With cattle held back for later sales, the yarding was down to about 400 head at Bairnsdale on Friday but that did little to damage prices.
Sharp Fullgrabe auctioneer Graeme Fullgrabe called the sale "fantastic".
"We could have sold 2000 cattle if we had them," he said.
"I know South Gippsland was restricted because they're cold and wet but they still operated, buying cattle."
There was particularly strong competition from locals and those from the Sale district, Mr Fullgrabe said.
"There's a hell of a lot of inquiry for the store cattle, for breeders," he said.
"A lot of people want breeding cattle because they've sold all their older cows and and they've got to replace them.
"They've sold them all for good money because old chopper cows have been selling really well."
He said East Gippsland's fortunes were turning, especially after the east coast low of a week ago dumped 60 millimetres of rainfall or more across the region.
"It was so gentle, it didn't scour but it did refill dams and when we checked the soil temperature the other day, it was still 11 degrees, so the grass is growing, too," Mr Fullgrabe said.
Landmark East Gippsland Livestock agent Brad Obst agreed, saying that while there was limited feedlot participation, local competition had been strong.
Both expected yardings to surge in late August and early September as agents urged producers to hold back cattle until the start of spring.
Kent Park had the big line of the day, with 68 Hereford steer weaners. A group of 24 weighing 336kg made $1420 a head or 422 cents a kilogram, another 21 weighing 274kg made $1290 or 470c/kg and the remainder at 307kg sold for $1310 or 426c/kg.
W Mraz sold 22 Angus steers and 14 of them at 222kg made $1200 or 540c/kg, while the eight at 183kg were $1000 or 546c/kg.
K & H Maher's 13 Angus steers, 363kg, made $1530 or 421c/kg.
Eight 375kg steers from Melrose Herefords were $1530 or 386c/kg.
Of Bertino Pastoral's 14 Angus-cross steers, seven weighing 626kg made $1900 or 303c/kg, while the lighter pen at 583kg made $1800 or 308c/kg.
D & A Cleave's 13 red Angus composite steers, 355 kg, were $1480 or 416c/kg. Their pen of seven sisters, 317kg, made $1290 or 406c/kg.
Seven 571kg Angus-cross steers from P Carpenter were $1800 or 315c/kg.
Woody Group's Charolais-cross offering included 61 steers and 18 heifers. At 254kg, a pen of 13 steers made $1170 or 460c/kg, white 23 at 232kg brought $1110 or 478c/kg. Eleven 220kg steers were $1110 or 500c/kg and 14 more at 183kg were $1080 or 458c/kg.
A dozen 224kg Woody heifers made $940 or 419c/kg and six weighing 170kg brought $780 or 458c/kg.
Brian Dwyer, Benambra, had 22 PTIC Hereford heifers in calf to Karoonda bulls for a September calving, which sold to local restockers. Half made $2000 a head and the rest, $1820.
G Dunsmuir sold 11 Angus cow and calf sets, 4x4 for $3110 and 7x7 for $2720.
Prices courtesy of Landmark East Gippsland Livestock agent Brad Obst.
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