A big yarding of 4700 plus cattle at the Western Victorian Livestock Exchange at Mortlake was greeted by a large buying gallery with values firm to dearer.
Last minute entries saw numbers lift early in the week from an advertised 3500 to the final sale tally of in excess of 4700.
Mortlake Associated Agents Association president Alister Nash said it was a good quality run of grown and weaner steers, heifers and right through to cows and calves.
He said that while the majority of the yarding was breeder's cattle, there were lines of cattle from northern drought areas, bought in the spring, and were being resold.
The top end of the steers sold to a "tick over" 440 cents a kilogram, with the majority making 410 to 430c/kg.
The lighter steers spiked in places at above 500c/kg while it was "very hard to buy anything under $1000 head", he said.
Heifers sold in a band from 400 to 420c/kg "right the way through".
The suitable heifers mainly went to feeders and processors with some backgrounders operating.
Of the heavy steers a pen of $2152 a head for a pen of 23 sold account Saleview, 22-24 months, 520kg, or 414c/kg.
EP Lloyd sold mixed sex Angus, August-September 2018-drop, with the steers selling to 419c/kg for 14 weighing 508kg, or $2127. There was a pen of 12 heifers, 485kg, that made 390c/kg or $1891.
Didio Nominees sold 40 steers, 486kg, that sold for 434c/kg or $2107.
Rigbys Balmoral sold a pen of Angus steers, March-April 2019-drop, 485kg, that made 430c/kg or $2086.
The Earl family, The Hummocks, sold 20 steers, 18 months, 345kg, that made 444c/kg, or $1582.
Moolaboola sold a draft that included a pen of 16 steers, 12 months, that sold for 419c/kg or $1713 on weights of 409kg.
A pen of 22 black baldy steers, 218kg, sold account of DL Brown, Cairnbaan, made 492c/kg, or $1076 while the heifer portion sold to a top of 474c/kg, or $943 for a pen of 26 weighing 199kg. The heavier heifers made 402c/kg or $1060 on weights of 264kg.
DCF Marine consigned a draft that sold for a top liveweight of 502c/kg, for a pen of 23, 8-10 months, 236kg, or $1184. The heavier steers weighing 298kg made 441c/kg or $1317. The heifer portion topped at 432c/kg for a pen of 41, 202kg, or $1131. A pen of 22 at 227kg sold for 418c/kg or $950.
B&J Porter, Terang, sold 33 steers, 12 months, 253kg, that made 485c/kg, or $1227. The vendor also sold heifers with a pen of 38, weighing 241kg, selling for 416c/kg or $1003.
A pen of 24 account SP McLeod, August-September 2019-drop, 260kg, sold for 481c/kg or $1253.
Bermuda sold 24 steers, 277kg, that sold for 469c/kg or $1301, while N Rentsch sold 20 at 283kg for 454c/kg or $1287. Romsdale Park sold 28 steers, 12 months, 278kg, for 467c/kg or $1302.
A pen of 10 account Francese, 8-10 months, 258kg, sold for 452c/kg or $1168 while nine steers, account J&J Harris, 10-12 months, 367kg, sold for 433c/kg or $1590.
Bligh Pastoral sold 47 steers, 9-10 months, with the top pen of 28 weighing 332kg and selling for 442c/kg or $1467 and a pen of 19, 296kg, making 450c/kg or $1334.
G & J Hocking sold 32 steers, weighing 336kg, for 437c/kg, or $1469.
Open auction steers topped at $1310 per head or a shade over 500c/kg.
Ten steers weighing 444kg sold account R Mann, Langulac, sold for 365c/kg or $1606. The heifers in the draft sold to 426c/kg or $1263 for a pen of 23 weighing 296kg.
Tops of the heifers per head was a pen of six Charolais-cross, sold account Mondilibi Pastoral, 18-20 months, making $2027 or 388c/kg.
A pen of 14 heifers, 338kg sold account Forest View, sold to 408c/kg or $1379 and seven, 351kg, making 404c/kg or $1419.
Beeftree had a line of 28 heifers, 238kg that sold for 422c/kg or $1006.
Gazette Hills sold 17 heifers, 277kg, that made 418c/kg, or $1159
There were 101 cows and calves with the tops making $2040 and the balance between $1600-$1800 per head.
The top cows was a pen at $2040 was six sold account Beechwood Farms, with calves two-three months at foot.
Estate of TI Laidlaw sold a draft of Hereford and black baldy cows, PTIC to calve in July-September. They sold in five pens to a top of $1640 for a pen of 16 black baldies, six years old.
PTIC Heifers topped out at $1800, with the majority making between $1500-$1600. PTIC Cows topped at $1870, with the bulk making between $1400-$1600.
Agents reported cross-bred steers sold to 360c/kg the balance making between 330-350c/kg. Friesan steers topped at 305c/kg, with the bulk making between 290-300c/kg.