Rain around the region plus the need to lighten off before colder weather hits saw cattle numbers climb at the Central Victoria Livestock Exchange at Miners Rest on Friday.
Associated agents yarded around 4600 cattle highlighted by a good run of grown steers.
The surge in cattle numbers meant there was some re-penning.
Tom Madden, TB White and Sons, said of the 4600 yarded there was an excellent penning of grown steers upwards of 400 kilogams.
He said there was a "really good" run of Angus weaner calves, including a large number of spring drop calves due to the season tightening up and the coming winter.
"They were all beautifully bred Angus calves, just a little bit light on," he said.
He said the heavy grown steers sold to $1660 and ranged from around 270 to 308 cents a kilogram.
The main buyers included the usual support from TFI and Teys. Orders were also forthcoming from the Riverina, Tamworth and South Australia as well as some support from western districts.
Mr Madden said local support was limited due to the state of the season and the coming winter.
"We probably don't want to be taking too many cattle into the winter and that's why we found so many numbers here today," he said.
The top of end of the heifers sold from 260-270c/kg.
"That figure stayed pretty thick right through to the end of the weaner heifers with light calves still making $500 to $600," he said.
Best of the grown steers was a draft from Capstone Park that sold in three lines with 21 Angus steers weighing 561kg selling for $1660, or 295c/kg.
W and S Labbett, penned 18 Angus steers, 552kg, that sold for $1660 or 300c/kg. The same vendor had a pen of 16 steers, 519kg, that sold for $1570 or 302c/kg.
Laurelvale sold a pen of 19 Angus steers, weighing 623kg for $1650 and a second pen of 26, weighing 566kg, for $1550.
Welsh Ag Co sold 17 Angus steers, 490kg, that made 304c/kg or $1470. Their seconds weighed 496kg and sold for $1490, or 300c/kg.
Fifteen Angus steers, 445kg, sold account T Hellawell, sold for $1400 or 314c/kg.
Spavale sold 16 Angus steers, weighing averaging around 530kg for $1590.
A pen of grown Angus steers sold account Nebpak Enterprises weighing 497kg, sold for $1560, or 307c/kg, while DJ Trigg forwarded five Angus steers, 465kg that made $1420, or 308c/kg.
A large draft of Angus steers, 10 months, came forward from CIA Mann with these selling mostly from $740 to $910 (unweighed). The same vendor sold heifers to $785, or 264c/kg, for a pen of 24.
Watgania Pastoral also forwarded a large consignment of steers and heifers.
The steers were 10-12 months, and selling to $770. The heifers portion, aged 8-9 months, also sold to a top of $770.
Among the weaned steers was a consignment from Bungeeltap Pty Ltd with two lines totaling 79 or spring, 2018 drop, steers selling to $750. The balance sold for $690 for 46.
Of the grown heifers, a pen of six Angus sold account A Miller, weighing 568kg, sold for $1480, while L and M Maddison sold eight, weighing 441kg for $1220.
RC and EE Douglas sold 17 Angus heifers, 16 months, weighing 420kg for $1200.
Sixteen Red Angus heifers, second calvers, sold account CJ and SL Rogers, PTIC to Red bulls, and went for $1320.
Of the cows and calves Eilan Donan sold 20 Poll Hereford/Shorthorn cross , mixed age, with 20 calves at foot, two months old, for $980.