Winning Melbourne show led steer sits in the middle of muscle, fat specifications

Shaw's Livestock, Wagga Wagga, NSW, took out the ribbon with an August 2022-drop steer, sired by Flemington Ready to Roll R20 and out of Flemington Honky Tonk P49.

The steer, weighing 508 kilograms, first won the led heavy domestic class.

Led steer or heifer judge University of New England Associate Professor Peter McGilchrist, Armidale, NSW, said he had seen some "really amazing animals" in the class.

"It's really drawing straws, but [I had to ask] which one would you like to see a thousand of in the paddock?" he said.

He said his top-three animals in the class were all "really efficient at converting grain into nutritious meals".

But he said the winner typified that.

"He's so flat across the top, so wide through the shoulders, beautifully clipped as well and square through the hindquarters," he said.

"He has got enough cover on him in that middle weight class, certainly not excess, and I think he's sitting right in the middle of those fat and muscle specifications."

Handler Jacob Kerrisk, Shaw's Livestock, said the win was "very, very exciting".

"It's something we have dreamed of for a long, long time," he said.

"There were some outstanding cattle here, that's for sure."

He said the steer had been on grain for 80 days, which was part of a "simple" program prior to the show.

"We just liked the way he was very soft, he had a heap of shape in him, a big, wide top and a heap of rib," he said.

"He is super sound and we really, really liked him for that."

North Ulandi, Kapunda, SA, took out the led domestic ribbon with a September 2022-drop Limousin heifer by Flemington Ready to Roll and out of Limek Lippy.

Finley High School, Finley, NSW, was the reserve with a September 2022-drop Charolais/Speckle Park-cross steer, bred by Jack Nelson.

Dr McGilchrist said the black heifer "probably had the largest eye muscle I had felt across the day".

"Not only that, she has a tremendous carcase length and body as well," he said.

"She is a little-bit longer than some of the others here and she is really wide across the topline there.

"Not only that, you have the fat to go with it as well.

"She is really-nicely covered in the back end of that carcase.

"She will hang up beautifully in terms of yield and market specifications.

"Hopefully she has got some marbling in there as well to go with it."

The led export champion was won by Grant High School, Mount Gambier, SA, with a March 2022-drop Simmental/Hereford-cross steer, sired by Tennyson Nitrate and out of Rellum Farms YN200.

The reserve champion ribbon was taken out by Jones Farming, Moorooduc, with a March 2022-drop Angus steer, sired by Square B True North 8052 and out of Jones Farm Q69.

Dr McGilchrist said the class was "where the money is".

"They are amazingly-commercial animals," he said.

"[They're] fast growing, easy doers, and if we get the fat cover on them as well, that's exactly what we want for our industry.

"We want them to have a whole heap of muscle on that topline and thickness through the hindquarter."

He said the winner stood out because of his "beautiful cover".

"This is the odd one out in terms of colour," he said.

"But he's pretty striking when you get your hand on top of him.

"He is very, very well finished with an evenness of cover.

"The muscle jumps out of the back, he is very wide and really square through the hindquarter."

North Ulandi took out the reserve led heavy domestic ribbon with an August 2022-drop Limousin steer.