Mountain calf sales rolling coverage
Hereford cattle have defied dry conditions to perform well at Victoria’s famed mountain salf sales. See all the top prices, buyers and vendors.
This year’s mountain calf sales have finished at Omeo, after two days of volume buyers, dearer prices and dry weather.
The Omeo Hereford sale yarded 1308 cattle on Wednesday. The 901 steers topped $1980 with an average of $1348, while the 407 heifers topped $1450 and averaged $1055.
Omeo farmer Brandon Betts and his mum Tania Crisp’s cattle opened the sale with pen one, and they sold 30 overall. Their older Hereford calves were 18-20 months, and they also sold 10-month-old Hereford/Shorthorn calves. Their cattle averaged $1572.
“We have a pretty good block that runs along the Livingstone Creek so we usually keep that aside to put the calves down on that because it’s good water and good tukka,” Mr Betts said.
“As far as prices go it was very good, [Tania] sells a lot of her grown stuff to Greenhams so we worked out on a per kilo rate to go to them, she was ahead of it by about $200.”
Local vendor Tracey Ah Sam sold 240 mixed sex Hereford/Shorthorn-cross cattle at the second Omeo sale on Wednesday. They also manage a fine-wool Merino stud, and have about 5000 in their sheep flock.
“It’s been dry, we weaned them about eight weeks ago and have put them on the best feed we’ve got,” she said.
“The prices are fair I think. We’ll be happy with them, considering the season the cattle are pretty good, we would like to see them a bit rounder.”
Elders Bairnsdale livestock manager Morgan Davies said each sale so far surpassed expectations. He said heavier steers sold to about $4.30-$4.50 a kilogram.
“A lot of the heavier end of the steers sold really well, as it got lighter it lost that real oomph,” he said.
“People come to buy the heavy end of the steers, and we saw that [on Wednesday].
“All in all, we couldn’t be happier with the result. Hats off to the vendors.”
Steers
TA Crisp
Nine Hereford, 18-20 months, 540kg, $1980 (366c/kg)
14 Hereford/Shorthorn, 10-12 months, 410kg, $1540 (375c/kg)
PC and CG Faithfull
22 Hereford, $1850
50, $1840
16, $1180
S and SN Lawlor
19, $1900
34, $1660
50, $1190
40, $1140
BJ and BM Flannagan
25 Hereford, $1600
43, $1220
Ah Sam and Co
29 Hereford/Shorthorn, $1480
12, $1580
15, $1450
25, $1300
26, $1150
28, $1050
18, $1030
Fitzgerald Pastoral
13, $1160
10, $1120
Heifers
PC and CG Faithfull
14, $1450
10, $1260
26, $1150
Fitzgerald Pastoral
11, $1380
10, $1310
LM and GL Lee
20, $1140
11, $1100
McCoy Farms
30, $1020
Ah Sam and Co
20, $1160
20, $1270
20, $1190
Wednesday, March 5: Ensay
Hereford cattle are surpassing $4 a kilogram at Ensay, as volume buyers “step in to the void” and secure large orders.
Elders agents yarded 1050 cattle at Ensay for the 85th Mountain Calf Sales on Wednesday, which sold to $1650 a head.
The 760 steers made the top $1650 price with an average of $1303, while 426 heifers topped $1290 and averaged $990.
Vendor Evan Newcomen secured the top price for both steers and heifers.
“I thought it was pretty satisfactory when you consider the seasonal conditions. We were pretty lucky to get out of it as well as we did,” Mr Newcomen said.
“We’ve had more summer rain than what we normally get, and the past six weeks we weaned them and we were able to wean them onto reasonable feed.”
Elders Bairnsdale livestock manager Morgan Davies said most Hereford steers made $4.20-$4.60, and most cattle were $200-250 dearer “at least”.
“As they got lighter, they got dearer,” he said.
He said major buyers included Northern Victoria Livestock, Wellington Livestock, Elders Yea, and Charles Stewart and Co.
“Volume buyers stepped into the void and had a big, big crack. Some blokes bought 1000-plus cattle across the two days,” Mr Davies said.
“Traditionally this is a very prominent south Gippsland area, where a lot of those cattle go back to. But hardly any are headed back there which is the first I’ve seen.
“It’s been an excpetional sale, trended a lot dearer than I thought it would be.”
Long-time vendor Barry Newcomen, who had the top pen with $1670 in 2024, sold 199 cattle at Ensay.
