With drought heavily affecting local producers, supply was down at Landmark and Rodwells' annual autumn calf sales on Friday.
Landmark yarded 682 head and Rodwells offered 487; the ratio of steers to heifers was about 65 per cent.
Some cattle at the Landmark sale were in excellent condition, but most of the cattle sold at both sales, reflected the tough conditions of the district.
Some of the usual buyers were not in attendance, which left South Gippsland buyers as the dominate purchasers.
Demand remained quite good, although some of the plain condition, and lighter weights sold accordingly.
Top of the Landmark sale was 12 Angus bullocks, 580 kilograms liveweight, offered by O Turner, that made $1400 a head.
Yearling steers sold to strong competition.
G Feely sold 29 Angus steers, 427-478kg, to a repeat buyer, from $1180-$1380, with the top pen equaling 288 cents a kilogram.
The pick of the sale was 49 Angus steers, offered by G&J Stuckey, Leawood Angus stud, Flynn.
At 334-416kg, these sold between $1050-$1280, all making over 300c/kg and up to 314c/kg, and sold to the one producer.
Chesterfield Pty Ltd sold yearling Angus steers, 464kg, in plainer condition; these 40 steers made from $900-$1280.
A pen of yearling Hereford steers of G Godfrey sold well, making $1230 for 460kg.
Most of the younger steers sold from $560-$750, with most selling at good prices for their weight and condition.
G&L King sold 20 Angus steers, the heaviest being 371kg, and they sold between $660-$950.
With the season being so poor, an example of the plain condition steers were 16 younger Angus calves of M&M Lee, that sold for $560.
However, estimated at 200kg, they would equal 280c/kg, which was a good sale for this weight and condition.
The 10 yearling Angus heifers, 16-18 months, of GA Feely, sold for $930, and 16 Angus heifers from Pinora Angus stud, sold to $920.
Most of the heifers were younger, lighter and in plainer condition, with most of them selling between $330-$790; all were in a price range of 190-230c/kg.
The Rodwells sale, held at their Seaton yards, sold to a similar pattern.
The same buyers attended, but most of these cattle were in plain condition.
J&J Embling sold 15 Angus bullocks, from $1550-$1670, and were purchased by a repeat buyer.
Most of the other steers were younger, 4-12 months, and these sold mostly between $430-$810.
MG Hourigan sold 30 Angus/Hereford steers from $770-$900, which created the top price for weaned steers.
D&M Blake and Partners sold 18 yearling Hereford steers for $810.
Most of the younger steers were in singular, or two-pen lots, and none had been weighed, due the lack of scales.
For some pens, this could have been an advantage, as the estimated liveweight prices varied from 230-275c/kg over the sale.
Bob Williamson sold 25 young Angus steers from $430-$520.
"We have done well today, and all of the vendors were happy that their cattle were sold, and they don't have to feed them anymore," Graeme McGillivray, Rodwells, said.
"No grass, no water, is the common denominator in all of this, as the district has had less than half of its annual rainfall, and virtually none for this year so far."
The heifer sales reflected the tough times more than anything else.
KD Stothers sold four Charolais/Angus heifers in prime condition, which topped the heifer sale at $700.
Most heifers sold between $430-$600, and estimated to equal 170-220c/kg.