nd Carcase Judge Domestic Pen

**1st Carcase Grid Export Pen & Individual

**1st Profitability Domestic & Export Pens, 2nd Exp Individual

**1st Taste Test Domestic Individual

!!Highest EMA pens for Domestic & Exp

♦️ 2nd highest marbling for Domestic Pens
‼️ Our Export Pen (heifers) were $1,118.29 more profitable than the average Export pens and nearly $400 more profitable than the 2nd place Pen for profitability without HGPs‼️
‼️ Our Domestic Pen were $703.93 more profitable than the average Domestic pens‼️

We couldn't be happier with our caracase results winning the Carcase grid in Export and placing second in Domestic, taking out the taste test Individual for the domestic sector and achieving a massive MSA score that was noted by Mike MacCue on the night as "incredible result for a heifer". For the last 5 year we have either had the highest or second highest marbling which also follows from having the 4th highest marbling at Beef Australia's entire 1077hd competition last year. As most would know high performing, high yielding animals of any breed normally do not marble but we believe our progeny are paradox to this theory.

Recently there has been much debate about industry pushing high fat and lower mature cow weights. However we truly believe our results clearly show our younger animals are not only outperforming other pure breeds and crosses with heavier carcase weights, higher yields and higher marbling but once the DEXA based scanning is in full production in processing plants our progeny will be financially rewarded. Backgrounders, feedloters and processor will be able to identify carcases and bloodlines that are profitable and base their buying decisions on this feedback.

Every year we take the ribbons and trophies to Goondiwindi to show Bill who always beams with pride. Despite Bill's failing memory he never forgets what a Championship ribbon is especially when he won so many half a century ago.

Lastly we would like to congratulate the Royal Sydney Beef Challenge Committee for hosting such a industry relevant events including the field day and Awards night especially in such trying times. They should be commended on the number of entries they received and the MacCue Family should be congratulated on presenting the competitions animals so well with especially with the pressure of sourcing commodities in such dry times. We would also like to thank other entrants, Bob Jamieson Agencies, all other sponsors, media outlets for covering the event including The Land and Beef Central and Danni MacCue for all these amazing photos. Without everyone's involvement this great competition would not be able to be held.

2019 RAS Beef Champ Res Expo 2019 RAS Beef Champ Exp Pen

2019 RAS Beef 70 day Res Champ Ind 2019 RAS BeefAngus winners

Greg Watson 2019 Carcase Exp Grid

2019 RAS Beef Export Trophy Mike MacCue

2019 RAS Beef 100 Day Live Assessment 2019 RAS Beef 70 day Dom Proit Loss

2019 RAS Beef Exp Individ 2019 RAS Beef 100 day Exp Proit Loss

Exp Pen Judging Dom Pen

RAS Champion 2018 Purple BeefCattle RAS Champion 2017 Purple BeefCattle RAS Champion 2016 Purple BeefCattle RAS SILVER 2017 BeefChallenge

2019 Bull Sale Report - Miracles can happen!

Details: Last Updated on Monday, 29 July 2019 01:11

140/140 bull sold, topped at $34,000 to average $9,386

Ben Mayne announced at the end of the sale that “Scomo was right, miracles can happen and thank God for Queensland!”
Buyers and under bidders came from every state in Australia to watch a total clearance of 140 bulls offered to top at $34,000 and average an incredible $9,386. Both Ben and Wendy Mayne were elated with the sale result and believed it was their best result to date considering most of Australia is experiencing such extreme drought conditions. They were so overwhelmed with the Queensland support, they immediately announced after the sale a donation $1,000 to the Sisters of the North Charity for the flood affected cattle graziers in North West Queensland.
Return Queensland commercial buyers were dominant at the sale taking 116 bulls across the border, while NSW, VIC, SA and WA all competed fiercely for the remaining bulls. Lot 74 Texas Western Express N505(AI)(ET) took top honours of selling for $34,000 to the highly recognised Western Australian Angus stud Koojan Hills. The 918kg son of Bangadang Western Express E10 out of Texas’s matriarch donor Texas Undine Z183 ticked all the boxes for the Metcalfe family. He had phenotype, weight for age, the numbers and a history second to none. There were a total 5 flush brothers in the sale that average $18,200 with one being retained for stud duties. His dam Z183 has sold close to $850,000 in progeny without including semen sales of her sons!

2019 Sale Photo

The Metcalfe family were so impressed with the Texas program they couldn’t resist buying Texas’s highest ever performing bull to sell through the ring, Texas Pocock P046(AI). Like the Wallaby Player he was named after he is “one hell of a beast” with ADG 1.57kgs/day, weighing 876kgs with a moderate birth weight combined with huge growth, carcase, temperament and A1 structure. Describe as a REAL power bull that would inject serious weight into any herd.

