Rasco Wagyu | Breeders of exquisitely marbled Wagyu beef

Online Read Low Res_Ross Shannon_Susan J

Celebrating 25 years of breeding Wagyu cattle.

Trading as TALDRA CATTLE CO

Producing tender, exquisitely marbled Wagyu beef.

This steer was the winner of Highest Valued Carcass at the 2022 RNA Wagyu Challenge. He had an average daily weight gain of 1.14kg for the 400 plus days on feed, dressed at 528.5 kgs, had a marbling score of 9, and returned $8,191.75.

Overall winners of the

2022 Wagyu Challenge in the

RNA Paddock to Palate Competition

Click on the image above to read news article.

The Overall winners of the 2022 RNA Wagyu Challenge. This pen of seven steers achieved the second heaviest carcass weight (average 465.64 kgs) and the second highest points for ‘fineness of marbling’. What is exciting is that their Camera marble score of 10.3 and Marbling percentage of 34.8 were the best in the entire competition.

PRINTABLE BROCHURE

Our History

The Shannon family have been industry stalwarts of the Upper Fitzroy River in Central Queensland since 1872.

Ross was raised at 'Cardowan' on the Connors River before owning 'Gundaroo' on Funnel Creek.

Ross and Robyn moved to 'Telarah' on Mistake Creek, west of Clermont in 1980.

The Shannons also owned and operated the Telarah Meats butchery in Emerald in the 1980s.

It was from here that the Shannons cross-bred cattle gained considerable notoriety in carcass competitions at the Clermont and Mackay shows.

The 'Taldra Cattle Co' began operations in 1995.

Our Evolution

In the 1990s we began with four red Wagyu bulls to mate over our crossbred cows at 'Alice River' in the Jericho district.

The steers from these second-cross heifers were then sent to feedlotter Reg Hayward at Warra to supply into domestic and export markets.

The steers were fed for 350-400 days before being sold as carcass beef to Stockyard Meat Packers at Grantham in the early 2000s.

By 2005 we contract processed at the John Dee plant in Warwick before transferring to NCMC at Casino some time later.

The beef was marketed under our 'AusBush Ox Wagyu' brand to customers in Korea, Singapore, US and Hong Kong while some cuts were sold into the domestic market.

By 2010 we were supplying 300-day plus grainfed steers to Direct Meat Co on a monthly basis.

In 2014 most of our turnoff were going as feeder steers to feedlots on the Darling Downs.

2018 saw our first sale of steers into the Japanese live export market where they are fed for 600 days.

In 2019 we entered steers by both black and red Wagyu bulls into the 'RNA Paddock to Plate Wagyu Challenge'.

In 2022 we joined a group of 40 Australian Wagyu Association members on a trip to Japan. We visited meat markets, restaurants, farms and feedlots. Attending the Wagyu Olympics in Zenkjo (held every five years) was the highlight of the tour.

We currently have 25 steers in Japan. Here is one pen of our live export Steers mid-term on feed at Todorobara farm in Southern Japan.

In 2022 we began selling some of our young bulls. We have been greatly encouraged by our recent successes and increased interest in our genetics.

Our Recent Successes

After continually improving our Wagyu cattle for more than 20 years we are delighted to have recently had some encouraging results with our Japanese Live Export cattle.

Out of over 1000 steers from seven different Australian suppliers, our steers have not only had the Best Daily Average gain but we have had more A5 and A4 gradings than any other supplier.

We achieved the highest individual marbling of 9.8 and second highest valued carcass at $6,613 in the 2020 'RNA Wagyu Challenge'.

In April 2021 two pens of steers were entered into the RNA Wagyu Challenge.

We are extremely proud of our results from the 2021 RNA Wagyu Challenge, confirming that we are up there with industry's best.

Our entry of seven steers in the 2022 RNA Wagyu challenge.

Our pen of seven steers achieved
the second heaviest carcass weight (average
465.64 kgs) and the second highest points
for ‘fineness of marbling’.

This steer had an average daily weight gain of
1.14kg for the 400 plus days on feed,
dressed at 528.5 kgs, had a marbling score
of 9, and returned $8,191.75.

The Overall winners of the 2022 RNA Wagyu
Challenge. Our Camera marble score of 10.3 and
Marbling percentage of 34.8 were the best in
the entire competition.

This steer carcass out of cow K288 and sired by SMOFL0049 had an eye-muscle marbling camera score of 14.

This steer carcass out of cow M34 and sired by SMOFL0049 had an eye-muscle marbling camera score of 13.6

Our Values

Integrity

We believe in doing business the right way – for the end user, for our customers, for the animals we breed and the land we manage. Our Integrity is represented in the long term relationships that we have developed with many personnel, including some wonderful employees, in all sectors of our supply chain, over many years.

We were one of the earliest producers to introduce CattleCare in the 1990s and then we developed BeefCare covering quality assurance of the entire supply chain through the 'Bluegum Beef' organisation. Our operational guidelines are covered under the Cattle Management section of this website.

Quality

At Rasco Wagyu our cattle are renowned for their quiet temperament and functional traits that ensure we can deliver only the highest quality product to our customers. We monitor closely the carcass feedback and results from our feedlot customers and events such as the RNA Paddock to Palate Wagyu Challenge to compare our product with the Industry’s best.

We use Breedplan to monitor EBVs (estimate breeding values) for various traits in each registered animal, allowing us to analyse a range of factors including milk, carcass weight, marbling etc of one animal over another resulting in our breeding well balanced, profitable cattle that produce a memorable eating experience when the beef reaches the customer’s plate.

Trust

The Shannon family has an enduring history of leadership, cattle breeding and land management in Queensland and our reputation and track record is strong throughout the Industry.

Our word is our bond.

Over many years Ross and Robyn have followed their forbears by serving on numerous industry and community organisations, including Local Government, ICPA, School P and Cs, Landcare, Beefnet, Show societies and the RSL.

Sustainability

We pride ourselves on a long history of Bush culture and our achievements of working with our people, livestock, land and climate to leave our properties in substantially better condition than when we bought them.

Regenerative Grazing and Sustainability

After years of studying holistic management and environmental management systems, we are committed to ensuring that the 'Dunbar' land is managed as a living breathing organism using biodynamics, the practice of viewing soil health, vegetation and livestock management collectively to increase soil carbon and thus water-holding capacity.

Trading as TALDRA CATTLE CO

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'Dunbar'

'Dunbar'

OUR WAGYU CATTLE