"We're recommending that people who can hang on to hold their cattle through winter because, based on today's market, the August sale looks like it will be dearer still," Bill Wyndham & Co agent Jake Fullgrabe said.
Mr Fullgrabe said buyers from all parts of Gippsland flocked to the small yarding of 350 cattle seeking to "tuck away a few head" but some went home empty handed as demand outstripped supply.
"They've just had more rain in South Gippsland, so they're pretty much assured of a spring now and there's plenty of feed about," Mr Fullgrabe said.
The result was a firmer market right across the different classes of cattle.
"Anything well bred weighing 250-300 kilogram got prices of $3.30 to $3.40 a kilogram," Mr Fullgrabe said.
"Landmark had a run of 80-130kg calves aged three to four months old that sold well.
"The pens with a bit of weight, 350-plus kilos, sold very well and ranged from $2.90 to $3.30 a kilo."
There were only a couple of pens of cows with calves at foot.
Mature Hereford cows with black baldy calves at foot made $1400 a head.
Pregnancy-tested in-calf Murray Grey springers to Murray Grey bulls sold for $1240.
Lighter weight cattle still dominated the pens and Mr Fullgrabe said even those who had invested in "horrendously expensive" fodder found their cattle were 40 to 50kg lighter than they would have been three years ago.
Even so, Mr Fullgrabe was optimistic about the prospects for beef producers.
"We're getting back to the days where farmers will be able to make good money," he said.
"I'd say we will see 3000 to 4000 cattle yarded in the week of the spring sales in August."
SALE HIGHLIGHTS
Six black baldy steers from Tim Beveridge weighing 471kg sold for $1410 or 299 cents a kilogram.
Twenty-six Angus steers from BM & DE Less weighing 220kg made $660 or 300c/kg.
Eight Grassvale steers weighing 357kg reached $1000 or 280c/kg.
Nine 306kg Red Angus steers from TJ & TF Humphries made $950 or 310c/kg.
A 635kg Hereford cross bullock from PW & CM Humphries sold for $1080 or 292c/kg.
Six 230kg Hereford steers returned $740 or 320c/kg for the Sandy Family Trust.
Eight 504kg two-year-old black baldy steers made $1400 or 277c/kg for the Bimbimbie Partnership.
Nine 10-month-old Angus steers from R Coates weighing 316kg fetched $970 or 306c/kg.
Four 14-month-old Limousin heifers weighing 377kg from Grassvale made $1150 or 305c/kg.
R Reynolds' Belgium Blue x Limousin heifers weighing 306kg made $880 while their 263kg sisters sold for $730.