Three top seedstock producers have shared the spoils in the much anticipated 2022 RNA Paddock to Palate competition.
Palgrove Pastoral Company has again won the 100 day export class, Yulgilbar Santa Gertrudis has taken top honors in the 70 day trade and The Grove Shorthorns took out the 100 day HGP Free Export class.
Ross and Robyn Shannon, Taldra Cattle Co, were named the overall winners in the 400 Wagyu Challenge. Read their full story here.
Five years running for Palgrove
The largest seedstock producers in the country, Palgrove Pastoral Company won Class 37 with a pen of six Charolais Angus cross steers that scored 759.33 points.
It's the fifth year running that the renowned Charolais seedstock producer has won the Sturrock Trophy.
They also came second with another pen of Charolais Angus cross steers scoring 759.22 points.
"I think a win in a category like this solidifies in our mind that our operation is commercially relevant," Palgrove Pastoral Company's Ben Noller said.
"It's especially pleasing to see how well the cattle have done given it has been so wet.
"We're really pleased with those kinds of average weight gains, that's for sure."
Mr Noller said while the operation hadn't done too much differently to prepare for this year's competition, the wet weather had presented different challenges to years gone by.
"I think the biggest challenge was to keep the cattle from getting too heavy before being entered into the competition," he said.
"It was a bit difficult with so much feed around, but I think we were able to do it fairly well.
"Normally, we might not look to pull them back weight-wise, but we were keen to support the competition again this year and adjusted the cattle's preparation to make sure they were eligible."
Gold for The Grove
The Morgan family, The Grove, Condamine, were the overall winners and runners up in Class 40 (100 day HGP-free export) with two pens of their Shorthorn steers totaling 754.25 and 739.88 points respectively. They also placed third in Class 3.
Spencer Morgan said Class 40 mirrored what they were trying to achieve in their Shorthorn operation.
"In the three components of Class 40, we were second in the feedlot with an average daily weight gain of 2.55kg/day, and then won both the carcase and the eating quality," Mr Morgan said.
"We are really about breeding cattle that have a natural ability to finish without any artificial help so this class is ideal for us.
"We thank the RNA for such a industry focused event and we have supported it for the past 25 years.
"There is no better way to benchmark your cattle when they are all fed together and are dead together, there can't be any variances."
Santas perform in 70 day trade
Long time Paddock to Palate competitors, Yulgilbar Pastoral Company, took top honors in Class 38 (70 day trade) with a pen of six Santa Gertrudis steers making 720.43 points.
Yugilbar general manager manager Brett Ellem said Paddock to Palate was an extremely effective way of benchmarking the performance of a cattle breeding operation.
"What we really like about Paddock to Palate is that it allows us to compare what we are doing in our operation with other producers," Mr Ellem said.
"It gives us - and the users of Yulgibar genetics - a lot of confidence that we are on the right track with our breeding programs.
"This competition really allows us to put our genetics on show."
