Munro family dominates Angus Shoot-out as Tamworth opens its doors to world forum
Champions of the Angus Shoot-out, part of the 2025 Neogen World Angus Forum, were announced in front of an audience of 420 breeders and feeders at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre on Friday night in Tamworth.
A total of 64 cattle teams of five animals each, or 320 head in total, competed in the 117 day trial at Teys' Jindalee feedlot at Springdale via Temora and were assessed on weight and dentition on induction, average daily weight gain, health performance, carcase weight, lean meat yield, Aus-Meat marble score and eating quality through the MSA index.
In the end, the Munro family from Booroomooka Angus stud were awarded two of the top prizes.
Claiming overall team performance were Hugh and Juliet Munro, who run their own enterprise, Glenroy, at Bingara, while best feedlot team performers were Keera Lands, the commercial arm of Booroomooka, at Keera via Bingara and managed by their son Sinclair.
Second place in the overall team performance category were Keera Lands while third went to the Shea family's Barfold Beef from Kyneton, Vic.
Runner up in the Feedlot team performance category was The Sisters Pastoral Co, Mort Lake, Vic while third went to Knowla Livestock from Gloucester.
Champion carcase team was awarded to Tom and Jane Williamson, Glenmore Livestock at Glen Innes, ahead of Hugh and Juliet Munro, Glenroy, and Bald Blair Pastoral Co at Guyra.
Individual animal performance champion was awarded to Richard and Prue Post, Glenavon at Guyra, ahead of Glenmore Livestock and Barfold Beef.
Master of ceremonies Dr Peter McGilchrist, professor of meat science at the University of New England and architect of a formula used to assess lean meat yield, welcomed president of the Australian lot feeders association and Teys' general manager of feedlots Grant Carey who told the audience that Teys was "on board from the start" in offering the use of Jindalee, in spite of busy expansion plans already underway.
Forbes-based livestock consultant Jeff House described the trial process, with points weighted in favour of carcase merit.
At the start, 95 per cent of inductees complied with the preferred liveweight of 360-500 kilograms, with zero to two teeth.
At the end, of the 117 days average daily weight gain across the cohort was 2.02kg with the top 10pc recording 2.38kg with most making 1.6-2.2kg per day.
Some 95pc of animals complied with an ideal carcase weight of 300-420kg.
Lean meat yield averaged 53.2pc with the top 10pc recording 56.7pc with most animals making 40-56pc.
"These cattle hit the specifications very well," Mr House said.
"They were up in lean meat yield and eating quality. These were fantastic carcases."
The Tamworth leg of the World Angus Forum continues over the weekend.
