THE Murphy family's Tayglen Pastoral Company has come up trumps on its first outing to the Central Queensland Carcase Classic, named the most successful exhibitor of the competition. Tayglen picked up three reserve champion titles, after winning four of the classes. The major awards included the: Pioneer reserve champion grass-fed carcase; Feed Pro reserve champion grain-fed carcase; AgForce reserve champion grass-fed pen. The reserve champion grass-fed carcase was from a 497kg, two tooth steer with a 354.4kg HSCW, an 87 square centimetre eye muscle area, 15mm of fat at the P8, 12mm of fat at the rib, and an MSA score of 61.42. The reserve champion grain-fed carcase was from a milk tooth heifer with a 299.4kg HSCW, a 95sq cm EMA and a 59.72 MSA index. The reserve champion grass-fed pen were three very even heifers with HSCWs ranging from 287.9kg to 295kg, 77-82sq cm EMAs, and MSA indexes from 57.84 to 59.42. Tayglen earlier scored blue ribbons in the single trade steer or heifer class 180-300kg class; pen of three trade steers or heifers 180-300kg class; the grain-fed single steer or heifer 300-420kg class; the grain-fed pen of three steers or heifers 300-420kg class; and the grain-fed trade steer or heifer 180-300kg class. Ted and Jenny Murphy and their sons Paul and Shane entered 50 steers and heifers in the competition. Most of the cattle were Charolais/Angus-cross, with some Charbrays. The grass-fed entries were run on dolichos, forage sorghum and buffel grass. The grain-fed entries were prepared in the family's 200-head opportunity feedlot on a ration comprising of either wheat, sorghum or bought in barley, cottonseed and the liquid feed supplement Molafos. The Murphys run about 1500 breeders on 22,250 hectares on three properties at Dysart and Middlemount. About half of the breeders are high grade Brahmans, which are joined to Charolais bulls sourced from Moongool, Palgrove, Four Ways and Hopgoods. The Charbray portion of the breeders are joined to Angus bulls, predominantly sourced from Burenda at Bell. "It's a strategy we've adopted about the past 10 years to improve the overall quality of the cattle we are breeding," Mr Murphy said. "The objective is to breed easy-doing, early-maturing cattle, with good eating quality characteristics." The export-focused, EU-accredited operation mainly supplies Teys Australia in Rockhamton, with some cattle going to Borthwicks in Mackay, specifically for the Nature's Fresh Natural Beef program. MORE READING: 'CQCC raises more than $17,500 for rural schools'.
