FOR the first time in the history of the NSW Beef Spectacular Feedback Trial, the competition was run hormone growth promotant (HGP) free this year.
Teys Australia general manager of feedlots Grant Garey said the decision was made to enable entrants the opportunity to enter the Beef Australia 2021 ANZ National Beef Carcase Competition.
"It made sure those cattle dual entered had every chance of performing again in the Beef 2021 competition," Mr Garey said.
"It was also market driven. Our market for the those (non-HGP) cattle were better than the HGP treated ones."
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The cattle came into the feedlot on average 40 kilograms heavier this year due to a change in entry weight specifications from 320 to 460kg last year up to 360 to 480kg, with the entire draft averaging 432kg at induction per head.
Throughout the 113 days the steers were on feed, they consumed just under 14kg per head per day on average, according to Teys Australia Jindalee Feedlot manager Shane Bullock.
This is back from the 16 to 17kg/hd they consumed in the 2020 trial.
The change in consumption could be some effect of the HGP changes.
In what was a wetter year than the previous, Mr Bullock said it was good to see the cattle were prepared well by vendors and had no issues fitting into the feedlot environment.
"We thought it might be tougher with a wetter year and less supplement feeding being done" he said.
"The environment in the feedlot was different too, it wasn't such a dry year (compared to the last)."
In terms of the ration, Mr Bullock said the only difference in this past year (including the 2021 trial) was the use of silage in the ration at Jindalee.
"It changed part way towards the end of the feed period... We hadn't done silage before," he said.
Being HGP-free resulted in a decrease in the average daily weight gains of the steers, which in turn meant carcases were lighter.
A positive of being HGP-free was the MSA Indexes of the carcases increased.
Being treated with HGPs has a standard discount in the MSA Index model Mr Garey said, therefore the steers were not penalised this year resulting in the MSA Index rise.
With 5pc more carcases hitting the desired Riverine Premium Beef brand that requires a marble score of two, Mr Garey said it was a pleasing trend to see.
"It is positive more are hitting the Riverine Premium Beef brand," he said.
"We are always looking to have as many cattle as possible grade into the top brands."
In total, 47pc of the animals graded into the Riverine Premium Beef brand, 8pc went Teys Certified Premium Black Angus and 44pc were Riverine Classic Cut branded. One was ungraded.
With only five deaths in the trial, and none attributable to respiratory disease, the use of the Coopers Bovilis MH+IBR vaccine provided a big help, Mr Garey said.
The numbers of HGP-treated and HGP-free cattle going through the feedlot is similar to previous years.
"It depends on the customer and their requirements. We have a combination of (HGP and non-HGP) cattle being fed," Mr Garey said.
The decision as to whether the 2022 NSW Beef Spectacular Feedback Trial will be HGP-free or not is still being made.
Teys Australia believes there are immense benefits of the trial to the industry, and they hope vendors get a lot out of it that will help with on-farm decision making.