One of the best line-ups of vendor bred, one mark whiteface weaner calves in the nation caused a sensation with prices hitting a seasonal high for autumn droppers of $1800 in final leg of the 84th annual Mountain Calf Sales at Omeo.
Buyers finishing for grass fed programs made a plunge on the heavyweight autumn drop Hereford steers with Albury commission buyer Graeme Ward snapping up the champion pen at the top price for steer finisher Paul Mason, Wellington, NSW. Lot feeders struggled to keep up with the pace in the heavyweight cattle over 400kg as feeder prices failed to match the spending power of grass producers.
Selling agents Elders Omeo and Bairnsdale yarded 1402 Hereford and Shorthorn/Hereford cross yearling and mixed sex weaners for the March 6 fixture to average $1153 and gross $1,616,744. A total of 926 steers averaged $1288 and 476 heifers averaged $891.
The sale finalised two days of selling where 8000 cattle were offered at Hinnomunjie, Benambra, Ensay and Omeo, resulting in an enormous economic boost for the region. The three Elders Hereford sales yarded 4344 head to gross $4,665,551 and average $1074.
A large crowd of buyers and visitors from around the nation descended on the Omeo saleyards to see the famed spectacle of cold country cattle in the final leg of the Mountain Calf Sales series.
Active buyers included Elders Bairnsdale, Elders Yea, Y C Feeding, Elders Holbrook, SEJ Leongatha, Hotson Ag, Nutrien Ag Solutions Bairnsdale, Rodwells Euroa, Alex Scott & Staff, Warragul, Elders Cleary McDowell, Moss Vale, Corcoran Parker Wangaratta, Elders Orbost, commission buyer Graeme Ward, and steer finishers Alan Mitchell and Graham Osborne.
Autumn drop Hereford steers sold for $650-$1800, while Shorthorn/Hereford autumn drop steers finished at $910-$1590.
Shorthorn/Hereford heifers finished the sale circuit at $850-$1400, and the purebred autumn drop heifers settled at $520-$1340.
The sale opened on the spring drop 2022 calves of Peter and Christine Faithfull, Omeo, with the pen of 19 European Union and Never Ever accredited Herefords snapped up by Gippsland steer finisher Alan Mitchell for the overall sale top of $1810.
Then it was onto the autumn drop 2023 Herefords with the big guns coming out and bids flying in all directions for the Herefords Australia champion pen of 22 European Union and Never Ever accredited steers from Peter and Christine Faithfull.
Commercial Hereford producer Gordon McClure, Beerik Partnership, Coleraine, had judged the champion pen and was impressed with how well drafted the pen was, the evenness, clean fresh coat and trueness to type.
Commission buyer Graeme Ward agreed with the assessment and paid $1800 – the top price for autumn drop Hereford calves across the entire run of major weaner sales, and outgunning the Omeo Angus sale’s top of $1700.
The thick and soft April-June drop calves were Mawarra and Glendan Park blood, with Mr Faithfull placing selection emphasis on carcase and weight for age. He likes to attend the Herefords Australia National Sale at Wodonga each year to select at least two bulls.
Vendors Simon and Sonya Lawlor, Omeo, were among the top prices on the day with their April-May drop calves selling to $1670 to Gippsland steer finisher Graham Osborne.
The couple offered 150 steers and 81 heifers, with green weights coming in at 440kg for the top pen of steers, 390kg for the seconds, and 360kg for the thirds.
“Our weights are an average of 30kg heavier this year after working with Peak Pasture and Livestock agronomist Nicole Frost on sowing chicory, plantain and clover pasture for the weaners,” Mr Lawlor said.
Brendan and Tracey Ah Sam, Omeo, again topped the Shorthorn/Hereford heifers with a pen of 23 making $1400, after setting a record price of $2900 for females in 2022. The family also topped the run of Shorthorn/Hereford autumn drop steers at $1590.
Peter and Christine Faithfull topped the Hereford run of autumn drop unjoined heifers at $1340.
Elders National Livestock Manager Peter Homann was sourcing cattle for Princess Royal feedlot, Burra, SA, and Killara Feedlot, Quirindi, NSW.
Mr Homann said the jump in prices at Omeo resulted in the feedlots being the losing bidder on top heavyweight Hereford pens as feeder prices failed to match the grass finishers buying power.
