THE mid-term results are in for the 2022 Harvey Beef Gate to Plate Challenge, with the cattle continuing to perform strongly on feed as they approach processing timeframes in the coming fortnight.
This year's challenge, held at Sandy and Narelle Lyons' Willyung Feedlot, Albany, sees 54 teams (two steers and one heifer) representing 26 breed combinations entered by 39 different stud and commercial producers, competing for a share in $17,000 prize money.
Teams have descended from as far north as Dongara and south east to Esperance with eight new competitors entering cattle for the first time this year.
Numbers are down slightly on last year's challenge where there were 61 teams entered by 49 beef producers.
The cattle's induction weight was taken on January 28 with the teams' grain finishing period concluding from next week and the heifers are set to be delivered to Harvey Beef for processing on April 14 and steers on April 20.
The Gate To Plate Challenge was instigated to provide measured performance data and a conduit for information between producer and processor to better align the interests and expectations of
both parties for increased industry efficiencies, profitability and better consumer outcomes.
Consequently judging criteria puts emphasis on weight gain, saleable meat yield and MSA grading.
In its eighth year, the competition continues to be hampered by COVID-19 restrictions with the field day and School's Challenge having to be called off for the second time in three years.
Harvey Beef Gate to Plate Challenge co-ordinator Narelle Lyon said while the committee was disappointed to call off the field day again, it understood it was the socially responsible action to take.
"It was not only disappointing to us as a committee as it is a big part of the challenge but also the competitors as it provides them with a chance to come and look and see how their cattle are going," Ms Lyon said.
"So to allow competitors to be able to view their cattle this year we had Great Southern Grammar students video all the cattle in the challenge which are being collated and will be available soon.
"We hope participants are able to see the cattle and assess their performance.
"Thanks must go to Julian Gugenheim and Katie Gunning from Great Southern Grammar for co-ordinating the students."
While the field day is cancelled, the committee is now looking forward to hosting the Harvey Beef Gate 2 Plate Challenge Gala Dinner and Awards Presentation evening which is being held in early June at Albany's Centennial Stadium and Ms Lyon said information about this event would be sent out soon to competitors and sponsors.
She said the cattle settled really well into the feedlot this year after going through a social introduction period prior to entry.
"They have done really well and are looking really good," Ms Lyon said.
"The daily weight gains are up on last year and we think that has a lot to do with the social introduction they had prior to entering the feedlot.
"A number of cattle are achieving upwards of 2.5-2.8kg daily weight gain and this year we have had one animal having nearly 3kg a day which is massive and not very common."
The competition's interim top weight gaining steer is a Jersey-Red Wagyu steer entered by the Dairy Beef Company which achieved 2.94kg per day.
This was followed by a Angus-Charolais steer from WA College of Agriculture, Harvey, at 2.89kg/day and another steer of the same cross entered by BJ Panizza Family Trust at 2.87kg/day.
The top weight gaining heifer was an Angus cross heifer from the Austin Park team at 2.72kg/day with the next highest weights of 2.53kg/day recorded by an Angus heifer from Kuloomba Farming and 2.47kg/day by a Jersey/ Holstein-Red Wagyu cross heifer again from the Dairy Beef Company team.
The Dairy Beef Company team also sits abreast in the team average weight rankings, with the equal highest average weight of 501kg shared with the Angus, Charolais-Angus and Murray Grey-Angus team from SA & SH Smith and again the Charolais-Angus team from WACA Harvey at 493kg.
The average weights for steers at induction was 341.02kg and heifers 343.33 with mid-term average weights for steers 453.03kg and heifers 444.45kg at daily weight gains of 2.09kg/day and 2.01kg/day respectively.
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