Beef2024 kicked off on Sunday 5 May the Nutrien Ag Solutions Commercial Cattle Championships with competitors Cliff and Sasha Mylrea of Needmor Cattle Co taking home the Grand Champion title with their pen of 10 Droughtmaster steers.
Fed at Barmount Feedlot for 127 days, the pen on average weighed 704 kilograms and was HGP-treated.
The champion pen won Class Two in the competition, which required to be 640 to 704 kilograms, with a maximum of four teeth, a minimum of 100 days grain-fed and suitable for the export market.
Held at CQLX Gracemere Saleyards, the competition was judged by Craig Price and Glenn Poole.
“We are over the moon to take home the grand champion rosette,” Mr Mylrea said.
“We’ve been entering a lot of cattle competitions, but Beef2024 in particular, for a long time and this is the first time we’ve won the champion pen, so it’s really good and we’re proud of them.”
The family’s success has continued since 2021 with their champion pen of lot-fed heifers and champion pen of crop or pasture-fed steers.
“It was a dry year last year and we were very close to not having them here,” Mr Mylrea said.
“You’ve got to carry them from when you wean them through to that feedlot weight and there was a decision to be made about whether we sold them to make room for our cows, or hang onto them.
“Fortunately, the season has turned around and the decision has paid off.”
Mac and Gayle Shann, Cantaur Park, Clermont also took home the champion title for their pen of 10 Droughtmaster/Charolais-cross heifers.
The champion pen of heifers won first place in Class Five weighed on average 578 kilograms, and is HGP-treated.
Mr Shann said they are very proud to be in the first row where the champions are.
“A lot of time, effort and dollars go into it, but it’s a magnificent result,” he said.
“We have a line of Droughtmaster breeders that we cross with Charolais bulls and they’re a cross we particularly love.
“We put two pens together for this class and we’re very, very happy with these girls, but you never know until the day you get here.”
