South Australian buyers ventured into Victoria for the monthly Yea store sale, as prices pushed over 600cents/kilogram for lighter cattle.
Representatives of Miller, Whan and John, Mt Gambier, were at the rail, alongside the regular commission buyers Duncan Brown, Dennis Henderson and Campbell Ross, feedlotters and abattoir operators Hardwicks, Kyneton and Ascot Meat Products, Wodonga.
Agents said south Gippsland agents were particularly active, on behalf of grass finishers and restocking clients, during the 1937 strong stock sale.
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As with most recent sales, around the state, lightweight steers continued to push higher, with Grant Sims, Sims Farms, selling a pen of 14 Angus steers, 208kg, for $1310, or 628c/kg.
Springfell Angus sold 12 Angus steers, 206kg, for $1280, or 621c/kg. RL Scorah, sold 13 Angus steers, 225kg, for $1290, or 573c/kg . Campsie Glen also sold its third line of 35 Campsie Glen-blood Angus steers, 261kg, for $1480, or 567c/kg.
Jamie Quinlan, Elders Yea, described it as a "very, very solid" sale, with many cattle going back onto grass.
Agents said feeder steers made in a range of 380-430c/kg, with middleweight stock fetching between 440-480c/kg and little calves going from anywhere from 540c/kg to the high of 628c/kg.
Heifers sold from between 380-400c/kg for heavier cattle, with up to 500c/kg for stock in the 270-290kg range.
"There was a certain rate for the Blacks and a certain rate for the Herefords," Mr Quinlan said.
"I don't think it was as dear at Barnawartha, but it was no cheaper than the last sale."
He said the feedlot operators, particularly Jalna, were strong.
"There may have been a bit of an opportunity on the plainer 350-360kg black steers, if you wanted something a bit off-bred," he said.
Tyson Bush, Rodwells, said it seemed many producers were "taking the early money" on autumn drop calves.
"The quality was good, there was a lot of weight in the cattle, they all had good fat cover on them and they presented well.
'The early spring weather is starting to shine them up a bit."
With south Gippsland starting to see grass growth, restockers' agents from that region were active.
"The blokes from further afield were buying to a price, rather than cents per kilogram," he said.
"We keep saying its as dear as it's ever going to get."
GT&AM Pearce, Glenaroua, sold 26 Connamara/Merridale-blood Angus steers, 405kg, for $1790, or 441c/kg.
J&E Swanton, Koriella, Alexandra sold 15 Wirruna-blood Hereford steers, 464kg, for $1890, or 407c/kg.
MS and JM Coller, sold 12 Hereford steers, 592kg, for $1980, or 334c/kg.
L&M McNamara sold 21 Kelly-blood Angus steers, 312kg, for $1500, or 480c/kg.
A second pen of 20 steers, 273kg, sold for $1390, or 509c/kg.
E&J. Swieboda, Hallmark, sold 17 Langi Kal Kal-blood steers, 419kg, for $1770, or 422c/kg.
Brooklyn Manor, Wallan, sold 20 Adameluca-blood Angus steers, 385kg, for $1760, or 457c/kg.
Scanlon Angus stud sold 23 Alpine-blood Angus steers, 315kg, for $1570, or 498c/kg.
R&K Elliott sold 14 Rosedale and Violet Hills-blood Charolais/Angus-cross steers, 366kg, for $1560, or 426c/kg.
G&N Halpin, Whiteheads Creek, sold 17 Clarinda-blood Angus/Charolais-cross steers, 444kg, for $ $1840, or 414c/kg.
Springfell Angus sold 18 Angus steers, 263kg, for $1420, or 539c/kg.
A second pen of 12, averaging 206kg, sold for $1280, or 621c/kg.
Kevin Ryan, Darraweit Guim, sold 9 Pert Angus-blood steers, 302kg, for $1500, or 496c/kg.
Silverhills sold 13 Connamara-blood steers, 273kg, for $1450, or 531c/kg.
EJ Deelan sold eight Angus steers, 441kg, for $1810, or 410c/kg
Robin Rise sold three Sparta-blood Angus steers, 135kg, for $700, or 518c/kg.
Their first pen of nine, 204kg, sold for $1040, or 509c/kg.
T Izzat sold 9 Connamara-blood steers, 348kg, for $1510 or 433c/kg.
EJ Deelan sold eight Angus steers, 441kg, for $1810, or 410c/kg
Molesworth Pastoral, Caveat, sold 13 Wirruna/Claredale Poll Hereford steers, 306kg, for $1390, or 454c/kg.
A pen of eight heifers, 221kg, sold for $1080, or 488c/kg.
Cathkin Station sold 15 Glendaloch-blood Angus steers, 377kg, for $1660, 440c/kg.
Perry Farming, Alexandra, sold five Angus steers, 450kg, for $1750, or 388c/kg.
The Broderick Family Trust sold 12 Charolais/Hereford cross steers, 435kg, for $1740, or 400c/kg.
P&K Tull sold five Murrinstone Black Simmental steers, 499kg, for $1900, or 380c/kg.
They sold five heifers, 422kg, for $1620, or 383c/kg.
Springfell Angus sold 24 heifers, 244kg, for $1210, or 495c/kg
Davelock sold four Charolais heifers, 259kg, for $1210, or 467c/kg.
Hayhill Pty Ltd sold 28 Simmental/Hereford heifers, 247kg, for $1240, or 502c/kg.
Wattle Park, Sugarloaf, sold 10 Sterita Park-blood Angus heifers, 372kg, for $1430, or 384c/kg.
Their pen of 12 Angus-cross steers, 394kg, sold for $1620, or 411c/kg.
Cooper Cattle, Alexandra, sold eight Anvil-blood Angus heifers, 254kg, for $1170, or 460c/kg.
H Gilmore and son, Thornton, sold 20 Violet Hills-blood Charolais/Hereford-heifers, 336kg, for $1430, or 425c/kg.
K Fagan sold five Lawson-blood Angus heifers, 332kg, for $1380, or 415c/kg.
Marlene Walsh sold 11 Anvil-blood Angus heifers, 354kg, for $1400, or 395c/kg.
D Heffernan, Beveridge, sold 18 Black Baldy heifers, by Webb Black Simmental bulls, 416kg, for $1620, or 389c/kg.
Schiavello, Molesworth, sold seven Kelly Angus blood-heifers for $1320.
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