Perfect steers from Paddock to Palate

PALGROVE charolais stud won the Paddock to Palate competition at the Ekka this year.

The competition consists of three phases – weight gain in the feedlot, carcase appraisal and the MSA eating quality competition.

This year the competition saw 644 steers entered from 92 exhibitors.

Palgrove was named the Overall Winner (100 Day) in the Paddock to Palate competition.

“It’s a really great competition and the fact that it’s in three phases and it’s all very objective,” stud owner David Bondfield said.

“It’s based purely on the cattle performance and how their genetics allow them to.

“We drop them off pre-100 days to the feedlot and they’re all put in together and fed the same ration.

“We just pick the animals out that we select and the competition starts after that.”

Mr Bondfield said they were extremely thrilled to come out on top, after being the runner-up in last year’s competition.

Palgrove has been breeding charolais for over 40 years.

“We do really like the fast growth weight, they’ve got a very high quality carcass,” Mr Bondfield said.

“They fit very well in the beef industry to cross with other breeds to increase weight gain.

“They’re very accepted in the market place and very much a main stream breed.”

Mr Bondfield was also the interbreed champions judge at the Ekka this year. He said it was the first time he had judged the competition on his own.

“I’ve done it in the panel 15-20 times. But in the past few years it’s gone back to a single judge,” he said.

“It is a big job and you want to be very clear in your own mind that you get it right.

“But I’ve been in that situation, judging, quite a few times. So I’m used to the pressure that goes with it.”

Mr Bondfield said it’s a hard competition to judge, but the most important thing is to assess each animal on their individual merits.

“It isn’t easy when you’re comparing a brahman to a shorthorn for example, but true high quality individuals almost pick themselves.”