Celebration of the latest round of RNA Paddock to Palate winners may not have taken place over a steak dinner in Brisbane, but the country's best beef is still getting its moment in the spotlight.
Following a successful run in the weight gain phase for Palgrove Pastoral Company, Russell Pastoral Operations, the Drynan family, and Wentworth Cattle Co, the carcase competition and MSA eating quality phases have yielded shared spoils.
Palgrove once again proved successful in Class 37 (100 day export), with their pen of six Charolais steers named the overall winners with 752.44 points, as well as the pen of six carcase champions on 550pts.
A steer from that pen also took out the champion carcase with 102pts, ahead of Ken and Kerry McKenzie's Droughtmaster/Simmental-cross with 99pts.
A pen of Charolais-cross exhibits earned Palgrove second place overall, following their win in the weight gain phase with an average daily gain of 2.773 kilograms.
C and J Varidel Trading, Yuleba, topped the eating quality in Class 37 with their Angus-cross pen earning 339.55pts, while Minnamurra Pastoral Co, Coolah, NSW, had the highest individual index score of 59.93 for a Speckle Park/Angus-cross entry.
In Class 38 (70 day trade), it was Aurelian Pastoral Co that came out on top overall, with their Angus/Ultrablack-cross entry earning 701.43pts, just ahead of second-placed Riverglen Pastoral Co's Charolais-cross pen with 701.00pts.
The Drynan family's Charolais/Red Angus-cross were the pen of six carcase champions on 530pts, and Devon Court Herefords were awarded the individual champion carcase and reserve champion carcase with a Hereford and Hereford-cross, respectively.
Minnamurra Pastoral Co, Coolah, NSW, were once again on the winners' board, claiming the eating quality award with 342.37pts, and the highest individual index score of 61.39, again with Speckle Park/Angus-cross exhibits.
Class 40 (100 day HGP-free export) again saw Palgrove dominate and be named overall winners with their Charolais earning 737.38pts, a full 36pts ahead of an Angus pen entry from Ben and Wendy Mayne, Texas Angus, Warialda, NSW.
Palgrove's Charolais were the pen of six carcase champions, while an Angus-cross entry from NSW Department of Primary Industries was the individual champion carcase.
Eaglehawk Angus, Glen Innes, NSW, topped the eating quality section of Class 40, and also had the highest individual index score of 66.32.
In the Wagyu Challenge (Class 39), it was Hamblin Pty Ltd, Sarina, that were the overall winners, and the pen of six carcase champions.
Taldra Cattle Co, Kaimkillenbun, exhibited the pen of six carcase value champions, with one steer from that pen earning the highest individual carcase value of $7078.50.
Poll Wagyu Pty Ltd, Tasmania, rounded out the winners' circle, claiming the beef taste-off award.
The Wagyu Challenge, a 370-day grain-fed weight gain competition, was once again conducted at Smithfield Cattle Co's Sapphire Feedlot, and brought together cattle from ten exhibitors for this year's competition, with all but one from Queensland.
Classes 37, 38 and 40 were fed at JBS's Beef City Feedlot, and showcased cattle from 28 exhibitors across Queensland and New South Wales.
Read the full Paddock to Palate report in next week's Queensland Country Life.
