McCoy's rebuild made easier with strong prices and a good season

Mr McCoy, known more commonly as PJ, lost his complete 600-hectare property during last January's bushfires.

But surprisingly the fourth-generation breeder, who farms with his sister Cathy, remains relatively upbeat.

"The amount of donated hay we received after the fire was unbelievable and people's generosity was incredible," he said.

"After the year we've had, if you asked me to put a pen of mates together I'd top the sale every year."

The McCoys will offer 140 April, May and June-drop mixed-sex Hereford calves at Omeo on March 3 from their property, Delville-wood.

The McCoys' property is located about 40 kilometres north-west of Omeo near Anglers Rest.

Last year they were unable to offer steer calves at the Mountain Calf Sales following the fires, and their heifer draft was well down on previous years.

"We went from feed one day to nothing on the ground the next so we sold our steers basically straight after the fires to a good bloke at Colac," he said.

Unlike the 2003 fires, which also burnt the entirety of his property, Mr McCoy said on-the-ground support following last summer's fires had made the journey more bearable.

"You couldn't compare these fires to 2003 because after the fires you were on your own, but last summer we had help from everyone and that has continued for the last 12 months," he said.

A mild winter, decent spring and a wet summer have also played part in farmers' optimism throughout the region.

"We had an inch a week in October and that really set us up heading into the warmer months," Mr McCoy said.

"We also had our best ever hay season last year.

"We cut 600 rolls and that has been our silver lining."

While the boundary fence has been repaired, internal fencing and weed management are among the big jobs ahead for the brother-sister duo.

"At the moment the weeds have come with the summer rain we've had so we have been flat out spraying," Mr McCoy said.

"But we had the mildest winter I can remember and the stock came out of the winter fat so I'd take a season like that any year."

In the week leading up to the Mountain Calf Sales, the McCoys received between 35-50 millimetres within 90 minutes.

"It can only be good really, it's put water in some dams and created a bit of work for us," Mr McCoy said.

"It washed a lot of gullies out and in our major gullies fences were taken out so it's one thing after another but that's the industry we're in."

Mr McCoy expects the heavier end of his steer portion to weigh around 400 kilograms, with return and prospective clients understood to be interested in the draft.

The draft will include about 90 steers from predominantly Newcomen bloodlines.

Genetics are also sourced from Mawarra, as well as some new genetics from the Hereford Wodonga Show & Sale, including Beggan Hill.

"Our cattle are starting to go to return buyers and the demand by them has certainly lifted in the last few years," he said.

"Some of our heifers last year stayed locally in the Omeo area and of course I didn't have any steers but previously steers have gone to Myrtleford and the western district."

Omeo's traditional Hereford and Hereford/Shorthorn-cross sale will conclude two jam-packed days of high country sales on March 3.

About 1600 calves will be offered at the second Omeo market including 1100 steers and 500 heifers.

Elders Omeo livestock agent David Hill said all the cattle were grass-fed and a majority were in the Greenham Never Ever Beef Program.

The program was established nine years ago to source and certify premium quality natural grass-fed beef from producers across southern Australia.

Like the other Mountain Calf Sales at Benambra, Hinnomunjie and Ensay, Mr Hill said producers had used the program as a marketing tool to target alternative clientele.

"We have a lot of guys locally and out in South Gippsland that supply to the program so I think it's been very successful in promoting the grass-fed beef brand in this district," he said.

"Today a lot of the high country relies heavily on the beef commodity because certainly the sheep numbers have been reduced for a variety of reasons and they are not what they were like 10 years ago.

"So everything we can do to promote beef, particularly cattle off the mountains, really helps."

The sale, which is commonly known as the Omeo roans, will feature a significant volume of European Union-accredited and yard-weaned cattle.

Feature lines to be offered next week include AJ & BJ Ah Sam, Omeo, who will offer 220 Hereford/Shorthorn-cross mixed-sex calves, along with P & C Faithfull, Omeo, who will offer the same number of mixed-sex Hereford calves.

S & S Lawlor, Omeo, will also offer 220 Hereford mixed-sex cattle.

Mr Hill said a majority of breeders were confident ahead of next week's sale following several harsh years.

"We've had three years of failed springs and drought and then last year we had the bushfires," he said.

"Producers are in a much better position heading into autumn so I think people generally speaking are quietly confident with how the cattle market is performing."