The University of New England's (UNE) leading expertise in meat science was on display at the recent Intercollegiate Meat Judging Northern Competition, where UNE students and alumni contributed to wins in 11 of 15 categories.
UNE students won the Champion Team award, and UNE alumni won the Champion Individual awards (and were runners-up) - see competition results below.
The ICMJ competition requires participants to assess the volume and value of beef carcasses, which tests how well individuals can subjectively assess the market value of carcasses on the hook.
Due to COVID restrictions, some of the student participants had never been inside an abattoir before the competition.
UNE Associate Professor in Meat Science, Dr Peter McGilchrist, said the competition is a test of beef grading fundamentals.
"Our students learn to subjectively assess what makes one carcass more valuable than another, and that gives them the understanding they need to properly use the technology we use to objectively grade carcasses," Dr McGilchrist said.
"Ultimately, it's not about the grading: it's about producing food that delivers the right product to the consumer, which in turn is about supporting the red meat industries right through the value chain, from paddock to plate."
The competition was part of the ICMJ Conference at Rockhampton, where 80 young red meat industry professionals – including 60 university students – came together to learn about the latest developments in meat science and better understand the careers on offer in the beef industry.
UNE's student team was intensively coached for a month leading up to the event by Dr McGilchrist and Rob Muirhead, who is doing a UNE doctorate on the eating quality of Wagyu.
UNE student Caitlin McDonald, who was a member of the champion team and winner of the individual Overall Questions and Beef Judging competitions, said the event was a "great experience".
"To be able to walk away with a couple of wins was very rewarding and a testament to everyone's hard work and the high standard quality of the training provided leading up the conference," she said.
"I was surprised at just how diverse the meat industry is in terms of job opportunities. There really is something for everyone. Quite a few people who spoke at the conference didn't initially start in agriculture but now work within the industry and love it."
"I think that really speaks to how the industry is growing and how attractive it is for people as a potential career."
UNE Meat Science graduate Claire Marriot has taken her Bachelor of Rural Science degree (with Honours) onto a two-year graduate program with AACo, a 197 year-old company that runs 400,000 cattle – Australia's largest herd.
At the Northern ICMJ, she competed as an AACo representative and took several awards.
"My UNE degree equipped me really well for the industry," she said. "It taught me to think critically, ask questions, and it exposed me to a whole range of production systems."
Dr McGilchrist was delighted with the performance of his students, past and present. "They are dedicated and smart. I think the future of the red meat industry is in good hands."
2021 ICMJ Northern competition results
UNE award winners are marked in bold type.
Retail Cuts and Saleable Items ID
Sponsored by Signature Beef, Presented by Tess Camm, Signature Beef
Individual Awards – University
Runner Up: Holly Newsome - UNE
Winner: George Simiana - UNE
Individual Awards – Industry
Runner Up: Jo Tulloch - AACo
Winner: Kieran Smith (UNE alumnus) – Queensland Department
Team Awards -
Runner Up: UQ 226/400
Lawton Elliot, Sophie Clacher, Elizabeth Potter, Baden Johns
Winner: UNE 267/400
Caitlin McDonald, Jack Jansen, Paul Murphy, Nick Whip
Overall Questions
Sponsored by JBS, Presented by Jamie Truscott, JBS Plant Manager
Individual Awards – University
Runner Up: Lawton Elliot - UQ
Winner: Caitlin McDonald - UNE
Individual Awards – Industry
Runner Up: Kieran Smith (UNE alumnus) – Queensland Department of
Winner: Byron Smith - Elders
Team Awards -
Runner Up: UNE 595/800
Caitlin McDonald, Jack Jansen, Paul Murphy, Nick Whip
Winner: AACo. 615/800
Claire Marriot (UNE alumna), Jo Tulloch, Olivia Mellor, Sally Filmer
Overall Placings
Sponsored by Beef Austalia, Presented by Ian Mill, CEO Beef Australia
Individual Awards – University
Runner Up: Nick Whip - UNE
Winner: Eliza Gray - UQ
Individual Awards – Industry
Runner Up: Kieran Smith (UNE alumnus) – Queensland Department
Winner: Ben Weiland (UNE alumnus) – Kilcoy Global Foods
Team Awards – TIE BREAKER BOTH ON 900/1000, back to total overall
Runner Up: AACo 900/1000
Claire Marriot (UNE alumna), Jo Tulloch, Olivia Mellor, Sally Filmer
Winner: UNE 900/1000
Caitlin McDonald, Jack Jansen, Paul Murphy, Nick Whip
Commercial Evaluation
Sponsored by CQUniversity, Presented by Professor Michelle Bellingen
Individual Awards – University
Runner Up: Elizabeth Potter - UQ
Winner: Lee-Emma Norman - UNE
Individual Awards – Industry
Runner Up: Ben Weiland (UNE alumnus) – Kilcoy Global Foods
Winner: Kate Strong (UNE alumna) - RCS
Team Awards -
Runner Up: UNE 438/600
Caitlin McDonald, Jack Jansen, Paul Murphy, Nick Whip
Winner: UQ – 464/600
Lawton Elliot, Sophie Clacher, Elizabeth Potter, Baden Johns
Beef Judging
Sponsored by Teys Australia, Presented by Wasantha Mudannayake
Individual Awards – University
Runner Up: Eliza Gray - UQ
Winner: Caitlin McDonald - UNE
Individual Awards – Industry
Runner Up: Claire Marriot (UNE alumna) – AACo.
Winner: Kieran Smith (UNE alumnus) – Queensland Department
Team Awards -
Runner Up: UNE 1300/1600
Caitlin McDonald, Jack Jansen, Paul Murphy, Nick Whip
Winner: AACo 1328/1600
Claire Marriot (UNE alumna), Jo Tulloch, Olivia Mellor, Sally Filmer
2021 Northern Champion Meat Judging Individual
Sponsored by NH Foods, Presented by Nick Meara, General Manager, Thomas Borthwick & Sons – NH Foods
Champion individual
Runner Up: Ben Weiland (UNE alumnus) – Kilcoy Global Foods
Winner: Kieran Smith (UNE alumnus) - Queensland Department
2021 Northern Champion Meat Judging Team
Sponsored by AMPC, Presented by Amanda Carter, AMPC
Champion Team
We would like to acknowledge the Runner Up team – UQ 1958/2600
Winner - UNE 2005/2600
Caitlin McDonald, Jack Jansen, Paul Murphy, Nick Whip
Most Outstanding industry individual (selected by the Committee)
Sponsored by MLA - Esteban Gonzalez
