Ballarat store cattle provided buying opportunities among an overall equal to easier demand to close out selling for 2017.
Offering a larger in expected penning of 3400, most heavy steer sales found prices poised between $1400- $1700 a head while feeder steer rates averaged 304c/kg as most made $1410-$1530.
Graeme Nicholson, Elders selling rates for the heavier weight steers surprised many among the buyers gallery as better returns were received than equivalent prime market results.
A good number of drafts were penned that exceeded 400kg including a yard of 30 McClelland Ag Angus steers, 453kg that made $1450 while a second pen of the same, 423kg made $1320.
Mr Nicholson said strong inquiry from competing Gippsland interests assisted to buoy the heavy steer market.
Among the better sales a yard of 11 Rosenthall Angus steers, 606kg, made $1700 a head while a pen of 16 Angus steers, 580kg, made $1650 for AL & G Lloyd of Stuart Mill, near St Arnaud.
A double yard of 28 South Boorook Hereford steers, 553kg, appeared good buying at $1450 a head however a second yard of 50, 489kg, collected far better interest further back in the penning when sold at $1410/head.
A pen of 15 NT Ottley Angus steers, 503kg, was also well rewarded among the heavy steers yarding when sold at $1530. Similarly a yard of 32 Parklands Angus steers, 453kg, also drew strong interest at $1450 a head when some pens with lighter weights were offered.
A yard of 25 P Rumler and Sons Angus steers, 415kg, made $1310 when the weights dropped further however a yard of 22 N&J Lillee Angus-Hereford steers appeared good buying at $1230 with a weight of 405kg.
A pen of 17 Warrack Murray Grey, 414kg, also appeared opportunistic when sold $1120.
In the weaner run, Graeme Nicholson said solid demand was offered for the large pens of well-bred and well-presented black steers however opportunities again surfaced among the smaller, mixed drafts and also for cattle coloured other than black.
At the head of the weaner run, GP & JM Bruty, Chepstowe sold 15 Angus steers, 434kg, at $1390 while a yard of 21 Howell & Sons Angus steers, 428kg made $1380.
A good number of drafts were penned that exceeded 400kg including a yard of 30 McClelland Ag Angus steers, 453kg that made $1450 while a second pen of the same, 423kg made $1320.
Mid-weighted black steers, 320-375kg then proceeded to sell from $1150 to $1250 while lighter blacks gathered sales from $950 to $1200.
One of the markets volume sellers was Seriston Pastoral, Avenue Range, SA. Its specially advertised line of Charolais-Shorthorn, weighed to 397kg, made to $1200 while its draft of Angus steers, 357kg, topped at $1200.
Another volume vendor VG & SM Richards, Blampied, sold Angus steers to $1230 (364kg) while the family’s third draft lot, 311kg, sold at $1190 and made $10/head more than its second draft weighed at 337kg.
Sales of heifers also provided buying opportunities, with selected heavy weight dearer while most, especially light weights eased 12-20c/kg or $50-$80 a head.