A good season and plenty of grass translated into buying strength at the Hamilton store cattle sale.
Buyers from the south-west and the western district of Victoria and from south-east South Australia dominated the buyer ranks following a good winter and spring.
There was also support from feedlotters.
Associated agents yarded 2096 cattle, with a strong line-up of black steers in a weight range of 350-500 kilograms selling between 280 and 341 cents a kilogram to average 322c/kg.
The lighter portion of the Angus steers, weighing up to 350kg, sold to a top of 338c/kg to average 312c/kg.
Hereford steers in the 350-500kg range made between 275-315c/kg to average 289c/kg, while steers under 3250kg made to 300c/kg and averaged 280c/kg.
In the heifer ranks, Angus heifers, weighing up to 350kg sold between 220 and 310c/kg to average 286c/kg, while the heifers weighing 350-500kg averaged 263c/kg.
Hereford heifers, 350-500kg, sold in a range between 226-255c/kg.
Tops of the heavy Angus and Black Baldy steers was a pen of 18, 507kg, 18-month-old, Stoney Point-blood, sold by Calcarab, that made 318c/kg or $1613 a head.
Barry and Dianne Kinghorn, Milroy, Byaduk, forwarded a draft of Hereford steers, 18-20-months-old, with the top pen being a line of 21 weighing 404kg, selling for 315c/kg or $1273.
Wannawong forwarded a draft of steers with 19 Angus, 432kg, selling to 320c/kg or $1383.
The same vendor sold six steers, 439kg, that made 297c/kg, and 15, 377kg, that made 308c/kg or $1162.
South Baroolut consigned Poll Hereford steers with the top pen of 23, April/May 2018-drop, 442kg, making 315c/kg or $1349.
LK Earthmovers sold a draft of Black Baldy steers with 10 weighing 396kg making 310c/kg or $1227.
The Hummocks consigned Angus steers, September/October 2018-drop by Weeran bulls with the top line of 48 selling for 341c/kg or a top of $1232 to Landmark Casterton.
The same vendor also sold a pen of 20, 390kg, for 318c/kg or $1240 and a third line of 28 steers, 336kg, sold for 338c/kg or $1136.
The Hummocks also had a line of heifers with the top price on a liveweight basis a pen of 25 that weighed 307kg and sold for 300c/kg or $921.
Another feature draft of the day was forwarded from Dunkeld Pastoral with a repeat buyer operating through Elders Mount Gambier, SA, taking the first six pens in one lot.
Average weights for the draft were between 412 and 424kg, and sold for 330c/kg, of between $1403 and $1465.
A Landmark Casterton account paid 323c/kg for 59 Dunkeld Pastoral steers, 372-376kg.
Baanga's draft of Angus steers included a pen of 21, 409kg, made 318c/kg, as well as two pens of 24 and 25 that sold for 325c/kg.
Orana Park sold Yarram Park-blood Hereford steers, 13-14 months, that sold to 302c/kg, weighing 435kg, for a pen of nine.
The Roanoke Family Trust sold Angus steers with the heavy end weighing 351kg and selling for 280c/kg.
Twenty-nine from the same vendor weighing 307kg, made 317c/kg, while 11 steers, 276kg, made 321c/kg.
Of the heavier heifers, a line of 21 sold by Camilee Trust, weighing 385kg, sold for 278c/kg, or $1071.
A pen of 13 Simmental heifers, 443kg, sold by Willamay for 262c/kg or $1160.
The cow and calf section saw a herd dispersal by Comly Banks.
The offering was Toora West and Weeran-blood, with all lots being purchased by local breeders.
Tops of the cows was a pen of 14 that sold for $2200.
The cow and calf units sold to a top of $1950.