The beef industry is a demanding business. Most producers would agree it's a full commitment, and there are some who would regard 'part-timers' as little more than hobby farmers. Yet one Brisbane Valley cattleman has built up a flourishing beef operation with award-winning stock around the demands of his 12 hours-a-day off farm job

Norm "Snow" Pakleppa, with his wife Ann, runs 40 Santa Gertrudis-based breeders crossed with a Limousin bull at Meroo, their 480ha holding on the outskirts of Moore.

Their enterprise embodies the adage of "small is beautiful" - an intensive regime of pasture management regime and an unswerving belief in "doing things properly" translated into a swag of awards at last week's Toogoolawah show.

From a total of five entries, the family collected four first placings, one second, one third, two championship ribbons and the overall reserve grand championship in the hotly contested prime cattle competition.

"It's a bit harder to choose a show team when you've only got 40 calves each year, but I just love the competition - it's satisfying to back your judgement and see your stock win a prize," Mr Pakleppa said. "I usually have no shortage of single show prospects early in the piece, but it's tougher to put together pens of three from such a limited pool."

The Pakleppas' Toogoolawah haul included the champion pen of pasture-fed bullocks for a line of three home-bred Limousin/Santa cross steers averaging 751kg at six teeth (returning $1280/head) while another 816kg Limousin/Santa steer ($1410) won champion pasture-fed steer of the show.

Their champion steer entry was judged the show's overall reserve grand champion, finishing behind a two-tooth grainfed steer.

Story: Rebecca Winter

Queensland Country Life