Farm Online

Beef Week's back

BEEF FEAST: Stephen Branson with some of the rising two-year old bulls at Banquet Angus, Mortlake, Victoria, offered for sale this year.
BEEF FEAST: Stephen Branson with some of the rising two-year old bulls at Banquet Angus, Mortlake, Victoria, offered for sale this year.

This is branded content for Beef Week.

FOR 30 years, Stock & Land Beef Week has been a highlight in seedstock producers' calendars.

This year was one of the most successful Beef Weeks in the history of the event.

Plans are under way to build on that success with the 31st Beef Week in January, 2022. The event kicks off on Thursday, January 27, in the Riverina in southern NSW, and runs in different regions each day until Thursday, February 3, in western Victoria and Mount Gambier, South Australia.

Beef Week is conducted by a committee appointed by Stud Beef Victoria, a non-profit organisation representing Victoria's beef cattle seedstock producers.

According to Beef Week director Geoff Phillips, the event provides a critical service to the beef industry by showcasing the genetics seedstock producers have available and providing commercial producers with the opportunity of selecting from some of the nation's leading seedstock herds.

"South-east Australia is home for many of the nation's foremost herds in the British and European breeds, and during Beef Week they either sell bulls or have bulls on display that will be auctioned at upcoming autumn on-property or multi-vendor sales," Mr Phillips said.

The event has highlighted leading genetics since 1991. "The ongoing success of the beef industry lies in the long-term planning for genetic progress," Stud Beef Victoria president Ron Draper said. "With excellent prices now being experienced, this makes for an easier financial pathway to make selections now that will affect your herd's genetic viability in the next two to 10 years."

Beef Week committee vice president John Adams said the 2020 and 2021 events were high notes on what had otherwise been a tough time for farmers.

"As the year of 2020 unfolded, the end of the drought which plagued much of SE Australia through 2019/2020, had a dampening effect on morale following widespread fires through southern NSW and NE Victoria," Mr Adams said. "However, the 2020 Beef Week was indeed a great success with studs and properties open, excellent sales and the window to the highly successful autumn bull sales."

This year's Beef Week event took that success to the next level.

"Stock & Land Beef Week has played a significant role in many successful seedstock operators and producers in southern NSW, Victoria and SA," he said. "It has always been a low cost/high value marketing tool."

In 2021, the organising committee added another layer to the already tried and trusted formula. All participants were invited to submit a video display, which has been uploaded to both the Stud Beef Victoria and the Stock & Land websites, with links to the individual's stud websites. These are available from early January and can be used in conjunction with the booklet printed by Stock & Land.

"The intrusion upon our lives of the COVID-19 virus, although a major disruption to much of the population, has certainly been less in the agricultural sector, but it has changed the way in which we do many things," Mr Adams said. "It disrupted many markets, with ballots to attend sales being just one instance. It has brought into focus how, and with whom, we trade.

"Certainly, platforms such as AuctionsPlus have come to the fore with stud cattle producers, with many interfacing their on-property offerings, and expanding their markets over a much wider catchment area.

"The confidence in the beef market is astounding, with prices never before seen."

The RASV-sponsored Heifer Challenge, paused this year due to COVID-19, is expected to resume in 2022 in an enhanced form.

"We have been extremely grateful to the RASV for their involvement in the Heifer Challenge over the last few years, and look forward to their continued sponsorship in the future."

This event is operating on all COVID-safe protocols.

"Properties all over south eastern Australia will once again open their gates to share their breed, insights, genetics, to like minded producers, commercial enterprises and visitors from around the country during the eight-day event," Stock & Land sales consultant Craig Davidson said.

  • Visit beefweek.com.au

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