A smaller than traditional yarding of Herefords at Benambra came under intense competition from a full field of buyers on Wednesday.
The intensity of competition saw prices follow the trend of recent days registering increases of $400-$600 a head - more in places - on the 2019 sale.
The sale followed the pattern of sales at Hinnomunjie and Omeo the day before with the field of buyers competing strongly but many not throughout, with buyers picking and adjusting their requirements as the sale progressed - dictated by the cattle and price levels.
The main run of steers sold mainly between $1300 and $1520 a head while the secondary drafts made $1100 to $1230.
In the heifer penning the lead pens sold mainly from $1100 to $1450 with almost all heifers in the yarding making above $1000.
Elders livestock manager David Hill, Omeo, said it was a great result for the yarding of 1000 steers and 700 heifers.
He said it was pleasing that heifers sold so well, with many going back to the paddock.
Once again feedlotters clashed with grass finishers also competing strongly and repeat buyers were also prominent.
Buyers came from across Gippsland as well as the north-east of Victoria and the western district.
Loads of cattle were also bought for destinations in the Riverina and Gunnedah areas of NSW as well as the south-east of SA.
The majority of the sale was held in light drizzle, but there were few complaints from buyers or vendors.
The first pen was a line of 17 steers, 18 months, sold account WA Prendergast & Sons, which sold for $1680.
A pen of younger and lighter steers same vendor sold for $1450 for 17. The heifer portion sold to $1420 for a pen of 17.
The next best was a line of steers sold account KW & JA Pendergast that was also the Herefords Australia Champion Hereford Pen.
It comprised 20 steers that sold for $1590. The same vendor followed up with a pen of 25 that sold for $1560.
The heifer portion of the same vendors topped at $1450 for 15 and a second pen of 12 made $1160.
Richard and Anne Faithfull, Benambra, consigned mixed sex calves with the steer portion topping at $1580 for a line of 32.
A line of 42 from the same vendor made $1450.
The lead pen of 10 steers account RK & SK Cornall sold for $1570.
Another pen account the same sold for $1520 for 12 while a third pen of 19 sold for $1450 and a fourth pen at $1440.
The first of Ray & Max Pendergast's calves was a pen of 14 that sold for $1520. Next best was a pen of 10 that made $1410. The heifers from this vendor sold to a top of $1230.
WJC Pendergast had a line of 15 steers that sold for $1520 while 14 heifers topped at $1290.
A pen of 17 sold account AG & SM Pendergast sold for $1540, while their seconds sold for $1480 for a pen of 21. A third pen sold for $1390 for 17.
Long-time vendors at the Benambra sale the Cook family's Beloka Pastoral's first pen of 21 sold for $1450, while a pen of 23 made $1400.
A pen of Charolais-cross steers sold account BJ & JR Carroll sold for $1470. Their heifers topped at $1360.
More Charolais-cross came forward from LH & SE Pendergast with a pen of 12 making $1160.
The heifer portion of this draft sold to $$1300 for eight.
A big draft of cattle came forward from L & D Marshall, with the lead pen of 21 selling for $1270 while a second pen of 21 made $1180. A third pen of 16 sold for $1070.
Twenty-one steers by BK Sievers sold for $1300 and the following pen of 12 made $1270.
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