Feature: Achieving MSA Compliance

BEARING THE STANDARD: CENTRAL QLD PRODUCERS RAISE THE STEAKS ON MSA

Droughtmaster weaners belonging to Hastings Donaldson at ‘Medway’, Bogantungan, wait in holding yards before being moved to the operation’s fattening country at Capella, Central Queensland.

Two years after Droughtmaster Australia launched a new marketing campaign to promote the breed for its eating quality, two producers in Central Queensland spill the ‘secret sauce’ on achieving high MSA compliance.

By: Brad Cooper

EXPERT CATTLE MANAGEMENT and Central Queensland conditions are playing their part in achieving positive MSA feedback, but it’s the adaptability and efficiency of the Droughtmaster breed that’s providing the winning edge. That’s the view of Droughtmaster stud and commercial producers Kevin Woolcock and Hastings Donaldson, whose operations are roughly 160 kilometres apart, but share common links in how they are attaining consistent quality on their kill sheets. They also send their cattle to the same processor – Teys Rockhampton – where they credit the facility and yard staff for ensuring cattle don’t endure unnecessary stress in the 24 hours prior to slaughter, enhancing the opportunity to grade MSA after careful preparation before leaving the farm gate. In the last 2021-22 financial year, Mr Woolcock’s steers (all sold to Teys Rockhampton) have resulted in 95.1 per cent MSA compliance. Some steers have been finished on grass, some on crops, and some as 100-day accredited grain fed, but have all consistently graded MSA no matter the feed regime. “This gives us confidence that the genetics of our cattle are relevant when producing compliant product for the MSA market,” Mr Woolcock says. At Bogantungan, south of Mr Woolcock’s operation “Mostyndale”, near Springsure, Hastings Donaldson prepares steers and heifers for the EU market from his “Medway” commercial enterprise adjoined to his stud operation. Targeting the EU premium chilled beef export market, MSA grading isn’t Mr Donaldson’s main priority, but he appreciates the feedback on how his cattle are performing. As he explains, the cattle processed for Teys’ EU program and the small portion of cull heifers MSA graded for feedback purposes, receive the same, relatively straight-forward treatment – backgrounded on grass and finished on grain at Medway’s ‘opportune feedlot’ for 45-90 days if the season requires. MSA compliance is higher than 85 per cent. “What it tells me is that whoever is eating my steaks under the Teys brand in five-star European restaurants is experiencing great tasting, tender pure Droughtmaster beef from Bogantungan,” he said. “It would be the same eating experience as an Australian consumer buying an MSA certified product, which says to me the Droughtmaster, through its genetics, is providing the quality, tenderness and consistency that cattle buyers want and consumers demand from their beef.”

Mr Woolcock said his enterprise had been registered for MSA for at least 15 years, primarily targeting the MSA grassland market through Teys Rockhampton with steers aimed at the 300340 kg weight range dressed. Optimum prices are received for 0-4 tooth, 5-22 mm of fat, NIL bruising, meat colour 1A-4, fat colour 0-4. “Since registering, we have appreciated the premiums that are paid for carcasses that grade MSA,” Mr Woolcock said. “We follow our MSA feedback very closely and use ‘myMSA’, a software tool which we use to benchmark our cattle against others from the same region, state or nationally. “It helps us to get an idea of how our cattle are performing compared to others in similar geographical areas and also shows us where we can advance to gain greater MSA compliance. “There is always room for improvement and we are continually looking for ways to achieve this.” Mr Woolcock is a fourth-generation grazier on the Mostyndale family property, which was purchased in 1898 by his great grand-parents. He and his wife Leesa run a 100 per cent Droughtmaster commercial herd on the 9960-hectare home property 16 kilometres north-east of Springsure, The operation also comprises a Droughtmaster Stud, Mostyndale Droughtmasters, established in 2007.

Mostyndale is dissected by Springsure Creek, with the land varying from sandstone, lancewood ridges to developed Brigalow and softwood scrub. Mr Woolcock believes the diverse land type lends itself perfectly to the commercial operation

where cattle are bred, grown and fattened before being turned off direct to works.

“Mostyndale is predominantly grazing country with approximately 330 ha of cropping used to grow forage crops for cattle and/or make hay,” he said. “Pastures range from improved buffel, purple pigeon as well as legumes such as butterfly pea to native pasture.”

With average annual rainfall of 600mm, Mostyndale is tracking ahead of the trend with 378 mm already recorded this year. “After a very dry start we are now enjoying the best winter in a long time after receiving rain in late April and May, which filled dams and allowed an oats crop to be planted,” Mr Woolcock said.

“PCAS steers and cast for age cows will be turned off this crop later in the year. We have an abundance of green feed which is unusual for this time of year.” The abundance of grass is setting up a productive mating and calving season later this year. Cows are joined from early December to July and calving percentages averaging around 95 per cent are consistently achieved. A percentage of heifers are retained each year for breeding with the remainder of the drop being fattened and sold as 0-2 tooth MSA PCAS accredited heifers.

The steer portion are also fattened and sold as 0-2 tooth MSA PCAS accredited or NFAS accredited grain fed through the Woolcocks’ accredited feedlot when seasons do not permit stock to be turned off pasture.