“Because we had a very ordinary year last year, we had to wean early. We started weaning before Christmas,” he said.
Mr Newcomen sold 10 Hereford steers, 407kg, for $1590 (390c/kg), 29 steers, 362kg, for $1450 (362c/kg), 25 steers, 332kg, for $1250 (376c/kg), 27 steers, 312kg, for $1150 (368c/kg) and 14 steers, 295kg, for $1110 (376c/kg).
His 44 Hereford heifers, 305kg made $940 (308c/kg).
“We’ve been short on feed so we’ve been feeding them grain-free cubes,” Mr Newcomen said.
“I bought some the other day and it was about $400 a tonne.”
He said they had rain in January, just shy of four inches. He said pink eye had also affected weight gain in his herd.
“Overall, they mightn’t be as heavy this year as they have been, but it’s a good yarding. You get up on the loading ramp and look down, as I did, and it’s a good lot of Herefords,” he said.
“I don’t think you’d see a better lineup of Herefords than what we have here. It would even take on Omeo.”
The best-presented pen of Hereford heifers, under AM and EJ Prendergast, made $1090 for 22 cattle.
The vendor, Tony Prendergast, sold 123 cattle overall, and had sold at Ensay since 2017.
“I’m quite pleased with them this year, the way they’ve done. The past two springs haven’t been great, we’ve had late rain,” he said.
“I’m pretty pleased [with the prices], a lot of places are dry and there’s confidence there.”
Steers
EO and DI Newcomen
20 Hereford, $1590 (Secured by Wellington Livestock)
20 Hereford, $1550
14 Hereford, $1650
20 Hereford, $1400 (Destined for Max O’Doherty, Alex Scott & Staff)
20 Hereford, $1370
20 Hereford, $1140
18 Hereford, $1080 (Sold to Matt Baxter, Charles Stewart and Co)
RA and W Newcomen
20 Hereford steers, $1620 (Elders Yea)
20 Hereford, $1300
36 Hereford, $1440 (Bought by Wellington Livestock)
36 Hereford, $1230 (Secured by Wellington Livestock)
AM and EJ Prendergast
24 Hereford, $1610 (Bought by Billy Sweeney)
32 Hereford, $1310
CR and JH Lloyd
18, 370kg, $1600
21, 340kg, $1440 (Sold to Peter Fraser)
18, 307kg, $1180
WC McCole
21, $1510 (Sold to Wellington Livestock)
22, $1250
11, $1220
17, $1050 (Bought by Matt Baxter Charles Stewart)
17, $1080
Nunniong Herefords, Bluey Commins
22 Hereford, $1200 (Sold to Matt Baxter, Charles Stewart and Co)
23 Hereford, $1130
24 Hereford, $1120
20 Hereford, $1090
Heifers
RA and W Newcomen
20, $1150 (Bought by Wellington Livestock)
34, $1150 (Wellington Livestock)
AM and EJ Prendergast
10 Hereford, $1120
22 Hereford, $1090
BC and AJ Newcomen
44 Hereford, 305kg, $940
Tuesday, March 4: Benambra
Hereford cattle have defied dry conditions to perform well at Benambra’s opening high country calf sales, attracting strong buyer interest.
Elders livestock agents yarded about 1300 cattle at Benambra on Tuesday, marking the third sale in the 85th mountain calf sales series.
Buyers were particularly keen on clean, well-framed cattle, ensuring competitive bidding.
There were 1478 cattle up for grabs, with 787 steers topping $1700, by Matunga Trust, and averaged $1231 overall. The 691 heifers topped $1390, with BJ and JB Carroll, and averaged $930.
Edward Conheady from Noorat purchased about 150 cattle at the sale and said he planned to secure more on Wednesday. His strategy is to background the cattle for eventual sale to feedlots.
“The Herefords here are very, very good quality, and they grow out well,” he said. “The blacks are the flavour of the day, and I can’t work out why. The Herefords we finish off are every bit as good as the Angus, but there’s still a 30-35c/kg price gap.”
Fifth-generation farmer and vendor Max Pendergast sold 73 cattle at Benambra, following earlier sales at Hinnomunjie. His results included: 14 steers for $1600; five steers for $1290; 12 heifers for $1110 and 15 heifers for $1040
“We did alright,” Mr Pendergast said. “The season has turned against us, but hopefully not for much longer. Considering how dry it’s been, everything has worked out all right, and the prices are holding up.”