“There was plenty of weight in the cattle but at the price they were making, none of the cattle have been making those prices in the previous three months. There is no doubt the feedlots around the country are looking for weight,” Mr Homann said.
“This tells me we are going to have a shortfall for weight so that’s why we are seeing the lighter cattle as good buying. Admittedly the cattle will be in the paddock for longer, but you will get a better margin out of them.
Mr Homman said the Herefords were outstanding with April-May drop calves weighing 400kg plus.
“The producers here invest a lot in their bulls, and everyone can see it,” he said.
“I came here to buy cattle for Killara Feedlot and I wasn’t successful as I was beaten by the grass finishers.
“This is certainly one of the flagship Hereford areas in Australia.”
Mr Homann purchased a few B doubles of cattle destined for either Princess Royal feedlot or to northeast Victorian backgrounders.
“Princess Royal has always been a fantastic supporter of the Hereford breed and run a lot of Hereford cattle.
“I was looking for Hereford heifers 400kg plus for Killara feedlot’s grass program for Woolworths but couldn’t compete with the prices here.
“To buy a run of feeder steers here today with a bit of weight would cost 370-390c/kg, and that is a fair bit over the current price of feedlot entry cattle of any breed. This market will strengthen but today that is the top of the tree.
“To do a grass program, I don’t know why you would go past a Hereford or their cross. They convert it into saleable meat, it’s all about yield and performance.”
Commission buyer Graeme Ward praised the line-up of cattle on offer across the Mountain Calf Sales.
“They were a bit dear but where else do you get that sort of article and buyers know they perform,” he said.
He also sourced heifers for a Myrtleford restocker and steers to go into NSW.
“The steer prices held on and there was a lot of interest in the top end of the good steers.”
Warragul agency Alex Scott & Staff was active across all of the five sales. Livestock buyer Phil Fleming outlaid $790 for a pen of 36 Hereford heifers from the Lawlors to either join or grain feeding. He also paid $900 for 20 steers from McCoy Farms, plus 60 steers from Ensay for producers finishing for JBS Australia.
Elders Delaney Livestock and Property auctioneer Campbell Czempinski purchased cattle from Ensay and Omeo for central and west Gippsland and Yarra Valley steer finishers.
“We were buying the top end of the calves at 400kg plus and we had to pay $1500-$1700 for the best steers,” Mr Czempinski said.
“The first lane of cattle (at Omeo) was impressive with good weights and pedigrees, and competition was solid.
“There was a fair weight drop with the second, third and fourth drafts of cattle but they still sold well according to weight.
“In the heifers, everyone loves strawberry roans – there were not many pens and the competition was strong from breeders for joining. Other pens sold to fatteners.”
Mr Czempinski said the northern buying contingent this year was limited to Elders Cleary McDowall at Moss Vale, NSW.
“It was a very impressive event over the two days and a credit to all the vendors, transport operators and staff, plus the produces for the animal husbandry, genetics and breeding.”
Quotes
Steers
P & C Faithfull: 19, Hereford, spring drop, EU, $1810
P & C Faihfull: 22, Hereford, autumn drop, EU, $1800
L & G Lee: 20, Hereford, $1690
S & S Lawlor: 21, Hereford, EU, $1670
Betts & Noonan: 15, Hereford, $1630
Ah Sam & Co: 35, Hereford, EU, $1610
A & N Smith: 18, Shorthorn/Hereford, $1450
Batty & Valentin: 17, Hereford, EU, $1330
Fitzgerald Pastoral: 8, Shorthorn/Hereford, EU, $1330
R & M Johnston: 18, Hereford, $1200
B & B Flannagan: 35, Hereford, EU, $1260
PJ McCoy: 12, Hereford, $1190
D & A Hayward: 17, Shorthorn/Hereford, $1160
CW Scott & Co: 14, Hereford, $1140
McCoy Farms: 20, Hereford, $1110
Heifers
Ah Sam & Co: 23, Shorthorn/Hereford, EU, $1400
P & C Faithfull: 30, Hereford, $1340
Betts & Noonan: 11, Hereford, $910
L & G Lee: 27, Hereford, $950
S & S Lawlor: 28, Hereford, $870
A & N Smith: 12, Shorthorn/Hereford, $850
Batty & Valentin: 19, Hereford, $750