ABP UK and M&S are celebrating a double success at the 2026 World Steak Challenge after two fillet steaks from the same Wagyu Cross animal, reared on a family farm in Northern Ireland, were named Europe's Best Steak and World's Best Grass-Fed Fillet. 

The award-winning beef was produced by Austin O'Kane, who farms outside Pomeroy, County Tyrone, and supplies cattle for the M&S Collection Wagyu range through ABP. 

Austin moved away from a traditional suckler enterprise more than three and a half years ago to join the integrated ABP and M&S Wagyu scheme, and now takes calves from around three months old through to finishing at approximately 23 to 25 months. He runs the family business with support from his son and grandson, and carries in the region of 200 Wagyu cattle - a scale Austin believes allows the family to give greater individual attention to the cattle throughout the production cycle. 

"I think the size of the farm works in our favour because we can spend more time with the cattle," said Austin. "Keeping them settled is a big part of it because I believe that can have an impact on marbling and the quality of the beef. 

"I've been rearing beef cattle for a long time, and I've always believed that if you look after them, they'll look after you."   

That attention runs through every aspect of the way the cattle are housed, handled and fed, with high standards of animal welfare central to Austin's approach. Cattle remain in small, stable groups and are weighed a pen at a time to avoid unnecessary mixing, while investment in modern handling facilities and adaptations to the cattle housing, including increased natural daylight and dedicated lying areas for younger calves, have been designed to create a calm and comfortable environment. With the farm less than 10 miles from ABP's Linden site, the animals have only a short journey once they leave the holding. 

M&S and ABP have worked closely with farmers like Austin all the way from selecting bespoke genetics for the Wagyu Gold Beef to setting Select Farm standards across welfare, feed and environment to bring the best quality and flavour to customers. Cuts are carefully selected in partnership with the M&S team before being checked at every stage to ensure the only the top tier cuts are sent to stores. 

Nutrition is managed with the same emphasis on consistency. The cattle graze when younger before moving indoors for finishing, where they are fed a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) combining silage, straw and concentrate. Feed remains available throughout the day and changes to the ration are introduced gradually as the cattle develop, helping to maintain consistency and avoid sudden nutritional changes. 

The quality of forage within that ration is equally important, with Austin regularly reseeding grassland and paying close attention to when silage is cut. He also believes Northern Ireland's grass-growing conditions help underpin the standard of beef produced on the farm." 

"I think a lot of it comes down to the quality of grass we have here," he said. "Quality silage is very, very important to us, so we wouldn't have ground much older than 10 years without reseeding it, and we try to get the silage cut in good time." 

The wider M&S and ABP scheme has been five years in development, with a breeding programme developed specifically for the M&S Collection Wagyu range. It uses Wagyu genetics exclusive to M&S and ABP, selected with UK production conditions in mind to deliver the marbling associated with Wagyu while working within the farming systems supplying the range. 

Aine Murray, Agriculture Sustainability Manager at ABP UK said: "This is a result we can take enormous pride in, particularly for Austin and his family, whose care and attention to their cattle is reflected in the quality they consistently produce. 

"Our relationships with farmers are fundamental to delivering high-quality beef, and Austin is a great example of what can be achieved when that relationship develops over time. He knows his cattle exceptionally well, has continued to invest in his farm and has worked closely with our agricultural team to refine the system as the programme has grown. 

"The strength of the scheme comes from bringing together the right genetics, carefully developed nutrition and the skill of farmers like Austin. To see beef produced on a family farm in County Tyrone recognised among the best in the world is something Austin, our teams and our partners at M&S can all be extremely proud of." 

Peter Kennedy, Head of Agriculture at M&S, said: "A huge congratulations to Austin and his family on this fantastic achievement, and our thanks to them for the care, skill and dedication they bring to producing beef for M&S.

"Excellent stockmanship and high standards of animal welfare are at the heart of the M&S Collection Wagyu range, and Austin's attention to his cattle throughout their lives is a great example of that. Combined with the genetics and nutrition developed through our partnership with ABP, it helps us deliver the exceptional eating quality, tenderness and marbling that our customers expect from this range.

"To see beef from a family farm in County Tyrone recognised on the world stage is something Austin and everyone involved in the programme should be incredibly proud of."

Alongside the genetics and technical support, the livestock buying model is built around long-term commitments from M&S and ABP to take cattle from participating farmers, providing greater certainty for businesses considering the investment needed to move into a different production system.

For Austin, who admits the move away from suckler production initially felt like a risk, the World Steak Challenge result has provided further confidence in the direction of the family business. 

"I still can't quite believe it," he said. "We're in a small area here in Northern Ireland, so to go into something on a world level and come away with an award like this is unbelievable. It shows me that we're doing things as well as we can. 

"We never in our wildest dreams expected anything like this, but we're very proud of it." 

The 2026 World Steak Challenge judging took place at premium steakhouse Vlees & Co in Amsterdam, where more than 450 steaks were assessed blind by a panel of more than 60 experts. Launched in 2015, the competition provides an international benchmark for steak quality, breed credentials and processing standards, with entries assessed through an independent judging process.