MSA Program Manager, David Packer (left) with Stockyard’s General Manager of Livestock Operations, Marcus Doumany (right). 

We are thrilled to announce that Stockyard Beef’s Kerwee Feedlot has once again been named Most Outstanding MSA Beef Producer – Feedlot for Queensland. Stockyard has previously won the award in 2019-2021, 2017-2018 and was runner-up in 2015-2016.

These biennial awards celebrate producers who consistently deliver beef of superior eating quality, based on the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) program. MSA is underpinned by over 1.7 million taste tests conducted by more than 250,000 consumers from 13 countries, assessing the factors that affect beef’s eating quality from the paddock to the plate.

Over the last six years, Stockyard has nearly doubled the number of animals eligible to be MSA graded to over 50,000 and in that same time, we’ve increased our average score during the same period to 65.13, six full points above the Queensland average. We also maintained our compliance rates of 99.9% over the last four years. This result is incredibly rare within the MSA system.

Lachie Hart, Managing Director of Stockyard commented that the result underscored the organisation’s dedication to providing consistent, high-quality beef to consumers. He said, “At our feedlot, data is everything. We collect a vast number of data points and are feeding that back into our system right up to our breeding producers to improve performance. The MSA Index is one of those data points and being at the end of our production highlights that this flow of data right through the supply chain is working. It’s humbling to be ranked at the top of the table six years running, especially considering over 60% of Australia’s feedlots are based in Queensland, producing some of the country’s finest beef.”

Over this period, the organisation has seen significant growth and change, including doubling the size of Kerwee Feedlot from 11,000 head to 20,200 head in 2018. Through this growth, Stockyard has been able to improve its performance and compliance as well as maintain its consistency with average index scores well above other feedlots in the region.

Lachie commented: “The award is a tribute to the remarkable Stockyard team that makes it all possible. It is also a testament to the producers who partner with us. Stockyard’s process of selecting Australia’s finest genetics is showcased in this award, as much of the performance of our cattle comes down to quality genetics, raised perfectly and that’s evidenced here.”

MSA program manager, David Packer said the awards recognised beef producers in each state who have achieved outstanding results in a large field of tough competition.

“This is the twenty-fifth year of the MSA program, and in that time, it has become the world-leading eating quality grade program for Australian red meat,” Mr Packer said. “It is a key driving force behind the quality of Australian red meat, so these awards are a prestigious achievement for the producers.

“Each winner has achieved high eating quality performance for MSA graded cattle during the 2021-22 and 2022-23 financial years and supplied consistent MSA cattle within the top 50 percentile for that state and feed type. These are the best of the best when it comes to producing consistently outstanding beef,” said Dr Packer.

Stockyard breed, raise and feed premium grain-fed Wagyu and Angus cattle from their properties located in Queensland and New South Wales. The family-owned operation is known for its unwavering dedication to delivering high-quality beef products. For over 65 years, Stockyard has consistently outperformed industry standards and maintained a reputation of excellence.