The opening pen at the Ensay Mountain Calf sale, held at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange in Bairnsdale, made a hefty $2750 a head on Monday.
The steers weighed in at an average 530kg, equating to 518 cents a kilogram and were offered by the Brownlow family, The Camp, Bairnsdale, bought in January 2025 from the Geehman family of Ensay.
The steers’ buyers included Don Bowman, Elders Korrumburra and Alan Mitchell, Wonthaggi.
The sale went quickly, with Elders agents selling 1664 head in about an hour, making good time to allow the crowd to head up to Omeo for the next sale at 1pm.
The 1128-head steer portion was topped by The Camp steers and averaged $1774, while the 536 heifers averaged $1270 and topped at $2180 for Evan and Dot Newcomen.
The overall yarding average was $1668, with the rain on the roof a timely, exciting reminder that grass could still grow and dams could fill.
The rainy conditions of the past week were described as a ‘dramatic turnaround’ by Benambra local, Jim Pendergast.
“We don’t get many good autumns but this one’s shaping up to be one,” he said.
Mr Pendergast, also the Hinnomunjie yards owner, where Tuesday morning’s sale was held, said there had been about 72mm to Saturday, not including Monday’s rain.
“The move from Ensay to Bairnsdale is good for everyone,” he said.
Watching the first few pens sell from the stairs was Barry Newcomen of Ensay, who also reiterated the venue change was ‘a good move’.
Some of the sales included Evan and Dot Newcomen’s 17 steers that weighed 412kg and sold for $1980; Reece and Wendy Newcome’s pen of 26 steers weighing 356kg at $2010 or 564c/kg; and Tammy and Kevin Woodgate of Buchan’s 322kg steers at $1710/head.
Chris and Janine Cooper, Wulgulmerang, were awarded the Elders best presented pen of the sale, while Warren McCole and Ellisa Nixon, Buchan, were awarded best presented pen of steers from Herefords Australia.
The three Newcomen families, Evan and Di, Barry and Topsy, and Reece and Wendy, sold 583 head between them, or about a third of the entire draft.
Up at Omeo the laneways were a case of bring-your-gumboots on Monday afternoon, with the rain barely relenting over the sale.
The 1324-head yarding’s overall average was $1524, with 895 steers topping at $2110 for RE and CL Foster. The steers averaged $1642.
The top-priced heifers made $1640 for CR and YM Connley, with the total 429 head of heifers averaging $1279.
Geoff and Tracey Rendell sold 11-month-old steers at $1400/head to Scott and Co, with Mr Rendell saying “These things haven’t had a bite to eat since they were born” in reference to how hard the seasons have been.
According to the Gippsland Agricultural Group weather station at Omeo, 24mm fell on Monday, adding to the 65.8mm recorded in February, and bringing the year-to-date total to 115mm.
The subsoil moisture is 100 per cent down to 40cm.
At Bairnsdale’s Gippsland Research Farm, the soil moisture metre only measured 7mm on Monday, adding to 50.2mm in February and bringing the calendar year’s total to 59.2mm.
On Monday night the soil temperature was at 20.7 degrees Celsius, and the highest percentage of soil moisture was at the 30cm mark sitting at 37 per cent.
