Heifers approached the prices achieved for steers, as Gippsland breeders bid up on a smaller yarding at Leongatha.
Agents yarded 1330 head of cattle to a large crowd, made up mainly of local producers and agents.
Among the first run of heifers was a pen of 11, averaging 308 kilograms, offered by N&G Stollery, Moolabulla, Halston, which sold for $1050 a head or 340 cents a kilogram.
Alex Scott & Staff auctioneer Dane Perczyk said the heifers jumped another gear on the steers.
"The good quality heifers were making just as much, if not better, than what the steers were making," Mr Perczyk said.
"I feel locals were buying them, with the intention of trying to breed down the track with those better heifers."
He said the good competition was to be expected on the quality cattle.
He said the rain was bringing confidence back into the job.
"I do think the job is going to be pretty good for the next few months, but who knows where it's going to end up," he said.
Rohan McCrae, Elders, Leongatha, said there was good breeding in the heifers offered at the sale.
"There was still a bit of feedlot competition laying underneath it, but you would have to say it's the grazier competition holding it up," Mr McCrae said.
"It was a solid sale, from a buying point of view."
He said the market kept stepping up, between $20-40 increments.
"Week by week, it's just lifting that little bit.
"The rain has an impact, it's given our vendors options."
Brian McCormack, Landmark, most of the heifers were going back to grass fatteners.
"There was an odd butcher trying to buy, but couldn't," Mr McCormack said.
"It would be easily $100 higher, and probably out to $150 in places, moreso the good, medium weight trade cattle, between 280-350kg."
Mr McCormack said it appeared Bombala, NSW, producers were having some trouble getting cattle to Leongatha.
Westside Meats was also bidding on cattle.
The Stollerys sold a pen of 11 steers, 394kg, for $1350, or 342c/kg.
J&S Kelly, Korumburra, sold 11 steers, 339kg, for $1180, or 348c/kg.
L Blanko, Morwell, sold a pen of 14 steers, 383kg, for $1160, or 302c/kg.
N Cumberlidge sold nine steers, 252kg, for $920, or 365c/kg.
C Brown, Moe, sold 12 steers, 264kg, for $990, or 375c/kg.
J&G Christison sold a pen of 14 steers, 345kg, for $1300, or 376c/kg.
B&T Dowling offered a run of 12 month-old Angus/Murray Grey-cross weaned steers, by Woodburn blood.
The Dowlings, Mirboo, sold their first pen of 18 steers, 396kg, for $1370, or 345c/kg.
A second pen of 15, 368kg, sold for $1330, or 361c/kg, while a third pen of 21, averaging 310kg, went for $1130, or 364c/kg.
McLeod Partnerships, Yarram, sold a pen of 16 Innisdale-blood steers, 9-10 months-old, for $1320, or 315c/kg.
A second pen of 12, averaging 340kg, sold for $1250, or 320c/kg.
R&N McLaren sold a pen of three steers, 378kg, for $1370, or 362c/kg.
H&G Christison sold a pen of 14 steers, 345kg, for $1300, or 375c/kg.
A second pen of eight, averaging 325kg, sold for $1060, or 326c/kg.
Trandara, Moondarra, sold a pen of 16 Fernleigh-blood steers, 356kg, for $1310, or 367c/kg.
They were among a draft of 39 steers John and Elena Trantino brought to the sale.
Bringing steers from Bombala paid dividends for JC Campbell and Son.
Their pen of 14 composite Hereford-cross steers, 263kg, sold for $1080, or 410c/kg.
ATM Ag, Winnindoo, sold a pen of 15 Pinora and Innesdale-blood steers, 411kg, for $1370, or 333c/kg.
Belgrano, Glen Alvie, sold its annual draft of February/March-drop Yancowinna and Banquet-blood steers, with the first pen of 14, averaging 328kg, going for $1180, or 359c/kg.
N&R Throckmorton, Barry Beach, sold a pen of 11 rising two year-old steers, by a Tibooburra bull, 495kg, for $1450, or 292c/kg.
Among the heifers, J Marshall sold a pen of 5 females, 312kg, for $1070, or 342c/kg.
Robert and Margaret Vernon, Mirboo North, were at the tail end of the sale, but still managed $1020 for a pen of 12 Merlewood-blood heifers, 353kg, or 288c/kg.
A&C Reiske, Boolarra, sold nine Simmental heifers, 380kg, for $990, or 260c/kg.
Christison made $980 for a pen of 15 Angus/Black Baldy heifers, 366kg, or 300c/kg.
ATM Ag made $1100 for a pen of seven heifers, 328kg.