The Melbourne Royal Show might still be some time off, but for cattle exhibitors, preparations are already underway.
With entries closing soon, exhibitors will be thinking seriously about which cattle to enter and ensuring they are in tip-top condition to impress the judges and showcase their breeds to the public.
Macorna’s Murray Van der Drift is one of the district’s regular and serious cattle exhibitors at local and Royal Show level, exhibiting from the family’s Macorna Limousins and Black Diamond Speckled Park studs.
The Van der Drifts will be exhibiting at the Melbourne Royal Beef Cattle Competition, held over five days from September 28 to October 1 and attracting 500 exhibits.
This year, Limousins are the feature breed and Murray will be showcasing the breed to the judges and the public.
Limousins originated from France and were introduced to Australia and New Zealand 50 years ago. Macorna Limousins is one of few to still breed the true French type.
“We probably have one of the larger true French herds in Australia and I just love the extra shape and that true lean muscle carcass that we can get out of it,” Murray said.
“Limousins have always been renowned for their yield, they’re light-boned and they have so much muscle in them that they’re the ideal butcher shop calf because they’re so lean with absolutely no waste,” he said.
Murray plans on exhibiting 23 cattle at this year’s Show, including Limousins, Charolais and Speckle Parks, with preparation starting well before competition begins.
His cattle are being fed on a 100-110-day grain regime to ensure they’re in tip-top condition. Three weeks before the Show, Murray will move all cattle from bigger to smaller pens to let the preening begin.
“We do daily hair care and that’s washing every second day; bulls one day and females the other. We wash, rinse, use all the hair care products, and then we also do a lot of leading practice as the Show gets closer,” Murray said.
“We try our best to be as competitive as possible and put up good cattle that are structurally right, but you have to pick all that even before you put them on feed.”
Murray points out that while exhibiting and winning is the ultimate goal, it is the Beef Cattle Committee and the camaraderie with other exhibitors that brings his family back each year.
“The cattle committee is very strong and very focused on ensuring the competitors are comfortable. The way it’s structured and the relationships they have with all the exhibitors is fantastic,” Murray said.
“Our family is also very proud of our cattle and getting our product out there. It’ll be a real family outing with my grandparents in Melbourne and they’ll be there on judging day to cheer us on.”
Entries for the Melbourne Royal Beef Cattle Competition close on August 2.
This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 20 July 2023.