Second top price was $32,000 for Lot 13 Texas Horse Power N229(AI) who was snapped up by South Australia’s Nampara Angus Stud who returned after purchasing in 2017. He was one of Ben’s picks of the sale and Stu and Nat Hann fell in love with N229’s sheer volume, muscling and like his name serious Horse Power. The 964kg son of Coonamble H176 and a grandson of Z183. With a 1.35kgs/day weight gain +8.8 EMA and +137 for 600 day he stood out. 13 sons of Coonamble H176 had a healthy average of $11,300.

Beef Aus to Sydney Royal - Texas Takes Top Honours in Export & Domestic for 2018

Details: Last Updated on Friday, 04 October 2019 08:41

Group 2018a

2018 would have to be the most memorable year for Texas Angus in more ways than one. The stud has been awarded top honours at Beef Australia 2018 in May followed by clinching broad ribbons once again at Sydney Royal Beef Challenge this month.

Texas Angus was awarded 1st place (in Australia's largest and most competitive carcase competition of 1077hd and the largest class of the competition by 330 head) for 100 Day Grainfed Export Chiller Bullocks at Beef Australia 2018. And last Friday took out the Grand Champion 70 Day Domestic Pen and Grand Champion 70 Day Domestic Individual of Sydney Royal's 2018 Beef Challenge. This was the fourth conservative year for the stud to receive a broad ribbon at this very 'industry relevant' event.

Texas only entered 3 pens for the 70 Day domestic competition and 2 of the pens had 2 individual animals eliminated because their weight gains were too big. These 2 milk tooth heifers had the highest ADG of both the domestic and export competition (3.22 & 3.14kgs/day), and both pens placed 1st and 3rd in the profitability section. The 1st place pen returned $1,120.19/hd profit and were $835.15/hd more profitable than the average of the 55 domestic pens in the competition. The remaining pen of 6 we had left ended up taking top honours by blitzing the MSA Eating quality with 375.37 points.

Similar to last year's results Texas Angus also won the Taste Test which in our view is a very proud achievement as this is an endorsement of eating quality and our breeding program is hitting all market specifications. It should be noted this is the only competition in the country that undertakes a blind taste test by a panel of expert RAS Judges. Each striploin is sent to Sydney direct from the processing plant and a sample is cut and cooked exactly the same for the blind taste test which is similar to RAS wine judging. We congratulate the RAS Cattle committee for introducing such an industry relevant section.

Once again we had the highest marbling animals in the domestic and equal highest in the export section. Which follows on from placing third highest marbling at Beef Australia's 100 day grainfed export class and 4th in the entire 1077hd competition. These successes have emphasised Texas Angus's point of difference is that our breeding program of high performing pure bred Angus will hit market specifications without compromising the ever important eating quality. In a nut shell Texas Angus cattle not only marble BUT they are also profitable for the commercial operator, feedlotter and butcher - from farm to fork!

Sydney Royal Beef Challenge is one of Australia's prestigious cattle competitions that has been running for 7 years and this year had 510 head which is a great number considering NSW and parts of QLD are experiencing the worst drought on record. 2015 was the first year Texas Angus entered the competition and it has been a great platform for us to benchmark our breeding program against some of Australia's best commercial cattle.

The Beef Challenge is a commercially-focussed feedlot competition that is unique to others. It represents all stages of the process including

*Live Assessment

*Weight Gain

*Carcase Judging (MSA Standards)

*Profitability

* Eating Quality (Blind Taste Test by a Panel of Judges in Sydney)

Congratulations to all other place getters and a big thank you to RAS Cattle Committee, MacCue Family Wilga Feedlot, Bob Jamieson Agencies Kilcoy Pastoral and all sponsors inlcuding Angus Australia for being a part of such a great beef industry event.

Champ Pen 2018 Champ 2018 Individ

Taste Award 2018 award web RAS Heifers 18 RAS Heifers 18a

Texas Angus Awarded 2018 Beef Farmer of the Year!

Details: Last Updated on Sunday, 03 March 2019 11:22

We were thrilled just to be nominated by the Weekly Times as a finalist of the The Weekly Times Coles 2018 Farmer of the Year. But to win it agmonst some of Australia's most innovative beef farmers was a massive shock and completely unexpected! Ben's unprepared speech showed our complete surprise. We are very honoured and humbled to be recognised for our contribution to the beef industry. We believe agriculture and the beef industry are set to reap huge rewards in coming years.

