Herefords and Charolais beef producers have proven their cattle genetics are some of the best in Australia, dominating The prestigious supply chain competition offers almost $55,000 in prize money attracted 875 cattle, up on 110 entries on last year.
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It was a thrilled Tom Nixon from Devon Court Herefords, near Drillham, who claimed the class 38 (70 day), after his pen recorded an average daily gain of 3.121kg .
the weight gain phase of the RNA's 2023 Paddock to Palate competition and Wagyu Challenge, presented by JBS Australia at a presentation in Toowoomba, on Tuesday.
Mr Nixon could not contain his smile, when one of his steers took out the highest gain of 3.5kg individual, which was also the largest ADG recorded in the 2023 competition.
"This is our best win so far," he said.
"All these steers are from our commercial herd, and they have been DNA sire verified to all Devon Court Hereford bred bulls.
"I am really 'over the moon" by these results, and it is great to see that the Hereford-bred Devon Court cattle have the growth rates expected by industry.
"We really have held on during the "test of time," and backed our data," he said.
Greg and Kel Kelly of Juandah Grazing, Guluguba took out class 37 (100 day) with their Charolais cross recording an ADG of 3.057kg.
They also won the highest individual weight gain for Class 37A, with the heaviest of their pen of six weighing in at 3.33kg.
Mrs Kelly said they were second in this class last year, and and won it class back in 2014 - "so it is good to win", she said.
"We do carcase competitions to benchmark our cattle against our peers," she said.
"It too, is a form of marketing to promote our cattle and our stud bulls we sell."
Interstate's exhibitors, Palgrove Pastoral Company, Bukkulla, NSW took out first in the highest individual weight gain for class 40 (HGP free), with their winning pen of Charolais X weighing in with an ADG of 2.445kg.
Palgrove's Ben Noller said this year's entries were bred on their NSW country near Glen Innes and Inverell.
Their entries were Charolais, and Charolais/Angus cross.
"We like to benchmark our livestock to confirm that our genetics contribute to the quality of the supply chain," Mr Noller said.
In the Wagyu Challenge, Hewitt Pastoral Enterprises, Taroom, claimed first place in class 39A with their Wagyu Brahman cross recording an ADG of 1.294 kg.
Hewitt Pastoral began infusing Wagyu cattle into their herd in 2016.
Shima Wagyu took out the highest individual weight gain for their Shorthorn / Wagyu with an ADG of 1.516kg.
Shima, is an Austrex project targeting Angus producers in NSW and Southern Queensland, in an area renowned for their high-quality Angus cattle, and close to Austrex's operations at near Toowoomba.
RNA Beef Committee chair Gary Noller said there was not only an increase in entries but a very high standard across the competition, with Queensland producers dominating.
"Queensland producers performed really well this year and I believe the cattle we have seen were born post the 2018/19 drought and have had better preparation due to the seasons' pre-entry to the feedlot,'' Mr Noller said.
"These post drought cattle have led to an extremely high standard being entered from Queensland and we have seen the overall competition entry numbers rise from 751 last year to 875 cattle this year.
"It's the data and being able to benchmark against their peers in the industry that keeps the exhibitors coming back.
Mr Noller said the 100-day Paddock to Palate Competition winners will exclusively go to the JBS Royal 100 Brand, and the 70-day winning cattle will form part of the JBS Queenslander brand.
"There are 50 retail outlets and 18 wholesalers from the Sunshine Coast to Weipa, to Mt Isa, out to Cunnamulla and back to the coast that will sell this award-winning beef this year," he said.
"It's amazing exposure for a brand and the product is so hotly sought after that JBS have trouble keeping up with demand."
The Paddock to Palate Competition presented by JBS Australia now moves into the second phase which is carcass judging.
Competition classes 37, 38 and 40 are three phased comprising best aggregate weight gain, carcass and MSA eating quality, while the Wagyu Challenge is four phased finishing in a beef taste off judged by some of Queensland's top chefs.
The exhibitors who poll the highest aggregate scores across all phases of the four classes will be awarded the overall prizes at the Paddock to Palate and Beef Industry Dinner presented by JBS Australia at the Brisbane Showgrounds on Thursday 10 August.
RESULTS
Class 37A - Rabobank Best Weight Gain for Pen of 6, 100 Day Grain-Fed Steers
1st - Juandah Grazing - Charolais X - ADG 3.057kg - Guluguba QLD
2nd - Palgrove Pastoral Company - Charolais X - ADG 2.895kg - Bukkulla NSW
3rd - Palgrove Pastoral Company - Charolais X - ADG 2.85kg - Bukkulla NSW
Class 37A - Rabobank Highest Individual Weight Gain
1st - Juandah Grazing - Charolais X - ADG 3.33kg - Guluguba QLD
Class 38A - Elanco Animal Health Best Weight Gain for Pen of 6, 70 Day Grain-Fed Steers
1st - Devon Court Herefords - Hereford - ADG 3.121kg - Drillham QLD
2nd - Russell Pastoral Operations Pty Ltd - Angus X - ADG 3.029kg - Blackall QLD
3rd - Aurelian Pastoral Company - Angus X Ultrablack - ADG 2.955kg - Warwick QLD
Class 38A - Elanco Animal Health Highest Individual Weight Gain
1st - Devon Court Herefords - Hereford - ADG 3.5kg - Drillham QLD
39A (Wagyu Challenge) - Smithfield Cattle Co Best Weight Gain for Pen of 6 Grain-Fed Wagyu Steers
1st - Hewitt Pastoral Enterprises - Wagyu Brahman cross - ADG 1.294 kg - Taroom QLD
2nd - Shima Wagyu - F1 Angus / Wagyu - ADG 1.266 kg - Bundarra NSW
3rd - McIntyre Agriculture - Wagyu Angus cross - ADG 1.260 kg - St George QLD
Class 39A (Wagyu Challenge) - Smithfield Cattle Co Highest Individual Weight Gain
1st - Shima Wagyu - F1 Shorthorn / Wagyu - ADG 1.516 kg - Culcairn NSW
Class 40A - Best Weight Gain for Pen of Six HGP Free Steers
1st - Palgrove Pastoral Company - Charolais X - ADG 2.445kg - Bukkulla NSW
2nd (tie) - Palgrove Pastoral Co - Charolais X - ADG 2.385kg - Bukkulla NSW
2nd (tie) - Jabinda Pastoral - Santa Charolais Angus - ADG 2.385kg - Tambo QLD
Class 40A - Highest Individual Weight Gain
1st - Palgrove Pastoral Company - Charolais X - ADG 2.87kg - Bukkulla NSW
Queensland Country Life will have a full report in next week's issue.
