Hinnomunjie Mountain Calf Sale prices ease as Herefords, Angus go under hammer

Agents yarded 1284 cattle on Tuesday for the first of five sales as part of the 83rd Mountain Calf Sales series for 2023.

Close to 7000 cattle are set to go under the hammer across five sales on Tuesday and Wednesday, including two sales at Omeo, and markets at Ensay and Benambra.

Beef prices eased year-on-year by more than $800 a head, with some vendors reporting a $1000 decline in prices compared to their 2022 result.

The sale started with several pens of older cattle, including 30 Angus and Black Baldy steers consigned by Penderscourt, Benambra.

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The three pens of steers, rising two years, weighed 609-552 kilograms and made from $2140 to $1800.

Brian Dyer, Benambra, sold two pens of Hereford steers, 14 months, including a pen of 16 head for $1960 and 17 head for $1730.

Mr Dyer sold 92 mixed-sex cattle, including 20 steers, 10 months, for $1190 and 12 heifers, 14 month, for $1210.

Gus and Sandra Crisp, Omeo, sold 60 mixed-sex Herefords, 10-11 months, including the Herefords Australia best-presented pen of 16 steers which made $1780.

The top-priced genuine weaner pen preceded another pen of 23 Crisp-bred steers which made $1700, while 17 heifers made $1760.

The sale was overseen by Nutrien East Gippsland Livestock/Sharp Fullgrabe, and director Graeme Fullgrabe said the sale was tough going in places.

"This market here today was just as good, if not dearer, than anywhere else in Australia... this correction is Australia-wide," he said.

"Cattle went to the Riverina but only on a punt that it will rain in the autumn and South Gippslanders were stronger on the heavy cattle.

"Heifers were disappointing, but they looked like good buying."

Courtney Ferguson, Benambra/Omeo, sold 199 Angus heifers, seven months, to a top price of $1150 for a pen of 21 heifers.

The draft included 33 heifers for $1150, 27 heifers for $930 and 27 heifers for $900.

Ms Ferguson said the top pen of heifers was $900 lower compared to her 2022 top pen, while the draft was down about $800 a head on average.

Among the prominent buyers was Pat Cleary, Elders Moss Vale, NSW, who bought about 110 Herefords for Willinga Park, Yass, NSW.

The northern operation feeds cattle on grass for one of the major supermarkets.

Albury, NSW, feedlot buyer Graeme Ward was another volume buyer, purchasing 110 heifers for the Ogilvie Group, Naracoorte, SA.

Donald Betts, Benambra, sold 33 Hereford and Hereford/Shorthorn-cross, September 2021-drop, including 11 Herefords, 596kg, for $2050 or 343c/kg.

Mr Betts also sold eight heifers, 461kg, for $1200.

PJ & SM Soutter sold 18 Hereford steers, 10 months, for $1710 and 19 steers for $1610.

A Fitzgerald sold 23 Hereford steers for $1560, while PS & RS Sandy sold 10 Hereford steers for $1750.

Munson and Coleman sold 11 Hereford steers for $1350.

LH & SE Pendergast sold 19 Black Baldy steers for $1010.

RT & RL Gilmore sold nine Angus steers for $1390.

D & F Olson sold 22 Black Baldy steers for $1310.

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