Carcass Traits

Proudly the Speckled Park Breed are well recognised as having substantial quality carcass results in an abundance of varied shows across Australia.

Carcass Traits

Speckle Park have gained a reputation as a carcass breed of the highest quality and moderate size. The breed has established this reputation primarily by means of its outstanding performance in carcass competitions and steer tests. Anecdotal evidence also is abundant, but the following competition and test results make the point. The following statistics are based primarily on straight Speckle Park but also include Speckle Park influenced animals.

Calgary Stampede Steer Carcass Competitions

‘2001 Grand Champion Carcass – A Speckle Park’

In 2000 for the first time eight (8) Speckle Park steers were entered in the Steer Classic competition at the Calgary Stampede. All 8 steers then went on to enter the carcass competition. The results were impressive. Of the 98 carcasses in the competition, only 13 qualified as Sterling Silver beef, and four (4) of those thirteen were Speckle Park. In the following year ten (10) carcasses were entered and the Grand Champion carcass was a Speckle Park.

2006 Calgary Stampede Carcass Competition

In 2006 just days after being granted the status of distinct breed a Speckle Park steer won the Stampede Carcass competition. This win was also particularly significant because three of the first four placings were Speckle Park steers.

The following table highlights the performance of Speckle Park in this steer carcass competition.

Calgary Stampede Halter to Hook (Heifer) Carcass Competition

Speckle Park made their debut appearance in the ‘Halter to Hook’ competition in 2002 with one heifer. In 2003 a Speckle Park breeder entered the competition for a second time and again with only one heifer. This second heifer received the second highest number of points in the live competition and the highest number of points in the carcass competition and become the Champion of the Halter to Hook competition.

Steer-A-Year Project, Olds College – 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003

Speckle Park steers have also been entered in the Steer-A-Year project at Olds College, Olds, Alberta, starting in 2000. Various breeds are represented in this project with 5 steers from each. The official test begins at the beginning of November and ends when the last of the steers go to market in about April. The Speckle Park steers entered in this project again showed above average carcass quality as indicated in the table below.