Killain Junior Bull takes Top Honours in Angus Ring
Killain Angus recently featured in The Land for their win at Sydney Royal.
To take top honours in the largest beef breed ring at the Sydney Royal Show is a massive achievement in itself but the fact Richard and Susie Duddy’s young Tamworth stud Killain Angus achieved that honour in its first appearance, and with a junior bull, is one for the history books.
The 986 kilogram, 20-month-old Killain Alaska K18 won the Junior Champion title from what judge David Bondfield described as an exceptionally competitive line-up of young bulls before being named Champion Bull and then Best Exhibit.
With an eye muscle area measuring 132 square centimetres and 20mm and 12mm of rump and rib fat, Alaska had ‘performance to burn in a moderate package’, according to Mr Bondfield, from Palgrove Charolais stud in South East Queensland.
“It’s about balance,” he said.
“We get paid by the kilo and this bull is top of the class in terms of weight-for-age but the big thing is he combines it with the right maturity pattern.”
Alaska was a fully imported embryo from Schaff Angus Valley genetics in Northern America.
Considered one of the world’s leading Angus studs, Schaff last year grossed US$11.7m for 457 bulls
“We researched the Angus breed for a long time, decided they were the best herd in the world and in 2012 imported 27 embryos,” Mr Duddy said.
“In recent years we have been bringing back genetics from their top cow families and better young yearling bulls.
“They pride themselves on maternal traits and huge weight gains combined with doing ability, softness and structural correctness.
“Our aim is to build a sister stud in Australia using exclusive Schaff genetics.”
Alaska edged out a three-and-a-half-year-old Grand Champion Female from Steve Hayward and Kellie Smith’s Allora, Queensland K5X stud, which the judge described as ‘easy-fleshing, easy-doing and also with that balance of performance moderated with a good frame size.’
K5X Lisa H56, exhibited with calf K5X Line of Duty, had estimated breeding values that, while not extreme, were well up in the better end of the breed, Mr Bondfield said.
“She has length of body, structural soundness, exceptional length of hip and an outstanding udder,” he said.
Pine Creek Angus Stud at Cowra collected the other two Grand Champion ribbons, via
PC Miss Tootie L301 in the Junior Female competition and PC Kodiak J157 in the Senior Bull.
Miss Tootie was the calf exhibited with the 2015 Sydney Show Angus Grand Champion Female and Grand Champion Female Interbreed winner in Melbourne, PC Ms Expedition H304.