Kyneton agents all called the same message about their monthly store sale, held last Wednesday.
Offering 720 head, cattle weighing over 300 kilograms liveweight, sold to the best competition, and prices were higher.
However, there was weaker demand for lighter weight cattle.
"These lighter-weight cattle were mostly firm on recent markets," Kieran McGrath, McGrath Rodwells, said.
Kyneton and its surrounding districts remain fairly dry, having missed a lot of the rain that fell to the east of Melbourne.
This Kyneton market was one of two tales.
Stronger competition for steers and heifers for grain feeding, from both processors feeding their own cattle, and those going to feedlots, strengthened the sale.
One processor, buying feeder and slaughter cattle, purchased a large share of the market, purchasing over 200 head.
However, these buyers proffered cattle with weight.
If the cattle had weight and condition, there was some processor competition for slaughter cattle.
When weight and condition did not suit for grain feeding, it was left to producers, and with dry pastures still prevalent, competition was lacking, and prices were generally unchanged on the previous sale.
"We had some heifers purchased to return to the paddock, although the better-weighted heifers went mostly for grain feeding," John Robson, Landmark Dwyer, said
MC Donovan sold 12 Angus heifers, 312kg, for $790, and Notman & Parks sold 10 Angus and Angus/Hereford-cross heifers for $780, both lots purchased by producers.
Yearling steers generally sold at firm to dearer price trends.
The top of the sale was Angus/Hereford steers of K Notman, which sold for $1370.
Steers weighing over 360kg sold between $1020-$1180, with most equaling 262-290c/kg lwt.
P Hanson sold eight Angus/Hereford steers for $1180, and Mid Hill Vineyard sold four Angus steers for $1140.
The top-priced heifers was four Charolais at $1020.
