The junior champion bull at this year's Herefords Australia National Show and Sale has been awarded to an 820-kilogram bull.
The bull, Kymarney Techno S022, is owned by Kymarney stud principal Scott Lewington, Uranquinty, NSW, who said they had been showing at the event for about 20 years, but most of their success had been within the last six years, following a coincidental change into polled genetics.
"He's by a bull called Koanui Techno who's been used a bit out here in Australia," Mr Lewington said.
"And he's out of a cow that I purchased who's got some American genetics on the bottom side, so it's a bit of an outcrossed genetic package on the Danish side."
Going with gut instinct, Mr Lewington said Kymarney Techno S022 had always been his pick of his bulls even though not everyone in his family felt the same way.
"For a calf I guess it's because of the cow that he's out of," he said.
"I liked that he's got that beautiful length of body and a very clean, fancy front, as I call a long front, but he's also got a lot of muscle and body capacity in there and has a lot of growing to do yet."
Herefords Australia National Show and Sale judge Ben Noller, Palgrove, Bukkulla, NSW, said both the junior champion and reserve champion, Tarcombe 104 Sling Shot S200, from Tarcombe Hereford stud, Ruffy, were great examples of the breed, yet slightly different in type.
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"[For junior champion] I've just gone for a bull with a little bit more frame and smoothness in his muscle pattern but he's still got plenty of carcase, with 127 (square centimetres) eye muscle area and he's got plenty of weight in him," Mr Noller said.
"[He's] a bull that I think has got plenty more growth, and I guess that's what put him up on top."
The bull recorded estimated breeding values of 9 millimetres rib fat, birth weight of +4.9 kilograms, 200-day weight of +38kg, 400-day weight of +67kg and 600-day weight of +90kg.
Mr Noller said the reserve champion bull had a more medium frame, but was full of carcase.
"He's got that softness and fleshing to go with moderation and frame," he said.
"This is a bull that you could really use in a program if you had a few more of those cows with a little bit more frame in them.
"It's going to put that extra carcase and grunt in them I think that is a perfect bull for."
Holly McGuinness
Holly is a journalist for Australian Community Media, covering South Coast, NSW. As a born and bred Shoalhaven local, she's passionate about covering community concerns and amplifying local voices. To get in contact, email holly.mcguinness@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Holly is a journalist for Australian Community Media, covering South Coast, NSW. As a born and bred Shoalhaven local, she's passionate about covering community concerns and amplifying local voices. To get in contact, email holly.mcguinness@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
