Excellence in feedlot education winner Brendan Orr from Grassdale, and runner-up Alexandra McNamee from Lemontree, receive their certificates from Zoetis’s Stewart Metheringham andSally Oswin.

THE grainfed beef industry’s SmartBeef conference in Armidale recognised industry achievement with a series of awards and acknowledgements today.

This year’s Zoetis Excellence in Feedlot Education Medal went to 24-year-old Brendan Orr, feeding and milling coordinator at Mort & Co’s Grassdale feedlot on Queensland’s Darling Downs.

Brendan has responsibility for overseeing feed allocation for the yard’s 56,000 head of cattle. He started at the yard in 2012 as a feedtruck operator, and after a number of promotions, now has responsibility for 15 staff.

He completed the Certificate three in feedlot operations through TAFE, in milling and feeding.

“Being a Cert three, I thought it was going to be towards the simpler end of the spectrum, but it was very in depth, and of great value. It was an excellent course,” he said.

Runner-up was Alexandra McNamee from Lemontree feedlot, Millmerran, Queensland. Alexandra is the operations manager of the 19,000 head feedlot, overseeing the health and feed management of the beef cattle in the yard, in addition to an intensive dairy feedlot operation.

In addition to completing the Cert 4 in feedlot production, she is also studying to become an accountant.

In a session designed to showcase the rising academic talent servicing the feedlot sector, university students from around Australia presented their research findings through short presentations, as part of the ‘Communicate Your Research’ program, sponsored by Bovine Dynamics and Quirindi Vet Services.

Chosen as the winner was Stephanine Sammes from University of Queensland, with Jessica Tunnage and Cameron Steel runners-up.

In separate stories appearing today, Beef Central profiles Thomas Green from Iranda Beef’s feedlot in South Australia, who was judged 2017 Young Lotfeeder of the Year; and a four-way tie for the coveted Coopers ‘Top Gun’ award for implant performance.

Excellence in feedlot education medal winner Stephanine Sammes from University of Queensland, front left, with runners-up Jessica Tunnage and Cameron Steel. The three are flanked by Matt and Melissa George from Bovine Dynamics and Tony Batterham and David Firth from Quirindi Vet Services.