Full results
Class 37 - 100 day export
Class 37B
1st - G Morgan and Co (Shorthorn)
2nd Place Tie - RB & VA Budd and Willoise Grazing (Charolais cross)
2nd Place Tie - Simon and Miriam Daley (Charolais cross)
Champion and Reserve Champion Carcase - Palgrove Pastoral Company (Charolais Angus cross)
Class 37 C - Zoetis MSA Eating Quality
1st - Mayne family, Texas Angus (Angus)
2nd - Palgrove Pastoral Co (Charolais Angus cross)
3rd - McIntyre Agriculture (Angus)
Highest Individual Index Score - McIntyre Agriculture (Angus)
Class 37 A - Weight Gain
1st - Yulgilbar Pastoral Company (Santa Hereford - 3.262 ADG)
2nd - Juandah grazing (Charolais Angus cross - 2.998 ADG)
3rd 0 Juandah Grazing (Charoalis Angus cross - 2.980 ADG)
Class 37 Overall Winners
1st - Palgrove Pastoral Co (Charolais Angus cross)
2nd - Palgrove Pastoral Co (Charolais Angus cross)
3rd - G Morgan and Co (Shorthorn)
Class 38 - 70 day trade
Class 38A - Weight Gain
1st - Yulgilbar Pastoral Company (Santa Gertrudis - 3.186 ADG)
2nd - Aurelian Pastoral Co (Angus Ultrablack cross - 3.160 ADG)
3rd - Russell Pastoral Operations (Angus cross - 3.071 ADG)
Highest individual weight gain - Aurelian Pastoral Co (Angus Ultrablack cross - 3.786 ADG)
Class 38B - Carcase
1st - Russell Pastoral Operations (Angus cross)
2nd - RJ & MJ Harvey (Droughtmaster)
3rd - Russell Pastoral Operations (Angus cross)
Reserve champion carcase - NSW DPI Wollongbar (Limousin cross)
Champion carcase - RJ & MJ Harvey (Droughtmaster)
Class 38 C - Eating Quality
1st - Aurelian Pastoral Company (Angus Ultrablack cross)
2nd - Russell Pastoral Operations (Angus cross)
3rd - McIntyre Agriculture (Angus)
Highest individual Index Score - Russell Pastoral Operations (Angus cross)
Class 38 overall winners
1st - Yulgilbar Pastoral Company (Santa Gertrudis)
2nd - Russell Pastoral Company (Angus cross)
3rd - Russell Pastoral Company (Angus cross)
Class 39 - 400 day Wagyu Challenge
Class 39A best weight gain
1st - McIntyre Agriculture (50pc - 1.108 ADG
2nd - McIntyre Agriculture (50pc - 1.060 ADG)
3rd - Sefton grazing (fullblood - 1.004 ADG)
Highest Individual Weight Gain - McIntyre Agriculture (50pc - 1.198 ADG)
Class 39B Carcase
1st - Hancock Agriculture (97pc)
2nd - Taldra Cattle Co (75pc)
3rd - Hancock Agriculture (fullblood)
Reserve champion Carcase - Bar H Grazing (95pc)
Champion carcase - AA Company (fullblood)
Class 39C Carcase Value
1st - Taldra Cattle Co
2nd - Sunland Cattle Co
3rd - Hancock Agriculture
Highest Individual Carcase Value - Taldra Cattle Co
Class 39D Beef Taste-off
1st - Bar H Grazing
2nd - Hancock Agriculture
3rd - Hewitt Pastoral Enterprises
Class 39 Overall Winners
1st - Taldra Cattle Co
2nd - Hancock Agriculture
3rd - Sunland Cattle Co
Class 40 100 day HGP-free export
Class 40A Weight Gain
1st - Palgrove Pastoral Co (Charolais Angus cross - 2.557 ADG)
2nd - Mayne family, Texas Angus (Angus - 2.398 ADG)
3rd - The Morgan family (Shorthorn - 2.380 ADG)
Highest Individual Weight Gain - Palgrove Pastoral Co (Charolais Angus cross - 2.910 ADG)
Class 40B Carcase
1st - the Morgan family (Shorthorn)
2nd - Yulgilbar Pastoral Company (Santa Angus)
3rd - Daley, Simon and Myriam (Charolais cross)
Reserve champion carcase - Stanford Grazing (Charbray)
Champion carcase - Daley, Simon and Myriam (Charolais cross)
Class 40C Eating Quality
1st - Morgan family (Shorthorn)
2nd - Palgrove Pastoral Company (Charolais Angus cross)
3rd - Palgrove Pastoral Company (Charolais Angus cross)
Highest Individual Index Score - Palgrove Pastoral Company (Charolais Angus cross)
Class 40 Overall Winners
1st - the Morgan family (Shorthorn)
2nd - the Morgan family (Shorthorn)
3rd - Palgrove Pastoral Company (Charolais Angus cross)
Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
