The Harvey Beef Gate 2 Plate Challenge: Bowie family of Bridgetown take fourth overall in second year

Third-generation farmers in the Lower South West have solidified themselves as exemplars of sustainable beef farming after a fantastic performance at a recent industry event enabled them to showcase their efforts on a Statewide level. James Bowie and his wife Katina took over the family farm in Bridgetown more than five years ago, working hard to evolve their brand and business to reflect modern sustainability practices through genetics development and to increase farm diversity — with the help of their operations manager Mat Fairbrass. During the recent Harvey Beef Gate 2 Plate Challenge awards, Bowie Beef placed fourth overall on 252.1 points with a team of charolais cross angus and second in the processing category for their pure angus team — a fantastic achievement in only their second year entering. Mr Bowie said he was pleased with the result. “It’s only our second year going in so really proud of the achievement, especially getting second in the processor category which was the one we were really hoping to do well at,” he said. “A big part of that is down to the real effort we’ve been putting into genetics in our herd over the last five or six years since we took over the farm from my parents.” Bowie Beef has focused on angus beef since 1968 however, has recently been experimenting with genetics, bringing in charolais bulls bred by Mr Fairbrass on his farm in Mayanup. Mr Fairbrass said the wins at the Gate 2 Plate Challenge reaffirmed the team was tracking positively towards long-term goals and their attention on genetics. “To be up there with some of industry’s best is pretty amazing,” he said. “There’s still room to grow ... there’s always room to grow and it’s important to not get stuck on how we’ve always done it.” The Gate 2 Plate Challenge scored teams on various factors that influenced profitability and eating quality, qualities Bowie Beef has had a strong focus on over the past few years. “It’s always been a known thing that hybrid vigour produces more yield,” Mr Fairbrass said. “We’re trying to feed the world ... so to produce more kilos of beef per hectare is good for sustainability. “And to get fourth overall it really cements what they (charolais) can do.” Mrs Bowie said the wins were a reflection of the overall quality and consistency of the product Bowie Beef sold. “We’re been working really hard as a family enterprise with the help of some fantastic local people ... to make sure we’re producing the highest quality product in the most sustainable way for West Australians,” she said. “Being able to do that from the best part of the State — as far as we’re concerned — is something we’re really pleased to be able to do.”