Beef industry heavyweights dominate Norco Primex Feedback competition

THE MSA Feedback Trials are set to be cemented into the Primex program after glowing tributes from the major players in this year’s event.

Spokesmen from the two standout performers at this years trials – the Stanthorpe-based Palgrove Pastoral Company and Yulgilbar Station, from the Clarence Valley, have both called for a continuation of the unique benchmarking competition.

Results from the trials, which formed the centerpiece of Primex 2019’s Livestock Essentials Congress, were announced at an industry function on the Friday night of Primex.

Primex director Bruce Wright gave a strong indication the trials would be a part of the future of the event.

“The Livestock Essentials Congress will be expanding to advance the Red Meat Industry and support the producers with further additions in 2020,” he said.

Palgrove’s  Manager – Business Development and Genetics – Ben Noller said: “I would definitely like to see this continue as a part of Primex. Benchmarking yourself against others in the industry is a very good competition to keep rolling on with.

“It tells you the real story of where you are heading and whether you are doing the right thing in your breeding decisions.

“We enter a few of these competitions across the country so to win this event all the way through from feeding, weight-gain, through to the carcase … and you are going up against your peers.

“It was good to be benchmarked against them and to come out on top is very good.

“It is always good to win a ribbon in the showring or where ever, but this is more on the commercial side of things and so means more to us than anything. You are competing with animals that are all being fed under the same conditions, environmentally, so to come out on top in this competition is very pleasing.”

Rob Sinnamon, Yulgilbar Station’s general manager said: “We are delighted with the wins tonight. From our perspective it vindicates the breeding program at Yulgilbar Station and we believe these types of competitions are commercially relevant and gives us the opportunity to benchmark our product.

“It would be great to see this competition maintained. We compete in these types of competitions up and down the east coast of Australia and we love to be involved in them. To Primex’s credit, this is an opportunity to see cattle from this region and further afield.

“The competition between breeders is massive. There are some big players involved and it is the battle of the breeds – Santa Gertrudis, Charolais Ultrablack, or shorthorn or whatever it may be – the competitors who competed in this are the leaders in their field in their breeds, so for Yulgilbar to have the opportunity to show our consistency of success tonight is something we are very proud.

“What we like about this type of competition is the average beef cattle producer can participate in this and it gives them the chance to benchmark themselves alongside others like us.

Now the challenge for us in the beef cattle industry is to assist in educating our buying public, as to what we actually do. There is a great opportunity for us going forward to educate more the buying public as to what makes a good steak.

MSA Feedback Trials Awards

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:

Feedlot – (First place – tied) Yugilbar Pastoral Company  45; Yugilbar Pastoral Company   45; Ranlyn Partnership  45.

Eating Quality –  1^st R & L Moore 59.2; 2^nd Palgrove Pastoral Co     58.65; 3^rd Yugilbar Pastoral Company      58.52.

Yield –  1st            PA Hannigan       61.79;    2^nd PA Hannigan                61.71;    3^rd Yugilbar Pastoral Company    61.32.

ABCAS –  1^st Yugilbar Pastoral Company  101.43; 2^nd Palgrove Pastoral Co 101.03;  3rd        DA & EJ OReilly  100.90.

Overall Team Performance (for team of 10) – 1^st Yugilbar Pastoral Company          1424.37.

Grand Champion – 1st    Palgrove Pastoral Co       146.03; 2nd        Yugilbar Pastoral Company          145.54; 3rd                Yugilbar Pastoral Company          145.04.

Team awards:

Feedlot Team Award: Team of 10 – 1^st Yugilbar Pastoral Company              450; 2^nd Palgrove Pastoral Co      410; 3^rd R & L Moore  385.

Eating Quality Team Award: Team of 10 – 1^st Yugilbar Pastoral Company 376; 2^nd Palgrove Pastoral Co      368.11; 3^rd R & L Moore          361.35.

Yield Team Award: Team of 10 – 1^st PA Hannigan               201.00; 2^nd Yugilbar Pastoral Company   199.04; 3^rd DA & EJ OReilly  195.58.

Carcase Performance Team Award: Team of 10   – 1^st Yugilbar Pastoral Company  995.40; 2^nd Palgrove Pastoral Co                982.51; 3^rd PA Hannigan 963.04.

Caption: Rob Sinnamon, Yulgilbar Station’s general manager