Elders Delaney Property and Livestock auctioneer Anthony Delaney said lighter cattle sold exceptionally well, with buyers sourcing stock from across Gippsland, central Victoria, and NSW.
“The Angus sale (at Omeo) was particularly strong,” Mr Delaney said. “Everyone’s second and third drafts here sold exceptionally well. The first draft met expectations, but the second and third drafts went really well.”
Steers
Matunga P/L, AG and SM Pendergast
12, $1700
29, $1500
22, $1220
22, $1270
SR L Anderson
Six, $1550
11, $1290
WA Pendergast and Sons
20, $1470
16, $990
KW JA Pendergast
16, $1590
15, $1340
Russell and ME Pendergast
32, $1590
RG and AH Faithfull
30, $1590
31, $1530
CE and DG Anderson
18, $1500
20, $1200
Ray and Max Pendergast
14, $1600
Five, $1290
BJ and JB Carroll
Eight, $1640
18, $1640
14, $1540
16, $1400
BR and EST Pendergast
17, $1400
21, $1280
Heifers
Ray and Max Pendergast
12, $1110
15, $1040
Russell and ME Pendergast
14, $1110
14, $1090
Matunga P/L, AG and SM Pendergast
22, $1130
24, $980
CE and DG Anderson
28, $1140
RG and AH Faithfull
25, $1100
KW and JA Pendergast
14, $1090
SR and L Anderson
16, $1060
Tuesday, March 4: Omeo
Strong prices have continued on the opening day of Victoria’s iconic mountain calf sales with Angus weaners selling to a solid market trend at Omeo.
Elders agents yarded 3058 cattle overall for the sale, with 1518 steers topping $1830, by vendors D and M Plowman, while 1540 heifers topped $1510 in a tied effort by Dawn-Raine Pty Ltd and Meringo Pastoral. The steers made an average price of $1244, while the heifers averaged $1078.
Vendor Chris Connley, who sold 150 steers and 46 heifers at Omeo and later 10 Red Angus heifers at Benambra, described the sale as strong, with quality “second to none”.
“You can’t get a lineup like this really anywhere. (The cattle) are clean, slick-coated, they look fresh,” he said.
Mr Connley sold under Rosevale Pastoral banner, with 25 Angus steers fetching $1300 a head, 34 Angus steers returning $1160 and another 17 fetching $1070.
“Our steers averaged $1070, and our heifers at the tail end made roughly $640 average,” he said.
“I definitely think the blacks sold a bit better. It’s pretty tight (season-wise) up here at the moment, we don’t have to feed them, and it’s rained in the north so they can.”
Mr Connley manages four properties with one at Hinnomunjie, and three at Beloka, near Benambra.
“It needs a lot of ground moisture to start turning over some country to plant some crops for winter,” he said.
Elders Delaney Livestock and Property director Anthony Delaney bought 100 cattle on the opening day of the sales and said stock were headed to central and west Gippsland, Warragul, Sale and surrounds.
“It’s been a solid result right through. The cattle haven’t quite got the weight as they would in previous years which is understandable given the season,” he said.
He said major buyers included Cleary McDowall from Moss Vale in NSW, Elders Yea, Jamie Quinlan and Gippsland livestock agents.
Other notable sales at Omeo included a feature line of Angus from CE and DG Anderson which topped at $1670 for steers and $1200 for heifers.
Meringo Pastoral sold 66 Angus across three pens to a top of $1500 and average of $1360.
Steers
D and M Plowman
30, $1830
28, $1760
CE and DG Anderson
38, $1670
21, $1600
34, $1480
13, $1350
13, $1270
19, $1310
19, $1310
19, $1310
40, $1230
AI and RD Nicholas
22, $1570
22, $1470
21, $1300
Crisp Livestock
28, $1520
Eight, $1340
23, $1290
28, $1250
Seven, $1200
Rosevale Pastoral
25, $1300
34, $1160
17, $1070
Black Mountain Station
45, $1200
45, $1200
50, $990
51, $990
KF and AG Dean
21, $1230
34, $1140
14, $780
Heifers
D and M Plowman
18, $1500
JR and NM Faithfull
20, $1420
Meringo Pastoral
16, $1500
20, $1440
19, $1510
16, $1380
66, $1360
23, $1310
IK Junior
10, $1380
BC and GC Flynn
20, $1200
CE and DG Anderson
23, $1130
23, $1200
Dawn-Raine Pty Ltd
21, $1490
26, $1380
26, $1380
25, $1380
32, $1260
18, $1340
Tuesday, March 4: Hinnomunjie
Prices at Victoria’s mountain calf sales have “exceeded expectations” and defied a dry summer and tough cattle market.
