Landmark International, Midfield Meats, Taylor Livestock and butchers put a floor in a small yarding at Kyneton's last store sale for the year.
Agents yarded 640 head of cattle, with several drafts of weaners brought forward from next year's January sale, due to tightening conditions.
Dean Coxon, Elders, said it was a "tough day at the office", reflecting the trend of other store market sales around Victoria.
"It was cheaper than the sale in November, but it's been pretty dry in that fortnight and the fat markets have come back," Mr Coxon said.
"The sale wasn't a disaster, we didn't give them away, but it was tougher than it has been.
"The 300-350-kilogram steers would have realised 275-300 cents a kilogram, the steers under 350kg would have made from 290-345c/kg."
Heifers made between 240-270c/kg.
"I think that's on par with other market trends," Mr Coxon said.
The cheaper prices might have been due to feedlots being full, before Christmas.
John Robson, Landmark, said about half the yarding went for an international order, to Russia, to the Taylor's feedlot and Midfield.
"The commission buyers weren't there and they are the ones you need," Mr Robson said.
"I thought the job was pretty good, but the heavier cattle didn't go so well.
"I don't think we had anyone there who could handle those heavier cattle, except for Midfield and Highland Meats."
Read more: Kyneton firmer on quality yarding
Mike Abramowski, The Active Corporation, brought forward his weaners, after the season around Redesdale tightened.
Maylands, Tylden, also offered 80 Banquet-blood calves.
"It's purely seasonal, the country north of Kyneton has gone off, the country around Kyneton is going off, very quickly," Mr Robson said.
McGrath Rodwells auctioneer Kieran McGrath told the small buying gallery the Active steers and heifers were being offered, as "it's a bit drier going in that part of the world".
The first pen of eight Active Adameluca-blood steers, 396kg, made $1100, or 277c/kg.
A second pen of 13 steers, 344kg, sold for $1060, or 308c/kg, while a pen of 15 Webb-blood animals, 349kg, sold for $1050, or 300c/kg.
Mr McGrath said he was disappointed with the prices for the heavier weaners.
"I thought they were a little bit cheaper, and similar to what happened at Euroa," he said.
Read more: Export order puts a floor in Euroa
"The export order for cattle under 320kg was certainly very evident, those cattle sold, very well, for what they were."
Mr McGrath said producers who brought lines of weaners forward were weighing up whether to feed the calves or keep hay and silage for breeding cows.
"Midfield was very active on the heavier weaners while the heifer job was solid, without being spectacular," he said.
Cattle also went back to local restockers.
"If people can afford to pay for the cattle, they will be rewarded down the track," he said.
Mark Kohne, Kyneton, sold four Angus steers, 641kg, for $1470, or 229c/kg.
Mavis Crump sold three Adameluca-blood steers, 473kg, for $1200, or 253c/kg.
A second pen of 11 Adameluca-blood steers, 383kg, sold for $1090, or 284c.kg.
Tim Reid sold a pen of nine Angus steers, 442kg, for $1200, or 271c/kg.
Mark Sciberras sold seven Adameluca-blood steers, 406kg, for $1100, or 270c/kg.
A second pen of nine steers, 346kg, sold for $960, or 277c/kg.
Maylands' first pen of 10 Banquet-blood steers, 348kg, sold for $990, or 285c/kg.
A second pen of 22 steers, 312kg, sold to Elders Kyneton, for $1070, or 342c/kg.
Another pen of lighter Maylands steers, 276kg, sold for $940, or 340c/kg.
Garzish sold four steers, 366kg, for $1040, or 284c/kg.
Landmark International bought a pen of nine Adameluca-blood steers, 322kg, offered by Colin and Sue Young, for $1010, or 313c/kg.
Lighter, unweighed steers, sold up to $940, for a pen of five Macedon Views calves.
Among the heifers, Mavis Crump sold a pen of 10, Adameluca-blood spring-drops, 360kg, for $990, or 275c/kg.
RW Rothacker sold a pen of 16 Te Mania-blood heifers, 342kg, for $830, or 242c/kg.
The first pen of 14 Active Corporation heifers, 341kg, sold for $900, or 263c/kg.
Roseberry Hill sold a pen of six heifers, 334kg, for $800, or 239c/kg.
Garzish sold a pen of eight heifers, 311kg, for $810, or 260c/kg.
