The 2010 Quality Beef Carcass Competition at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) announced its winners on September 27th.
At a dinner meeting in Norwich, Tom Hern from Woodham, ON was named champion among the 15 other competitors. Having entered the champion animal, Hern receives $1000 in prize money.
Held annually at COFS in Woodstock, the competition promotes meat quality and provides producers with an educational experience– in addition to some friendly competition.
“This competition continues to be a great opportunity for producers across the province to show off their animals and learn something,” says COFS Livestock Co-ordinator, Stefanie Nagelschmitz. “We are lucky to have a strong group of sponsors who put a lot of effort into the competition.”
Carcasses were processed and graded at Norwich Packers by experienced beef grader, Dave Doughty. Doughty graded the competition in 2009 and is a well respected professional in the industry. Doughty judged carcasses based on a grid of marbling, carcass cutability, fat, rib eye area, colour and carcass weight. Hern’s Limousin X was followed by David Scott in second with Carl Wilcox in third who both entered Pinzgauer cattle.
The competition was stiff and diverse. Cattle ranged from Blonde d’Aquitaine, Piedmontese, Belgian Blue, Angus to Charolais. Among the other competitors were Gary and Shirley Betzner, Stan Brien, Bob Dale, Brian Dykstra, Paul Goodyear, Mike Hern, Bruce and Cathy Langstaff, Ken and Nancy Mills, Dan Parker, Dennis and Shari Robinson, Junior and Karen Van Geffen, as well as Greg and Jolene Wilson.
All cattle were on display during COFS from September 14th to 16th for 39,200 attendees to see. During the show, attendees used their best judgement to pick the winning animal using a mock scorecard for the chance to win free steaks from Norwich Packers.
The Quality Beef Carcass Competition is proudly sponsored by AgriBrands Purina, BIO, the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association, Ontario Beef Farmer Magazine and Norwich Packers.