The famed sales started on a high note at Hinnomunjie on Tuesday, with rates eclipsing those of 12 months ago.
The Hinnomunjie sale yarded 1008 cattle across 91 lots, and made a collective 1.16mil.
The sale had 617 steers which made a top price of $2250, average of $1291 and low price of $640. Meanwhile, 391 heifers topped $1420, averaged $940 and had a low of $450.
The top price of $2250 a head achieved by local producer Donald Betts. They were purchased by Jamie Quinlan.
Mr Betts’ 11 September-October-drop Hereford steers, weighing an average 603kg, returned 373c/kg.
Last year’s Hinnomunjie sale topped at $2000, with the centre’s record price of $2400 set in 2022.
Mr Betts has sold at Hinnomunjie for about 35 years, and said he had hoped for close to 400c/kg.
He said the high country had recorded little rain during spring and summer. “(The cattle) don’t get any TLC or anything.They do it themselves. The last week or so I had them at one place and fed them a bit of hay,” Mr Betts said. “We’re desperate for a bit of rain.”
Nutrien East Gippsland Livestock auctioneer Brad Obst said most cattle from the Hinnomunjie sale sold to producers from thesouthern Riverina, central Victoria and South Gippsland, with some headed to western Victoria.
“It exceeded our expectations, driven mainly by South Gippsland competition and very strong competition out of the north, especially on the heavier cattle,” he said.
“The season here is nowhere near as good as last year, but I reckon calves presented heavier and fresher. I don’t know why, I don’t think anyone can know why, but it’s certainly testament to the ability of people breeding this cattle.”
Steers
DW Betts
11 Hereford, 603kg, $2250 (373c/kg)
13 Hereford, 543kg, $2030 (373c/kg)
12 Hereford, 496kg, $1890 (381c/kg)
20 Hereford, 410kg, $1620 (395c/kg)
Nine Hereford X, 352kg, $1310 (372c/kg)
Munson and Coleman
21 Hereford, 485kg, $1830 (377c/kg)
19 Hereford, Clippal and Valley Vista blood, 410kg, $1510 (368c/kg)
G and S Crisp
20 Hereford, $1700
19 Hereford, $1400
PJ & SM Soutter, best presented pen
24 Hereford, $1530
25 Hereford, $1350
20 Hereford, $1240
21 Hereford, $1040
14 Angus, $1420
AL Fitzgerald, “Shannonvale”
13 Hereford, $1310
19 Hereford, $1190
BS Dyer
17 Hereford, Clippal blood, $1420
21 Hereford, $1270
25 Hereford, $960
15 Hereford, $820
RE and AM Connley and E Coulthard
19 Hereford, $1300
16 Hereford, $1100
14 Hereford, $890
Ray and Max Pendergast
15 Hereford, $1240
KW & J Pendergast
20 Hereford, $1150
David Olssen
16 Angus, $1230
Pendergast Alpine Livestock
12 Angus X, $1300
17 Black Baldy, $1180
12 Angus, $1000
Luke Dyer
11 Angus X, $1250
RT Gilmore
10 Angus, $1180
Heifers
DW Betts
10 Hereford, 439kg, $1420 (323c/kg)
10 Hereford, 442kg, $1420 (321c/kg)
14 Hereford, 431kg, $1380 (320c/kg)
Eight Hereford, 339kg, $1160 (342c/kg)
Six Hereford, 292kg, $920 (315c/kg)
AK and EM Farms
Eight Hereford, $1150
G and S Crisp
20 Hereford, $1270
19 Hereford, $1070
BS Dyer
21 Hereford, Clippal blood, $990
24 Hereford, $760
PJ and SM Soutter
20 Hereford, $920
20 Hereford, $980
13 Hereford, $920
RE and AM Connley and E Coulthard
17 Hereford, $760
AL Fitzgerald, Shannonvale
Eight Hereford, $880
Nine Hereford, $780
Pendergast Alpine Livestock
14 Angus X, $1290
Luke Dyer
16 Angus X, $1110
R and M Pendergast
Eight Black Baldy, $960
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