A large portion of cattle sold at Pakenham on Thursday were destined for northern Victoria and NSW with buyers crossing the border amid what some described as a store cattle shortage.
Demand across most lines of cattle was reportedly firm to dearer during the fortnightly store sale as agents yarded 2250 at the Victorian Livestock Exchange.
Light steers and heifers sold to strong demand while agents reported prices easing on heavy steers more than 500 kilograms.
The drop in demand was due to the absence of regular volume buyer JBS, with a 10-15 cent a kilogram reduction on that line of cattle.
For the first time in four years, Albury-based commission buyer Duncan Brown visited the Pakenham saleyards, filling three B double loads of steers and heifers destined for southern NSW.
He bought about 400 cattle at the sale with orders for well-bred lines of heifers headed to the Riverina and steers for Coonamble, NSW.
"There is a shortage of store cattle and you come through Albury and Wagga Wagga and the numbers are drying up," Mr Brown said.
"When the little weaners out of Cooma to Wagga dry up, I don't know where we will buy lower money cattle from. Even in Victoria because the season too good."
Wangaratta-based Corcoran Park director Justin Keane was also active during the sale in search for feeder-weight steers.
He said with the season "starting to shape up" there was a strong demand for cattle in the north-east and southern NSW.
Agents said light steers under 250 kilograms made up to 490c/kg while steers 440-470kg averaged 375c/kg.
A feature line included 170 steers from Houga Beef, which weighed 270-290kg, and averaged 420c/kg.
Alex Scott & Staff Pakenham livestock manager David Setches said the northern demand made for fierce competition on the lighter cattle.
"Overall the sale, bar on your heavier feeder steers, was fully firm to dearer and obviously the lighter cattle were very strong," he said.
"Demand was driven by restocking for NSW and again with those buyers present, even the local competition had to knock those bigger buyers off to get cattle, so it created another floor in the market."
Female cattle were also in strong demand with heifer calves weighing 220 kilograms making up to $1100.
Nutrien Delaney Livestock and Property auctioneer Anthony Delaney said most heifers made above 300c/kg, averaging about 350c/kg.
G and J Sinclair sold 13 Angus steers, 462kg, for $1710 or 370c/kg.
F Puglusi sold six Black Baldy steers, 437kg, for $1660 or 379c/kg.
Hackett and Robertson sold eight Angus and Black Baldy steers, 525kg, for $1860 or 354c/kg.
A and B James sold nine Charo steers, 311kg, for $1250 or 401c/kg.
In the heifers, B and L Barker sold eight Angus females for $1350.
T Young sold four Angus heifers for $1380.
RG Hannett sold six heifers, 672kg, for $1850.
Have you signed up to Stock & Land's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's important to Victorian agriculture.