Restockers buy big at Bairnsdale

Prices held firm across most lines of cattle, agents said, while feedlot activity was minimal as 1400 cattle were presented for sale.

Grown steers made 300 cents a kilogram on average, while weaner steers fetched slightly higher prices.

Heifers maintained their value, gaining up to $50 a head more compared to a fortnight ago.

Bill Wyndham & Co livestock manager Colin Jones said the cattle presented well considering the dry seasonal conditions.

"Especially after yesterday, I know it doesn't make a big difference to cattle in one day but a lot of people got very nervous with the way the northerly winds were and a few fires later in the day," he said.

"The market opened up a bit easier but as it went on, it was nearly equal to a fortnight ago, but then some of the heifers were $50 to $80 dearer."

Local competition for cattle was scarce as buyers and agents from South Gippsland travelled to Bairnsdale to get their hands on good lines of cattle.

"It's good to see these cattle bought as breeders' cattle, they've been bought to run on rather than to fatten which is good to see rather than all these females have their heads taken off," Mr Jones said.

"Some of these females will stay in the system and be used as future breeders and that's a good thing."

Elders Bairnsdale livestock manager Morgan Davies said secondary cattle were hard to offload, a theme consistent with previous sales.

"We had an exceptional sale a fortnight ago and with a 42-degree day and 100-kilometre winds yesterday, that stemmed the flow of confidence for a while," Mr Davies said.

"In terms of seasonal conditions, you couldn't get much worse now - it's pretty bloody dry - some places in the hills are okay but after a day like yesterday, everyone did it pretty tough."

Sharp Fullgrabe auctioneer Mick O'Callaghan said he thought the sale was dearer on a fortnight ago.

"We've always had sellable cattle and despite the dry conditions we still present them in a very good quality," he said.

"The general run of steers made $3 and if there was a quality of pen that came up, they made 330c/kg or 340c/kg but they were generally around the $3 mark."

He described East Gippsland's season as "grim".

"We're just coming into summer but it feels like we've already had it so we'll just keep battling away and hopefully we'll strike something in autumn," he said.

Bundaleer, Mount Taylor, sold 25 steers, 347 kilograms, for $1060 or 305c/kg.

Stanbury Pastoral sold a pen of 12 Hereford steers, 386kg, for $1120 or 290c/kg.

NI and DL Reid, Swifts Creek, sold six steers, 396kg, for $1210 or 305c/kg.

H and S Regan, Walpa, sold 14 steers, 469kg, for $1410 or 300c/kg.

N Ross sold four steers, 555kg, for $1580 or 284c/kg.

N Cox sold four steers for $870.

G Thomas sold 11 steers for $920.

J Woods sold 19 seers for $860.

The first three pens of 55 heifers, owned by Wangarabell Station, sold for $1000.

Morseford Downs sold 11 heifers, 354kg, for $930 or 262c/kg.

CD and JA Cooper sold 12 Hereford heifers, 395kg, for $1030 or 260c/kg.

CC and MP Wheeler sold eight heifers, 306kg, for $690 or 225c/kg.

C Hine sold eight heifers for $770.