Despite challenging seasonal and economic conditions, beef cattle seedstock producers in Victoria and the Riverina will display 205 herds representing 28 breeds in the 2009 Stock & Land Autumn Beef Week from January 30 to February 6.
And in a move to assist visitors to plan their trips, the list of participating studs and the days they are in can already be found on
www.beefweek.com.au.
Many seedstock producers rely on Beef Week as their major marketing activity for the year offering bulls and females for private sale while those with autumn on-property sales take the opportunity to display the lots available over the coming weeks according to Beef Week director Geoff Phillips.
“This is the one of the best results ever for Beef Week in a very difficult period clearly indicating the importance seedstock producers place on the event”.
“Beef Week is a low cost high value event and serves to showcase south-east Australia’s seedstock industry,” said Mr Phillips.
In the 20 Beef Weeks conducted since the first in 1992, there have been a total of 3723 stud openings in an outstanding showcase of what seedstock producers in Victoria and the Riverina have to offer the commercial industry.
Twenty-eight different breeds will be on display, close to the greatest number ever displayed during Beef Week demonstrating the growing diversity of genetics available in south-east Australia.
Two breeds, Speckle Park and Twinners, will be making their Beef Week debuts. Both originate from north America and the breeders claim they have much to offer the Australian industry. Speckle Park steers regularly win the carcase competition at the Calgary Stampede and Twinners, selected for the ability to have twins, were developed at the internationally renowned USA Clay Centre.
The most numerous breed is Angus with 49 studs displaying black Angus while another 12 have Red Angus for inspection.
The whiteface breeds have increased their numbers for 2009 with 35 Poll Hereford and 29 Hereford studs opening their gates to the public over the eight days.
The Limousin breed is the next most numerous with 14 studs open highlighting the importance of the domestic trade in south-east Australia.
Charolais has 10 studs open with Charolais studs available for inspection on all days except days one and five. A new Charolais exhibitor is Noelene King, chair of the Melbourne Royal beef cattle committee who has her Hazel Downs Charolais and Grangeview Herefords on display on her West Gippsland property at Loch.
The Simmental and Shorthorn breeds have eight studs each while Blonde D’Aquitaine have followed a large representation in Spring Beef Week with five studs opening their gates.
Other breeds represented are Gelbvieh and Murray Grey with four each, Belgian Blue, Santa Gertrudis and South Devons with three each, plus Balancer, Bazadaise, Beef Shorthorn, Brahman, Composite, Lowline, Maine Anjou, Piedmontese, Red Poll, Salers, Simangus and Wagyu.
Last year cattle producers from all states visited properties and indications are they’ll be back to inspect cattle and discuss breeding programs with southern stud masters.
“We will be able to load up information on each of the participating studs on the Beef Week website
www.beefweek.com.au in late December to give participants strong exposure and allow visitors time to plan their visits.
Beef Week opens in Gippsland and finishes in the Western District in a reversal of the pattern that has prevailed in recent years.
More information is on www.beefweek.com.au
Geoff Phillips, Beef Week Director, who said Beef Week is a low cost high value event allowing south-east Australia’s seedstock producers the opportunity to demonstrate their breeding programs and their cattle to potential buyers.
Media contact Geoff Phillips 03 9431 1522 or email beefweek@ozemail.com.au