The industry buzz over Beef Week this year begins on January 29 in the west of the state with more than 150 studs open to the public over eight days.
Day six of the event is when East Gippsland studs will open the gates, Monday, February 3.
One person involved in the event for the first time is new Ensay resident, Raelee Jager, who last year was appointed stud manager at Newcomen Herefords.
The 25-year-old moved across to Ensay from Euroa in September and it turned out a timely move for stud principal, Barry Newcomen, who suffered a dreadful cattleyard accident in October.
The 86-year-old Ensay cattleman counts his lucky stars he wasn’t killed when he was hit by a gate and trodden on as the innocent bystander to a hierarchy battle of some bulls he’d brought in for routine treatments.
A bull trying to get away from two other bulls rammed him, broke the chain and collected Barry on the other side.
Barry’s daughter Rowena said the list of injuries was long.
“He was knocked out and the bull trod on his leg, tearing most of the flesh from the bone on the lower part of his left leg that required three surgeries including a skin graft,” she said.
“His right hip was so badly bruised his whole leg turned deep purple, he had skin off both arms and hands and a stomach injury but, luckily, no broken bones.”
She said it was four weeks before he could walk a few steps from his hospital bed, and he battled several rounds of infection, then a blood clot which put him back in hospital for an additional week.
“But 2025 has started well, the injury site has healed nicely, and while the skin graft donor site on his thigh is proving a slower process, it is all heading in the right direction.
“He walks with a slight limp and still has lingering effects of the severe concussion but none of his enthusiasm for farming has waned,” she said.
Barry and Raelee recently washed and prepared the stud’s sale bulls in preparation for photographing them to go in the catalogue for the annual on-property sale, which will take place on March 12.
Fortunately, the year has started well for the farm.
Rain has been timely, and Barry is enthused by the confidence it has given the beef industry in general.
“The calf sales have opened stronger and many are experiencing an optimistic view about the year’s cattle prices,” Barry said.
“Good rains up north have helped, a thorough autumn rain for western Victoria and South Australia will make big improvements to the market for 2025 in Victoria.
“At this year’s sale we are offering 50 bulls, polled and horned, and they do look well, reflecting our many top quality bull purchases over our stud’s lifetime.
“Last autumn we purchased four good sires.
“Two of them – Wirruna Smokin’ Joe and Yavenvale Tayler Made are super sires.
“A half share in Yavenvale Top Notch added to the poll purchases and a very good Yarram Park bull purchase, Yarram Emperor T151 was used by AI as he was lame at joining.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the progeny of all these new sires in years to come.
“This year, our principal poll sires are Quamby Plains Quartpot, Allendale Jet, Yavenvale Ripper, Kerston Pines Nardoo, Centennial Gamble and Banemore McLaren. The main horned sires are Newcomen Nebraska, Yarram Park Mojo (Quartpot), Yarram Park Storm and Yarram Park Raffle. All these bulls have done well for us for several years.
“I know I’m lucky to be here after my accident so I’m really going to appreciate being part of Beef Week, the Ensay Calf Sales and my 22nd bull sale this year.
“It’s a great industry with a lot of great people and one should never take that for granted.”
