Wagga's Stephen and Sarah Palmer from Kyeamba Downs Partnership have consistently been at the top of the feedlot competition and have again taken out the reserve grand champion pen.
The pair received the same accolade in 2018 but this year boosted their results, with reserve champion feedlot performance pen (255 points) and the Teys Certified Premium Black Angus champion pen.
The Palmers sold all their steers through AuctionsPlus in February last year, only keeping the five entered in the trial.
"We selected (them) on length and muscle of the steers at the time," Mr Palmer said.
Single sire joining their cows allowed them to know who the steers were by, and they use the competition to see how the sires being used are influencing their progeny.
The Kyeamba Downs steers in the trial were by Dunoon and Waitara Angus bulls, but over the years the Palmers have used Reiland, Witherswood, Raff and Alpine bloodlines, while also previously using artificial insemination (AI).
Overall placing second in the trial, the Palmers scored 740 points total for their Angus team that had induction weights that ranged from 416 kilograms to 478 kilograms.
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They were also fourth in the carcase component on 389 points, with their top carcase receiving a score of 89 out of 110.
On average the steers had a hot standard carcase weight of 371.7 kilograms, a dressing percentage of 55.2 per cent, a lean meat yield of 54.54pc and an MSA Index of 63.56. Three steers were marble score two.
The teams profitability was $1367.40 which sat them second overall.
Mr Palmer said it was interesting to see how the non-hormone growth promotants (HGPs) caused the feedlot performance of the steers to go down.
"Previously we have had steers (with an average daily gain of) up to 2.8 to 2.9 kilograms a day," he said.
"This year our highest put on around 2.4kg/day and some of the others around 2.1 to 2.2kg/day."
The steers were dual entered in the 2021 ANZ National Beef Carcase Competition hosted by Beef Australia, with winners of this competition announced on May 4.
Kyeamba Downs Partnership first entered the trial in 2013, and have put in two to three teams annually that have consistently placed in the top 20 in recent years.
In 2019 they were the reserve champion Riverine Premium Beef pen and last year they came fourth in the eating quality section, but Mr Palmer said he hasn't really focused on selecting for it.
"Using Breedplan figures we focus on carcase weight and eye muscle... We are paid cents per kilogram so we want the heaviest weight and highest carcase weights," he said.
Depending on the market, the Palmers sell their steers straight to feedlots or on AuctionsPlus where feedlots or backgrounders operate on them.
"Last year we sold them at around 300 kilograms because it looked like another year of drought, down this way the season didn't break till later," he said.
"We pick a time and sell them then... the weight they sell at is usually season dependent."
