Omeo Herefords headline Mountain Calf Sales with high prices for weaner calves

Agents yarded 1427 in the last of five high country sales on Wednesday where Hereford steers sold to a top price of $1810, while heifers hit $1400.

Elders Omeo livestock manager David Hill said it was a successful result across the four Elders' sales, despite paddocks drying out in recent weeks.

"Cattle presented extremely well and we've seen some very good prices," he said.

"There was some very good buying support right throughout the entirety of the weaner sales with various volume buyers.

"Graham Osborne, Anthony Delaney, Alastair Nelson [and] Jamie Quinlan were really quite active with a lot of cattle going far and wide."

The sale started with a pen of 19 Hereford steers consigned by Peter and Christine Faithfull, Omeo, 10-11 months, which made $1810, knocked down to South Gippsland breeder and fattener Alan Mitchell, Wonthaggi.

The Faithfulls sold 200 mixed-sex Herefords, including the Herefords Australia best-presented pen of steers with 23 knocked down for $1800, followed by two pens of 20 and 41 steers for $1800, respectively.

The three pens were bought by long-term mountain buyer Graeme Ward, Albury, NSW, who purchased the 84 cattle for a bullock fattener in the Dubbo, NSW, district.

Three pens of Faithfull heifers sold to a top price of $1340 for 20 head, while 20 heifers made $1300 and 34 fetched $990.

Simon and Sonya Lawlor, Upper Livingstone, Omeo, sold 233 mixed-sex Hereford calves, 10-11 months, including 21 steers for $1670 to bullock fattener Graeme Osborne, Officer, and 38 steers for $1450 to Pat Cleary, ECM Livestock, Moss Vale, NSW.

The Lawlor's third pen of 30 steers was bought by Mr Cleary for $1420, and their fourth pen of 15 steers made $1380, knocked down to Mr Osborne, who bought 552 cattle across the five Mountain Calf Sales.

Meanwhile, their heifer portion included 28 heifers for $870 and 36 heifers for $790, with both pens knocked down to Alex Scott & Staff Warragul.

Greg and Lisa Lee, Omeo, sold 114 mixed-sex Herefords, 9-11 months, including 20 steers for $1690 to Mr Osborne, and 14 steers for $1300 to Colac-based feedlotter Alistair Nelson, Y C Feeding.

The Lees also sold 17 heifers for $950 to a breeder at Inverloch.

The Ah Sam family, trading as Ah Sam & Co, Omeo, sold 203 mixed-sex Herefords and Hereford/Shorthorn-cross calves, including the dearest pen of heifers at the sale for $1400 to Rodwells Euroa.

The family sold a second pen of Hereford/Shorthorn-cross heifers for $1310, plus 15 Hereford heifers for $1270 and 28 heifers for $810, along with 35 steers for $1610 to Mr Osborne and 31 steers for $1590 to Jamie Quinlan, Elders Yea.

In total, Mr Quinlan bought 175 mixed-sex Herefords for predominantly backgrounders in the Yea district.

Agent Jordan Sim, Alex Scott & Staff Warragul, bought 120 mixed-sex calves for backgrounders, bullock fatteners and breeders in the Warragul district.

BJ & BM Flannagan, Omeo, sold 35 Hereford steers for $1340 to Elders Bairnsdale, and 21 steers for $1290 to Mr Osborne.

RT & ME Johnston, Omeo, sold 18 Hereford steers for $1200, and 26 Hereford steers for $1210.

McCoy Farms, Bundar Valley, sold 12 Hereford steers for $1190 to Mr Nelson, and 20 steers for $1110 to Mr Cleary.

McCoy Farms also sold 29 heifers for $760.

AC & NM Smith, Cobungra, sold 18 Hereford steers for $1450 to Elders Kilmore, and 12 Hereford/Shorthorn-cross heifers for $850.