“Mostyndale is run as a parallel production enterprise which allows both accredited grass fed and grain fed to be turned off the same property,” Mr Woolcock said. “Our Droughtmaster herd is very low maintenance with breeders only mustered twice a year, once for branding and once for weaning. “Our herd is HGP and antibiotic free. Once weaned, steers and heifers are drafted and kept in paddocks with their year age until moved onto a crop/feedlot.

“This allows cattle to settle and grow out in a low stress environment. Extra mustering only takes place for parasite management, such as ticks and buffalo fly.” Mr Donaldson also leverages off the quality of his stud herd to produce premium beef that is finding a natural home in the EU market. “And looking at the MSA figures is always a good way to see how your cattle are killing out,” he says. “All our male cattle are out of registered stud cows. If they don’t come up to our standards for the stud operation as replacement bulls, then we prepare them for our commercial steer herd.

“Our stud and commercial operations work seamlessly together.” After joining and calving on Medway, weaner steers are moved to Mr Donaldson’s fattening Brigalow country at Capella. His aim is to achieve 300 kg 2-tooth off grass, or grain finished depending on the season.

“If we have an average season we’ll put them through the feedlot, using our own sorghum-forage we grow at Capella in our silage ration,” he said.

“At the moment the season is going great; we’ve had the right amount of rain fall at the right time and I’ve got lots of grass.”

As well as the Droughtmaster’s physiology and its response to nutrition and its general environment, Mr Woolcock believes the renowned calm and quiet temperament of the Droughtie, ultimately leads to better tasting beef.

The ‘whole-of-life’ management program at Mostyndale, from mustering, branding, weaning, fattening and finally trucking to market, is one of the large contributing factors to their high MSA compliance, he said.

WHY DROUGHTMASTER IS THE PERFECT ALL-ROUNDER

IN KEVIN WOOLCOCK’S WORDS: “Droughtmasters are the most cost efficient, low maintenance breed for Central Queensland”. His family have run a 100 per cent pure Droughtmaster herd on Mostyndale for more than 40 years and have never considered introducing other breeds. “Droughtmasters have the ability to deliver all the attributes necessary to run a successful and profitable beef enterprise, whether your business is backgrounding, stores, feeders, live export or direct to works,” he said. “They have proven their ability to survive and maintain fertility during the dry years as well as be able to be fattened economically and grade MSA at the other end. There is enough diversity in the breed to allow you to fine tune your herd without having to cross breed.” Hastings Donaldson agrees, although sees geographical footprints further afield that will also prove just as comfortable for the Droughtie. “It’s just totally made for the region, totally adaptable,” he said. “You don’t need to be breeding anything else. Whether it’s here in Central Queensland or right through to the Pilbara, with this breed you won’t miss a beat.” As highly productive commercial cattle, Droughtmasters have allowed the Woolcocks to develop an efficient breeding and fattening enterprise, well suited to the climatic conditions evident in Central Queensland. “Droughtmasters give me the flexibility in my operation to successfully sell to other markets should the need arise such as live export or feeders,” Mr Woolcock said. “Droughtmasters should be seriously considered by all beef producers regardless of their geographical location for their versatility, especially with such uncertainty in markets and seasonal conditions.

“Droughtmasters have proven that in addition to their excellent attributes of fertility, tick resistance and hardiness they have the ability to carry the carcase characteristics necessary to grade MSA. “Droughtmasters should be seriously considered to be the ultimate “all-rounder” with results reinforcing the role that they play as a dominant breed in Australia.”

Kevin and Leesa Woolcock, ‘Mostyndale’, Springsure praise Droughtmaster cattle for their fertility and versatility.

A Mostyndale commercial PCA steer grazes on oats. Mostyndale PCAS steers fattened on oats show the Droughtmaster’s natural ability to lay down strong IMF coverage.

“In our operation we ensure that our cattle are handled quietly in a low stress environment,” he said. “Prior to trucking, the cattle always have access to clean water and good quality feed right up until the time that they are loaded onto the truck. “I find that good quality hay available to the cattle enhances their water intake which has a direct benefit of keeping the pH under 5.7. “We have a single B double, and cart most of our own cattle which ensures that we have control over the entire process right up until delivery at the meatworks. “Alternatively, we only use owner/ operator transport if required as we feel that this is the next best option to carting the cattle ourselves. Our MSA results are a reflection that this type of handling prior to transport is beneficial.” Long before cattle reach the truck, and even before they step onto the paddock, planning for MSA success starts with the genetic blueprint. As Mr Woolcock explains, the key to grading MSA lies in the ability to get enough fat on the carcase. “When selecting bulls to use in our commercial herd I look for soft, easy doing bulls which have the ability to lay down fat and that have good IMF (intramuscular fat) figures,” he said. “EMA (eye muscle area) is not used as one of my primary selection tools as in my experience high EMA is not a large contributing factor to grading MSA, whereas IMF is definitely directly related.” The combination of good management, sound genetics and a compliant environment, is all adding up for buyers like Teys’ livestock manager Ben Cumming, based at the processor’s Central Queensland facility at Lakes Creek near Rockhampton.

“Through looking at the data captured by our company on our regular Droughtmaster cattle suppliers, the trend is showing an increase in the number of cattle meeting MSA requirements,” Mr Cumming said.

“This is largely attributed to the hard work and dedication of producers such as the Woolcocks and Donaldsons, who are breeding cattle to meet these market requirements.”