The Beef Committee of the RNA is proud to announce the launch of the new Class 37 Paddock to Palate Beef Competition (formerly the Class 37 Feedlot weight gain Class of the Prime Beef Competition) to be held in conjunction with the 2009 Royal Queensland Show.

This comprehensive beef supply chain competition, a first for any major Show in Australia, is one that should entice all end product and customer focused beef producers to accept the challenge of this event.

Breed Societies will also be eager to promote this competition amongst their members and put their breed promotional and marketing spiels to the test in this encompassing feed chain competition.

The Competition is 4 phased:

• 1st Phase          100 day Feedlot Competition for best aggregate weight gain for a pen of 6 steers
• 2nd Phase          Carcase Competition for best aggregate Pen of 6 carcases and a Champion and Reserve Champion carcase
• 3rd Phase          MSA Eating Quality Competition, where MSA grading models predict eating quality of 40 muscles by 6 different methods
• 4th Phase          Beef Taste Off, a palate competition, where a portion of strip lion (from one animal selected from the pen of 6 by the exhibitor) is prepared and cooked by DPI & F Food Scientists and judged

The Beef Committee would like to acknowledge and appreciates the ongoing sponsorship from long term supporters of the competition, Performance Feeds, Launcells Feedlot, Swift Australia and the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.

Phase 1 of the competition will take place at Launcells Feedlot, Drillham from Wednesday 8 April 2009 with the arrival of the groups of seven steers (six to be judged).

Weighing of the steers for the commencement of the trial will be on Tuesday 14 April 2009.

Phase 2 and 3 of the competition will be judged at Swift Australia’s Dinmore Abattoir and Phase 4 will be conducted during the 2009 Show by the DPI & F in the Woolworths Fresh Food Pavilion.

Presentation of Awards will take place also on Saturday 8 August 2009.

Entries for this Competition close on Thursday 2 April 2009 at 4.30 pm.

Any exhibitor or Breed Society wanting further information can contact Mr Duncan Sturrock at Launcells Feedlot on telephone 07 4627 6373, 0427 276 373 or alternatively Andrew Tudor at the RNA on 07 3253 3921 or via email at atudor@rnashowgrounds.com.au

The RNA Beef Committee would encourage all Breed Societies to accept this interbreed challenge and to actively promote this exciting new concept to its members and thanks them for their support.

Yours sincerely

Andrew Tudor
Competitions Officer

Phone: 07 3253 3921
Fax:     07 3253 3988
Email:  atudor@rnashowgrounds.com.au