Eye muscle steers Batemans to title

For the third time in four years, the Batemans claimed the blue ribbon in the pen-of-three class, with one of these 18-month-old steers rising to the top.

The 371-kilogram carcase scored 87.88 points and had an eye muscle area of 105 square centimetres, with p8 fat of 15 millimetres and rib fat of 10mm.

Mr Bateman said they had worked hard on their genetics and management to get cattle with good weight-for-age, fat cover and meat colour and were also buying bulls with positive marbling to improve MSA grading.

"We take a lot of pride in our breeding program so it is pleasing to win it, especially because my two sons were home and helped pick them out," he said.

He had high praise for the competition and hoped it would continue to grow to highlight the regions' top-quality grassfed beef.

The commercially-orientated competition, held at Teys Australia between October 12 and 23, attracted 160 entries from the South East, Western Vic and Yorke Peninsula, with the presentation night held at Penola.

Less than a point split the top three entries, which were judged on three main criteria: market specifications, saleable meat yield and MSA eating quality.

A May 2014-drop steer from Ben and Samantha Glatz, Glatz's Black Angus, Avenue Range, was reserve champion carcase.

The winner of class 3 had a carcaseweight of 255.4kg and an eye muscle area of 78sqcm.

Mr Glatz said they were thrilled to win two classes and also receive a third and fourth place in the competition.

All of the animals were "in the slot" for ideal fat cover, low pH and MSA eating quality.

"The competition has been a fantastic endorsement for our brand," Mr Glatz said.

"We can relate this back to our long-term scrutiny of docility which contributes to the low pH and general eating quality, and emphasis on carcase quality, doing ability, constitution and finishing ability."

Glatz's Black Angus stud's carcase success adds to the success of its clients in the past two years, with PJ&P Holmes, Drik Drik, Vic, winning the grand champion carcase last year, and the Smith family, Joanna, securing the champion schools steer in 2013.

SGCC chairman Allan Kain said the committee was pleased with the high standard of entries given the tough season.

"It is proving good management, good bull selection and good animal husbandry comes through on top and will beat anything the season throws against us," he said.

He said it was pleasing to see more export animals finishing in the top positions with the ribbon winners previously dominated by domestic cattle. The evenness of fat cover and eye muscle in cattle entered in the pens of three was also a credit to the breeders.

The SGCC has been a major fundraiser for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and this year the worthy cause received a cheque for $4093.56. This takes the tally raised for the RFDS from the part proceeds of the cattle sales each year to more than $30,000.