A PEA-in-a-pod trio of Murray Grey steers from Pegala Pastoral Company, Oberon, has impressed onlookers and judge, Alastair Rayner, who has awarded them the title of champion pen of three steers on the hoof.

To open the judging in the Speckle Parks Cattle Company sponsored competition, Mr Rayner explained that while butt shape was important, he was more interested in the animal's overall muscularity, taking in the width and depth of the animal, including the amount of meat from the pins to the hocks, as well as how the muscling continued over the body and behind the shoulder.

He said the degree of muscling across the whole carcase had a big impact on profitabiltity, with premiums of as much as 15 cents a kilograms achievable for the B and B+ muscled cattle.

Placing reserve to the champion pen on the hoof and second in the export class was a pen of Charolais-cross steers from Chris and Helen Alexander, DSK Charolais, Coonabarabran, while in third was an entry from Pine-Villa Red Angus.

In the domestic class it was a pen of Red Angus from Pine-Villa stud which came out on top, with a mixed-breed pen from Pegala Pastoral Company in second and three Santa Gertrudis steers from Phillip Hague's Rockingham Santa Gertrudis stud, Condobolin, in third.

Two of the three steers in their champion pen were bought from an unknown vendor in the Boorowa area, while the third came from his brother in law, Ralph Kuhn, "Allambie", Coolah.

The steers were bought at about 320 kilograms and have gained two kilograms a day with a grain assisted grass regime.

Pegala also entered a pen of three steers in the domestic class which placed second on the hoof.

In reserve, the 16- to 17-months-old steers from DSK were pasture reared with 85 to 90 days of grain and were all by DSK bulls from Angus and Angus-cross cows.

Phillip Hague's third placed pen were 18 months old, weighed 480kg and were all by bulls from his Rockingham Santa Gertrudis stud at Tara Station, Condobolin.

* The on-the-hook judging will take place on Friday, March 5.