The 45th annual Lardner Park Steer Trial has begun, with nearly 70 animals from Victoria and NSW penned at the Warragul property.
The first official weighing of the 66 steers, entered from local farms, as far afield as Wantagong, NSW, and the Victorian-SA border has taken place.
Lardner Park chief executive Nicola Pero said the first weigh went well, considering the steers were acclimatising to the process and audience.
"It can be a tough week for the steers while they are introduced to their new family, feed type and surrounds so some producers may notice the weights of their steers had decreased from when they left home," Ms Pero said.
Compliant with the Coles QA grass-fed program, the trial aims to achieve the best outcomes for both during-trial information and data collection, and purchase price on carcass meat when it's turned off in early December
Steers would be measured on their domestic grade, with a specification of between 220-310kilogram HSCW (hot standard carcass weight).
Ms Pero said the pastures at Lardner Park were in excellent condition.
"It's most awkward, compared with some people who are suffering from terrible drought conditions," she said.
"It's lush and green, with plenty of grass - we are sitting in a very fortunate pocket of Gippsland."
Steers in the trial include Angus, Angus-cross, Red Poll, Murray Grey, Speckle Park, Herefords and Simmental and Charolais cross cattle.
This year, the number of trial partners, including Telstra, had nearly doubled.
"That's a fantastic show of industry support," Ms Pero said.
Steers will be turned off at the beginning of December, before a carcase demonstration day.
"JBS will come along with a purpose-built vehicle to show primary producers MSA carcase grading" Ms Pero said.
About 135 farmers attended last year's demonstration day.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
