Angus steers dominated the 2024 Lardner Park steer trial, taking out the awards in all classes.
Thirty beef producers were represented in the 49th steer trial with 89 steers being assessed for their live weight gain and carcass performance.
At the beginning of the trial in June, 92 steers were registered but two were withdrawn at the owner's request during the trial and another steer was deemed ineligible due to an inadequate castration. The second steer of the pair remained with the mob but was ineligible due to it being a paired trial.
Three steers were outside specifications for carcass weight and were below the 220 kg carcass weight target.
Seven steers received no eating quality points and six steers failed on pH and associated meat colour.
Angus steers took out first, second and third in the combined weight gain and carcass awards with the top award won by Tim Wilson, Ampitheatre Pastoral Partnership of Labertouche with a
score of 233.12 points. Second placed was Wes Stott, Bungeeltap Pastoral of Glenhope with 224.79 points and third was Paul Whinney, Carlyle of Marcus Hill with 224.66 points.
Paul Whinney also took out the highest weight gain pair class with his Angus steers and an average daily weight gain of 1.55 kilograms per day.
The Gippsland Water Angus steers won the highest carcass score while Wes Stott from Bungeeltap Pastoral at Glenhope won the highest eating quality.
Average carcass weight for the steers entered in the 2024 competition was 259.5kg, compared to 269.8 in the 2023 competition.
The average weight gain performance was 1.24 kilograms live weight per day, the same as the previous year. Individual steer live weight gains averaged over the trial period ranged from 870 grams per day to 1.68 kilograms live weight per day.
The top averaged weight gain for a pair of steers was 1.55 kg live weight per day, a pair of Angus steers from Carlyle at Marcus Hill.
With cattle managed under independently controlled grazing conditions, the trial provides valuable information on the growth and carcass quality of the steers entered.
It enables everyone involved in the trial to gain an improved understanding of live steer assessment, market requirements and the impact of feed quality on the growth and fattening ability of the stock.
To minimise the risk of steers finishing either below or above the target carcass weight, a recommended entry weight of 280kg to 385kg live weight was set.
Cattle were inducted onto the property on June 18 last year and after a settling in period, the steer trial began on June 25.
The herd was run in one mob on predominately ryegrass based pastures.
Cattle were weighed five times throughout the trial period before their final weighing on November 15.
They were held at pasture on the property over the weekend to allow them to settle post weighing and viewing, reducing any stress impacts on the carcass. They were turned off and sent to the abattoir on November 18.
Cattle had to meet the following specifications for the standard domestic trade when they were turned off:
Hot standard carcass weight - 220kg to 330kg; fat range (P8) - 8mm to 14mm
Carcasses were graded at JBS Australia Pty Ltd's Brooklyn processing plant on behalf of Coles. The national Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grading system was used to assess carcasses in the competition. The MSA measurements were then converted to carcass points using an Australian Beef Carcass Appraisal System (ABCAS).
Penalty points were imposed if cattle fell outside specifications for carcass weight. Each carcass falling outside the weight range of 220kg to 330kg was applied with two penalty points per kilogram over 330kg carcass weight or two points per kilogram under 220kg carcass weight.
The 2025 steer trial will be the 50th anniversary event of the Lardner park steer trial.
Entry details will be released over the coming weeks for an early June commencement. Organisers are hoping for "50 pairs for 50 years" to mark the anniversary event.