Prices eased at the Yea monthly store sale, with feedlots active on heavier steers and heifers.
Agents yarded 2618 head of steers, heifers, cows and cows and calves.
Tyson Bush, Rodwells, Yea, said the tightening seasonal conditions had an impact on the sale.
"Have a look at those paddocks and see how much grass isn't there," Mr Bush said.
"I would call it tough enough, but it still worked out alright.
"The heavier steers were 260-280 cents a kilogram, the weaner cattle made between 290-320c/kg.
"Everyone is dry and you can't rely on the north."
Garrison, Swan Hill, and Bunnaloo Feedlot, Womboota, NSW, were active early on the heavier lines of cattle.
"The seconds made more than the tops," Mr Bush said.
"People want weight but they don't want them too heavy, that first run of heifers were just that bit over the weight.
"The feeders are not going for them.
"If you work them out at cents a kilogram, for dollars a head, they work out too dear for restockers, people have their mark and margin."
But Mr Bush said some lighter heifers sold for 300c/kg.
"It was very hit and miss, very spasmodic," he said.
"I think it was tough, but the cattle sold okay on the day."
Jamie Quinlan, Elders, said the cattle that made higher prices at the last sale were exceptionally well bred Te Mania stock, out of the southern Riverina.
"There were certainly no cattle of that quality at this sale," Mr Quinlan said.
"Prices have come back a fraction due to seasonal conditions.
"But, all in all, I think the day went pretty well."
He said local agents, out to Alexandra and Kilmore, were strong on good cattle.
"The secondary cattle, particularly Charolais, were the ones that copped it the most, especially those with colour," he said.
"Little, light Angus cattle, 250-300kg, were still selling well, they were making into the 345c/kg and 348c/kg, that is big money for those cattle."
Most heavier steers made around 300c/kg, while lighter lines made up to 344c/kg.
Local agents bid up on lighter cattle, with some heifers also going to Gippsland, through SEJ.
G&E Fern, Deliba, Highlands, sold 25 Connamara-blood steers, 287kg, for $990, or 344c/kg.
Bungle Boori sold eight Connamara-blood steers, 375kg, for $1190, or 317kg, to a Shepparton buyer.
Mulwa Park, Kilmore, sold a pen of seven Pert Angus steers, 286kg, for $870, or 304c/kg.
They went to a Gippsland buyer.
R Greene, Newham, sold 14 Angus steers, 535kg, for $1500, or 280c/kg.
Balvenie, Benalla, sold 23 Hereford steers, 425kg, for $1190, or 280c/kg, to Elders Deniliquin, NSW.
Angus Industries sold 17 Hereford steers, 414kg, for $1120, or 270c/kg. while a second pen of 13 steers, 376kg, sold for $1080, or 265c/kg or 287c/kg..
T&F O'Connor, Mangalore, sold 13 steers, 502kg, for $1400, or 278c/kg.
Glenlinden sold 10 Tarcombe-blood steers, 451kg, for $1300, or 288c/kg.
The steers went to Garrison.
H McKernan sold a pen of 13 steers, 542kg, for $1530, or 282c/kg.
P Dunn, Bluebell, sold a pen of 10 Poll Hereford steers, 499kg, for $1320, or 268c/kg, to Elders Deniliquin.
T Jacobs, Murrindindi, sold 15 Te Mania-blood steers, 454kg, for $1360, or 299c/kg; they also went to Elders Deniliquin.
A second pen of 18 steers, 420kg, sold for $1340, or 309c/kg, while Jacob's third pen of 15 steers, 437kg, sold for $1340, or 319c/kg, to Rodwells, Yea.
Black on Green, Maindample, sold 16 Riga and Anvil Angus-blood steers, 438kg, for $1350, or 308c/kg.
NM Hearn, Homewood, sold a pen of 15 Anvil Angus-blood Black Baldys for $1340, or 322c/kg; they went to Rodwells Alexandra.
Crickstown sold a pen of eight steers, 389kg, for $1180, or 303c/kg.
T Izatt sold 15 steers, 277kg, for $900, or 324c/kg.
A run of unweighted Larkfield, Glenburn, steers sod from $520 to $290 a head.
Barkly Pastoral's nine unweighed steers went for $790, while Hayhill, Yea, received $760 for a pen of 10 Simmental-cross steers.
H McKernan sold seven Tarcombe-blood heifers, 498kg, for $1150, or 230c/kg.
JS and BA Adams sold five Poll Hereford heifers for $1010, or 214c/kg, to Garrison.
Wise Pastoral , Kanumbra, started its run of heifers off with the sale of 26 Dunoon and Anvil-blood females, 436kg, for $1175, or 269c/kg.
A second pen of 25 heifers, 421kg, sold for $1140, or 270c/kg, while the third pen of 19, averaging 412kg, sold for $1105, or 268c/kg.
All the pens went to Elders Pakenham.
Morago sold a pen of 17 heifers, 398kg, for $950, or 244c/kg.
Bungil Boori's 24 heifers, 378kg, sold for $1110, or 293c/kg, while a second pen of 24 females, 371kg, also sold for the same price a head, or 299c/kg.
R&K Elliott, Thornton, sold a pen of 18 Rosedale and Violet Hills-blood, Charolais-cross heifers, 332kg, for $865, or 260c/kg.
GW and ME Oliver sold a pen of 20 Paringa and Shrublands-blood heifers, 306kg, for $920, or 300c/kg.
Scanlon Angus sold a pen of 15 heifers, 317kg, for $800, or 252c/kg.
Cows and calves sold to $2025.
