SA stud among champions in revised Beef national carcase competition

The revisions come after a detailed review of all data provided by the 17 processing facilities from across the country used to process carcases for the competition.

The review highlighted anomalies caused by a transcription error when the data was originally being consolidated across the 89 lots from the 44 kill dates.

Beef Australia national carcase committee chair David Hill said the aim was for the AMPC National Beef Carcase Competition to be Australia's most prestigious contest of its type and upholding its integrity and amending placings has been a priority of Beef Australia and the carcase committee.

"We offer our sincere apologies to the exhibitors who have been impacted and disappointed, however it was highly important that we rectify the results and acknowledge those who have been successful within the competition," he said.

The revised overall champion carcase in the Beef 2023 AMPC National Carcase Competition was exhibited by Yambinya Station.

Yambinya Station is a 2833 hectare property that grows silage, backgrounds cattle, and is run as part of JBS Australia's Yambinya feedlot near Burraboi, NSW.

The pen, processed at JBS in Scone NSW, also took out first place in the grain-fed export chiller bullocks class for entries 300kg to 420kg, achieving a total pen score of 286.06 out of a possible 306 points. They measured from 80 to 93 square centimetres for eye muscle area and averaged 68.93 for MSA index, with the best claiming the champion single carcase.

This milk-tooth produced the competition's only remaining MSA Index score in the 70s (70.22) a 380kg carcase, AusMeat marbling score of 6, and total MSA score of 54.42/55. The carcase also excelled in yield, producing a 93sq cm and estimated lean meat yield of 55.9 per cent.

Yambinya Station was also successful with the highest individual carcase and highest pen award with the highest MSA grading.

JBS livestock manger Steve Chapman said the win was rewarding for them to be recognised for what they do everyday.

"Yambinya Station is a boutique yard that is antibiotics free, HGP free, and GMO free, so it's the only natural feedlot in Australia and has the capacity of 12,500 head," he said.

The winning pen were fed at Yambinya, under JBS's Portoro natural grain program. Launched last year, it has seen rapid growth, and now handles approximately 600 carcasses weekly.

The bullocks were fed for 130 days on a predominantly barley-based ration.

Mr Chapman said MSA was a key driver of the business and they were always digging into details and data to find the best way to keep scores as high as possible.

Mr Chapman said it was surprise to win, but a testament to the team.

"To work in an environment without antibiotics in a feedlot is difficult and challenging at times, so the nurturing of the cattle, particularly the early days on feed is an absolute necessity, so it's a real credit to the team."

The reserve champion carcase was claimed by Chris and Anissa Thompson, Bayview Shorthorns and Angus, Yorketown.

Mr Thompson said it was the first time they had entered the competition and they were thrilled with the result.

"We visited Beef 2021 to check out the possibility of taking cattle for the Shorthorn display which we did, and thought we would enter the carcase competition as well," he said.

"The reserve champion carcase was an empty heifer we finished on pasture at our Naracoorte property aged 15 to 16 months with marble score of 6, which is outstanding for a British bred beast."

This heifer carcase, one of a trio entered by Bayview in the light trade grassfed class for carcases sub-280kg, produced an MSA Index score of 65.87, AusMeat marbling of 6, eye muscle area of 67sq cm and estimated lean meat yield of 61.29pc.

"It is a bit disappointing that we were not recognised on the night, but we understand mistakes can happen, so it is fantastic that we have have been revised and we have been recognised," Mr Thompson said.

Mr Thompson said they would definitely be entering the competition again.

"It is very convenient for us to enter and this time we were the only South Australian entrants to have exhibits processed at Teys Australia at Naracoorte," he said.

The reserve champion pen was awarded to St Mary College, Gunnedah, NSW, which dominated steers from Wallawong Premium Beef and their long standing clients Health Birchall of Duri and David Shibble of Denman, NSW.

Wallawong Premium Beef's Lachlan James said the reserve place was testament to the Wallalong's breeding program, as it was the third time in three consecutive Beef competitions to win Class 7 over seven years.

He said the steers were selected by himself and were fed for 120 days on Alexander Downs feedlot ration before being processed at Wingham Beef Exports as part of St Mary's Beef Week team.

He said similar Wallawong genetics will be available at their annual bull sale held on July 7.

"About 50pc of our sale draft heads to Queensland and the Northern Territory," he said.