Putting a horrid year behind them, vendors at this year's Mountain Calf Sales have reaped the rewards of the rising cattle market.
Buyers fought over the reduced offering of Hereford and Angus cattle at the four sales at the 80th edition of the iconic sales series.
Numbers this year were depleted as breeders sold cattle earlier to take advantage of an early rise in the market to hedge some of their annual drafts, and in some cases the complete draft.
The competition saw average prices close to double the levels of 12 months ago with most producers reporting prices $400 and $600 a head above last year..
Numerous industry observers and participants could not remember such prices for the yarding as these sales exhibited.
At Hinnomunjie, Tuesday morning, steers averaged $1279 a head and heifers $1094 in a yard average of $1117.
Elders offered 4647 cattle across its three sales with an overall average of $1267.
At the Elders Omeo black cattle sale on Tuesday the yarding of 1911 saw 912 steers average $1338 while 999 heifers averaged $1155.
Tops of the steers was $1640 and heifers $1500.
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After Wednesday's Benambra Elders sale, vendors were reporting that prices were $500 to $600 higher than 2019.
There was a total of 1345 yarded that averaged $1222 with 670 steers averaging $1364 and 668 heifers averaged $1090.
Steers sold to a top of $1660 and heifers to $1450.
Wednesday afternoon a large crowd crammed into the Omeo sale yards for the final Mountain Calf Sale which saw sale averages again climb by nearly double compared to the 2019-sale levels.
This year's total penning of 1391 saw 792 steers average $1443, well above the $777 average recorded in 2019, while 668 heifers averaged $1161 ($645 in 2019).
Heifers at Omeo's Hereford and Hereford/Shorthorn-cross sale topped at $1810, and yearling steers at $1750.
Once again at Benambra, feedlotters and grass finishers competed for cattle with buyers coming from SA, Gippsland, the Western District and as far north as Gunnedah and Tamworth in NSW.
The National Livestock Reporting Service (NLRS) reported that Angus weaner steers, estimated 200 to 280 kilograms, sold for 433-496 cents a kilogram, or between $1020 and $1320.
At the same time, steers 330kg and above made 408-443c/kg to average 426c/kg or $1410 to $1640.
In the heifer penning, NLRS reported Angus heifers, estimated 200 to 280kg, sold for 404-444c/kg or $1050 to $1140 to average $1112.
Those heifers with more weight, 280 to 330kg, sold in a range of 370-385c/kg or $1110 to $1270.
At Hinnomunjie, prices started well and remained on a high throughout the penning of just under 1000 cattle.
Big buying orders were the name of the game as feedlotters and fatteners went up against one another with up to six bidders on many lines.
NLRS reported Hereford weaner steers at Hinnomunjie making 397-460c/kg to average 442c/kg, or $1290 to $1480 to average $1419.
In the heifer section the market was quoted for Herefords as 353-393c/kg to average 372c/kg or $970 to $1080.
Sharp Fullgrabe principal Graeme Fullgrabe said the Hinnomunjie sale had been a great result after a difficult year for vendors.
Mr Fullgrabe said despite the movement of some cattle from the mountains to be sold at Barnawartha and Bairnsdale, the traditional lines of cattle would return to the Mountain Calf Sales next year.
"We will keep the sale going if the vendors want to keep sending their cattle in," he said.
Long-time calf seller Evan Newcomen, Ensay, said while they sold their calves at Bairnsdale six weeks earlier this year "the calves will definitely be back to the Ensay sale next year".
Elders livestock manager David Hill said the Ensay date would definitely return in 2021.
He said the traditional mountain calf sales were "concreted" for next year.
At Bairnsdale's regular store cattle sale a yarding of 1200 cattle sold at marginally lower rates.
At the final of the four sales at Ballarat, prices continued to spiral upwards with lighter steers making to 479c/kg.
