Granite Belt producer takes top honours in Queensland beef comp

Local cattle breeders Palgrove have pushed through recent difficulties following the drought to solidify their place on top as the benchmark for Australian beef producers for the third year in a row.

Palgrove Pastoral Company's Ben Noller accepting the first place ribbon from Rabobank’s Mal Porter at the recent Paddock to Palate competiton.

A Granite Belt company has taken top honours in one of Australia’s most prestigious commercial cattle competitions for a third year in a row, proving its strength in breeding quality genetically modified, cattle despite the company being affected by the recent drought.

Business development and genetics manager Ben Noller said the prolonged and devastating drought proved a “logistic nightmare” for the company, which relied on commercial income to survive.

“The drought limited the supply (of cattle) with not as many people needing to buy due to the conditions of the drought,” he said.

The Dalveen-based company took home three firsts in the weight gain stage at the recent Paddock to Palate competition.

Palgrove walked away with $2750 after winning the overall highest individual weight gain for their Class 40 cattle, and the overall best weight gain for their pen of six Charolais-cross cattle in two different classes.

Palgrove’s Charolais cross Ultrablack steers from the winning pen.

Mr Noller said the company’s win at the Royal Queensland Show gave them an opportunity to benchmark their steers against the best.

“To win (the nation’s richest beef competition) three years in a row, going into our fourth year is a pretty big feather in the cap,” he said.

Mr Noller said the company also recognised the benefits in using the results to promote their seedstock enterprises to new clients, which is especially important following years of drought.

“(This) gives our clients the confidence they need to know that our (cattle) is the best in the country,” he said.

The weight gain assessment is only the first phase of the competition, with the carcass and eating quality to be judged later this year.