The Droughtmaster Society is excited to be hosting the 2025 Droughtmaster Feature Show, which will be held in conjunction with the Toowoomba Royal Show on 27–29 March 2025.
An exciting program has been prepared that will include a comprehensive Stud Beef Cattle Led Competition, a Droughtmaster Commercial Cattle and Feedlot Competition, and Droughtmaster social events which will allow members and friends to celebrate Droughtmaster in a relaxed setting.
Stud Beef Cattle Competition
The Stud Beef Cattle Competition will be held on Friday, 28 March. We encourage as many members as possible to nominate and participate in the led competition and to that end, the Droughtmaster Society will be contributing to the cost of nominations resulting in a significantly reduced nomination fee for all nominations that are received for classes in the Droughtmaster Feature Show.
In addition to the Feature Show program, members may nominate for other classes that will be offered at the Toowoomba Royal Show. Classes that may be of interest to members include: Led Steer Competition (26 March); Interbreed Junior Heifer Competition under 21mths (27 March); Interbreed Battle of the Bulls under 21mths (27 March); Junior Parader (28 March); and Junior Judging (29 March).
Prize money will be awarded to first and second place in all classes.
In addition, sponsored trophies and prizes will be awarded to successful exhibits in the Droughtmaster Feature Show.
Nominations close on Thursday, 6 February 2025 at 5pm.
Commercial Cattle Feedlot and Carcass Competition
We are thrilled that this competition has been incorporated into our annual Feature Show and thank the 10 exhibitors who collectively provided a total of 349 purebred Droughtmaster steers for the competition.
The steers entered the Mort & Co Grassdale Feedlot in November 2024. After 113 days on feed, they will be transferred to JBS Dinmore for processing. The steers will be evaluated for weight gain, carcass traits, and MSA index.
Prizes will be awarded for individuals and pens of six in weight gain, a carcase Competition and an MSA Index competition,
The outcome of the competition and the presentation of the awards will take place at the Droughtmaster presentation evening on Friday, 28 March at the Toowoomba Showgrounds.
Mt Brisbane at Crossdale Don McConnel said they are trying to show the success of the commercial side of the Droughtmaster breeds alongside the stud operation.
In conjunction with Mort and Co and JBS, Droughtmaster Australia will be holding a feedlot trial and carcass competition. This will coincide with the 2025 Toowoomba Royal Show where Droughtmaster cattle will be the feature breed.
This will provide us with an ideal opportunity to promote the breed and highlight the feedlot performance of the cattle and eating quality of Droughtmaster beef.
The feedlot trial will include a weight gain competition while the carcass competition will be judged on MSA Index. The competition will be open to purebred Droughtmaster steers.
Below are some details relating to the feedlot trial and carcass competition:
Cattle to arrive at Mort and Co feedlot between 7am and 3pm on Wednesday the 20/11/24
Steers will be purchased by Mort and Co on their grid for that week
Entry weight of steers to be between 360kg and maximum of 480kg as per Mort and Co grid, JBS have suggested an ideal weight of 440kg and below, milk to two teeth
Any steers over 480 kg will excluded from competition
Purebred Droughtmaster steers only, steers will be inspected by an independent person appointed by Droughtmaster Australia
Preferably flatback to slight hump steers
Mort & Co pen sizes range from 180 to 360 head
Cattle will be fed for 110 days.
Steers to be trucked to JBS Dinmore 14/3/25.
Steers will be processed on 15/3/25, hung in chillers for the weekend before carcasses and MSA grading commences.
Classes
Individual Weight Gain 1st to 4th
Individual Carcasses 1st to 4th
Individual MSA Index 1st to 4th
Pen of 6 weight gain 1st to 4th
Pen of 6 carcass 1st to 4th
Pen of 6 MSA Index 1st to 4th
Pens
Pens will consist of seven head with six best scores counting to pen score
Pens smaller than seven head are ineligible for the pen classes but can compete in the individual classes
365 purebred Droughtmaster steers
This competition will collect valuable MSA data and showcase how well purebred Droughtmasters perform under feedlot conditions
