Taking the trip back up the hill to Omeo, last Wednesday afternoon, may have given some producers some thinking time. It is always interesting to note the competition between the Ensay and Omeo, as both Wednesday sales are of Hereford steers and heifers.
There is some friendly rivalry between the valley and Omeo, and this time Omeo producers came up trumps.
The yardings were of a very similar nature, for age weight and condition. If any difference warranted noting, it was the larger number of younger calves at Omeo.
Once again, competition varied with some buyers not travelling down to the valley for the morning sale.
There were 1906 head sold at Omeo, which saw 1202 steers average $1192, and 704 heifers $964.
A very strong pace was set from the first pen of the afternoon with PC&CG Faithfull selling their first pen for $1640 to equal that of Ensay earlier in the morning. However, their second pen sold for $1710 to top the sale, and this competition set the pace for the balance of the sale.
Mr Tuohey bought both pens for Harmony Farms to be backgrounded, then put on grain for 100 days.
JW&GJ Crisp sold 141 Hereford and Shorthorn-Hereford steers from $1150-$1640.
Not every producer can wean their cattle, which did make a difference at times. Batty & Valentin, sold 70 steers from $1200-$1550 to average $1308. This average price was above their top pen of 2016. This was the case for numerous other vendors. PR&RJ Sandy sold 132 steers from $810 for very young calves, to $1450. Another featured line of steers was the 121 steers of AJ&BJ AhSam, which sold from $1240-$1410.
Working out the live weight price equivalents is always a task, and noted by many as futile. However, there are many capable of estimating weights, but equally as many who make adjustments according to the sale price.
Common estimations suggest very few pens sold below 400 cents per kilogram live weight with quite a number higher than 420c/kg.
This scenario worked similarly for the top runs of Shorthorn-Hereford heifers, and some Herefords sought by local breeders.
The highest price paid for these strawberry roan heifers went to AJ&BJ AhSam, who sold 100 heifers in total, from $920-$1440.
Common estimations suggest very few pens sold below 400 cents per kilogram live weight.
Some other contenders achieved good results for their coloured heifers. JW&GJ Crisp, 20 heifers for $1280, AC&NH Smith, 17 for $1340, and PR&RJ Sandy, 10 head for $1250. WC Flannigan sold 74 Hereford heifers from $750-$1270, the highest price for Herefords.
Numerous consignments of younger heifers sold between $660-$960, which was good money for their weight.