SOLID prices and good quality store cattle were the order of the day at Mount Gambier, SA, combined agents monthly store sale on Friday.
O'Connor and Graney's Ben Jones said the sale was "the dearest I've ever seen".
Following on from the tough season, Mr Jones said many clients had seen a reduction in their breeding herds and would need to make the decision to buy-up to continue on.
"Feedlotters set the rate for heavier cattle and restockers followed," he said.
Miller, Whan & John's Andrew Whan said prices were stronger than expected, which was in line with current meat prices.
"They still look pretty good buying compared with on the current (fat) market," he said.
"The good quality on offer could also have had an impact."
Mr Whan said a feature of the sale was a "rare opportunity'' to secure a line of 314 Angus and Hereford steers and 140 heifers, account Mt Schanck Estates, Mount Schank.
"To get a quality line of cattle like that, it gave people a chance to buy well-bred lines of cattle," he said.
Mount Gambier saleyards business manager Peter Mitchell said the yarding had originally been advertised for 2000, so the total of 2420, including 1420 steers and 954 heifers, was an extra lift and compared with 1900 at the recent July sale, and 1300 in August last year.
Mr Mitchell estimated steers sold as high as 371 cents a kilogram, and said sales since April had consistently featured 300c/kg as a starting figure, with the better cattle making a premium.
Landmark Tonkin George principal Bob Tonkin said the sale had gone "exceedingly well".
"We were a little bit cautious with a drop in the market earlier that week but the sale went well," he said.
"The situation should hold, it will probably come back when numbers settle but it shouldn't come back to what it was."
Mt Schanck Estates sold 66 Angus steers with Te Mania and Rennylea-blood, 357kg, at $1160 a head, with a second run of 34 steers, 317kg, at $1150.
The entire line of steers from Mt Schanck Estates averaged $1069.
A line of 149 steers were also on offer from AP&VJ Riggs, Avenue Range.
Of the lot, 14 Hereford steers, 429kg, sold at $1365 and a pen of 28 Simmental-cross steers, 15-months, 430kg, sold at $1390.
A second pen of 21 Simmental-cross, 399kg, made $1325 and a run of 11 Murray Greys sold at $1315.
The same vendor also sold 14 Angus-cross steers, 425kg, at $1350, with a second pen of 17 Angus, 379kg, at $1260, and 24 Angus, 349kg, at $1172.
DP&JA Kemp, Allendale, sold four Angus steers to $1400 and four Hereford steers, 398kg, at $1260, and sold four Hereford steers, 398kg, at $1260.
Account Glenora sold four Angus steers, 401kg, at $1300.
G Smith&Co sold 11 Hereford steers, 392kg, 11-12 months, Ironbark-blood, at $1280.
K&K Lock, Kalangadoo, sold 15 Angus steers, Lawson-blood, at $1280, and a second pen made $1100.
DP&JA Kemp sold four Angus-Fresian cows with five calves at foot and on their third calf, at $1500, as did a second pen of three Angus-Fresian cows with CAF.
Eldena Farms sold six cows with CAF at $1510.
A pen of 24 Hereford heifers, Allambie-blood, 381kg, account Walteela, sold at $1240.
Account Schulz sold 13 Angus heifers, 422kg, at $1200, and Corinda Downs sold 11 Angus heifers, 372kg, at $1165.
