Biggest gallery at Yea since the weaner sales

Restockers and feedlotters competed on local and southern Riverina cattle.

The entire run of 259 Moroco West, Deniliquin, NSW Te Mania blood steers, being sold early due to seasonal conditions, fetched up to 450cents/kilogram.

Jamie Quinlan, Elders, said 36 Moroco West steers, 266kg, sold for $1060, or 398c/kg, a second pen of 28, 233kg, went for $1030, or 442c/kg, and another draft of 58, 211kg, fetched $950, or 450c/kg.

About 100 of the steers went to a Hamilton agent, while the rest stayed locally.

'They were very well-bred little cattle, Te Mania blood, and EU and Greenhams accredited," Mr Quinlan said.

Cattle went to a diverse spread of buyers.

'We bought a few, to stay locally," he said.

"The condition of the stock was a credit to the vendors, there were a lot of good cattle, with a lot of weight, showing signs of a pretty good local season."

Tyson Bush, Rodwells, said confidence was the order of the day, with buyers from all over southern Victoria and the western districts competing on all lines.

"The cattle were in terrific order, they all had a bit of fat cover and quality about them, so that was quite helpful," Mr Bush said.

"All the right people were there, from the western district and south Gippsland."

He said there would have been up to four feedlots operating and they were joined at the rail by processors.

"Heavy steers sold between 300-350c/kg, and that's where they were all day, consistently."

"You needed 300c/kg or better to buy heifers."

Cows and calves topped at between $2300-$2400.

"The sale was well above expectations," Mr Bush said.

"I think a lot of restockers have sold bullocks for more than $2000 a head and have the confidence to come back in."

Chris Pollard, Landmark, said most steers sold up to 330cents/kilogram or better.

Landmark's first pen of Ancona Park Angus steers, 535kg, sold for $1730, or 323c/kg.

"It was very, very good, the whole way through - the cows and calves were extremely strong and, in places, the heifers made more than 300c/kg."

He agreed the market strength came from Gippsland and western district buyers, backed by primary producers from the north-east

"It was probably the biggest crowd we have seen since the January weaner sales," Mr Pollard said.

"The numbers up north have dried up, and we saw the store market improve before it rained.

"The rain has given it a bit more momentum."

Buyers could no longer source cattle in the north.

"There have been some big numbers come out of the north, down this way," he said.

Anthony Corkhill, Acheron, sold one 570kg Angus steer, for $1680, or 294c/kg.

Ballandry, Strath Creek, sold its firsts, 20 Reiland blood, July-August 2018 drop steers, 450kg, for $1560, or 346c/kg.

The second pen, 17 steers, also 450kg, sold for $1490, or 331c/kg.

The stock went to Korumburra.

Balaclava Station, Murrindindi, sold 2 pens of 20 Lawson and Kelly blood Angus steers, 13-14 months old, 400kg, for $1470, or 367c/kg.

The steers went to a property in Yarra Glen.

Palmateer Pastoral, Broadford, sold 25 Angus August-September drop, Connamara and Kilcoolin blood steers, 370kg, for $1260, or 340c/kg.

GW and ME Oliver sold 17 Angus weaner steers, 318kg, for $1150, or 361c/kg.

Bungle Boori sold 19 Angus steers, Connamara blood, 309kg, for $1110, or 359c/kg.

RIvernook, Yea, sold 12 yearling Poll Hereford heifers, 402kg, for $1360 or 338c/kg

Old Murray Pastoral, Bagshot, sold a pen of 32 Angus heifers, 12-14 months old, 340kg, for $1000, or 294c/kg.

Maybrook Pastoral, Woodfield, sold 10 Charolais heifers, 398kg, for $1270, or 319c/kg.

TJ and LA Newton sold 11 Hereford heifers, 454kg, for $1220, or 268c/kg.

Of the cows and calves, Affleck Agriculture, Coreen sold 19x19 Angus cows with 2-4 week old calves at foot, by a Scott's bull, for $2075.

A second pen of 20x20 sold for $1875.

Mr Quinlan said another feature run was Angus cows from The Grange, Yea.

The property sold 600kg second and third calving cows, PTIC to a Paringa bull, and due to calve around Christmas, for $2200.

Anthony Corkhill sold 6x6 Angus heifers and calves for $2100.