Below is the article that featured in this weekends newspapers Courier Mail, Sydney Sunday Telegraph, Melbourne Herald Sun, Perth Sunday Times, Adelaide Sunday Mail, Weekly Times & Qld Rural Weekly. We would like to Congratulate all finalists, winners and Tom and Pheobe Bull for winning the overall famer of the year. It was a wonderful night in Melbourne and a great weekend away for us.

Beef Farmer of the Year

Farmer of the year 1 Farmer of the year 2 Farmer of the year 3

Weekly Times1

Weekly Times

Texas Defies the Odds

Details: Last Updated on Thursday, 20 September 2018 05:37

Facing the worst drought on record, Ben and Wendy were very concerned during the lead up to the sale of whether buyers were needing bulls in such a trying season. They knew they had the largest number and most even line up they had ever presented and were completely taken by surprise with the result.

With standing room only, Texas Angus achieved a full clearance of 138 bulls that topped at $32,000 and averaged $11,580. Principal Ben Mayne was blown away with the result.

"Never in my wildest dreams did we believe we could achieve such a result in this horrendous drought" Ben Said. "The general comment on the day was the evenness of the bulls, structure, fleshing and temperament. Our goal for many years of breeding was that if a buyer missed Lot 10 in the sale he or she would still be happy to buy the last lots of the sale."

Lot 49 Texas Hector N046(AI)(ET), a Coonamble Hector son was the topped priced bull weighing in at 818kgs with an average weight gain of 1.41kgs/day was knocked down to a syndicate of repeat buyers including Murdeduke Angus, Winchelsea Victoria and commercial producer John & Jen Hurley of Goondwindi QLD. Since the sale Semex Pty Ltd(an International Semen Company) has formed a joint venture with John & Jen Hurley, Murdeduke Angus and Texas Angus to market N46 worldwide, particularly in the North American market.

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Ben Mayne, John & Jen Hurley, Wendy Mayne, Michael Glasser GTSM & Andrew Wardel GDL St George

The maternal background of N46 is incredibly strong. His dam Texas Undine H647(AI)(ET) is a daughter of the great Texas Undine Z183 who has sold almost $700,000 of bulls and like her mother, H647's 5 sons are in demand and currently averaging $18,000. N46 was in the top 5% for all growth traits, Top 2% for NFI-F and Docility and Top 1% for EMA.

His 2 full brothers were hotly contested with Lot 50 Texas Hector N027(AI)(ET) (770kgs) selling to Granite Ridge Angus for $20,000 who has been purchasing Texas bulls since 2014. While Lot 58 Texas Hector N030(AI)(ET)(774kgs) was quickly snapped up by Permeate Pty Ltd of Kempsey NSW for $15,000. They also took home Lot 15 Texas Korporal M326 for $15,000 who weighed in at 940kgs.

The commercial buying was very strong with return clients Cadelga Cattle Co, Inglewood QLD took home Lot 54 Texas Mountain Man N023(AI)(ET) (K2 son - 856kgs) fgor $28,000 who had the highest daily weight gain of 1.53kgs/day of the sale. They also purchased Lot 67 Texas Magic Millions M380(AI) for the same money who was the second heaviest bull of the draft at 1028kgs. Interestingly a prominent Western Australian stud purchased a semen package in Magic Millions prior to the sale. Both bulls have the same dam Texas Pride E030 who is breeding extremely well with 11 of her sons currently averaging $13,227.

N23 M380a

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Above is Scott Fitzgerald Elders Inverell, Maureen& Jason Johnstone, Inglewood QLD, Ben & Wendy Mayne with Michael Glasser GTSM

Long term commercial clients Wes and Sue Presho of Taroom QLD invested in Lot 16 Texas Plateau for $20,000 and Lot 47 Texas STud Muffin M387 for $18,000. Both bulls weighed in at a hefty 1012kgs and 914kgs respectively.

Return clients Vicky and Sophie Hartley, Injune QLD took home 10 bulls for an average of $9,200 while Rob Sinnamon of Yulibar Santas purchased 2 bulls for an average $12,000 including Coonamble Handyman son and a Texas Mount K2 son.

Volume buyers of the day included Booky Cattle Co, Tenterfield NSW who invested heavily into the Texas Program taking home 17 bulls for an average $11,000. While Landmark St George put together a great line of 18 bulls that averaged $10,555 for a client at Charleville Qld.

It was humbling for Ben and Wendy to see 124 bidders register and 80% of the buyers were return clients. Buyers were looking for weight for age, temperament, caracse, do-ability and a solid breeding program with proven results.

The only dampener of the day was Ben Dad's Bill couldn't attend the day to celebrate the 50th sale for the Mayne Family.

A big thank you to our extended team including Hayden Chapell, Brenton Sessions, BJA, GTSM, Falls Transport, Warialda Apex, Laura Lockhart Photography and many others that all help make our day happen!

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