Steer prices continued new highs at the Western Victorian Livestock Exchange at Mortlake at Thursday's monthly store sale.
Associated agents yarded 3513 cattle and agents quoted the market overall as "very strong" on the back of a strong August sale.
A premium was also available for EU accredited cattle with a large proportion 'left in the system'.
Grown steers averaged between 400-420 cents a kilogram, topping at 442c/kg, and $2268 on a per head basis.
Weaner steers sold mostly in a band between 420c/kg and 450c/kg with a top of 550c/kg and $1840 on a per head basis.
Open auction steers topped at $1390 per head, but one pen weighing 170kg made 600c/kg.
Today's yarding consisted of 1270 heifers, with the majority of grown heifers making between 390 and 410c/kg with a top of 448c/kg. On a per head basis the top was $1813.
Weaner heifers averaged 410-440c/kg with the top pen going under the hammer for 458c/kg. A pen of Charolais-cross heifers topped at $1743.
Open auction heifers topped out at $1230 per head with one pen making 530c/kg.
There were 55 cows with calves at foot offered with the top pen making to $2460, the balance averaging $2152. A handful of PTIC females made to a top of $1700.
Cross-bred steers made to a top of 380c/kg or $1760 and Friesian steers topping out at 330c/kg or $1596.
Associated agents president Alister Nash said the yarding of over 3500 was "surprising".
"The prices are flushing them out. Very solid after the last sale which was solid enough," he said.
"This was even stronger with cents a kilo rates are similar but they are paying the same rate for more weight, making the cattle dearer."
He said prices of more than 450c/kg was common this month.
Buyers came from far and wide with good local support as well as a wide area of Gippsland and SA, feedlotters, north-east Victoria, and into NSW with an order from Cootamundra.
Tops on a per head basis was a pen of 19 grown steers sold account M & HM Castle, that weighed 567kg and sold for $2268 or 400c/kg to South Gippsland.
A draft of 22 grown steers account A & S Sanders, sold in two pens with 12 at 525kg making $2127 or 405c/kg and 10 at 485kg making $1949 or 402c/kg.
Camp Creek Partnership offered EU accredited steers with a pen of 15 at 487kg, making 420c/kg or $2045. A pen of 17 at 396kg sold for 460c/kg or $1823.
Yera Estate, Leslie Manor, forwarded a consignment of 52 steers, EU, that sold in three lines. Tops per kilo was a pen of 19 at 389kg that made 456c/kg or $1774, while 17 at 397kg made 450c/kg or $1790 - both left in the EU system.
Kingfield Partnership sold a pen of 30 steers, 384kg, for 452c/kg or $1735.
Bligh Pastoral offered March/April 2019-drop steers with 27 at 322kg making 482c/kg or $1603 and the lighter brothers at 288kg topped at 502c/kg or $1449.
A draft of red composite weaner steers sold account Ware Pastoral sold in three lines with 23 at 327kg making 474c/kg or $1552. A pen of 39 at 350kg made 470 or $1647, while the heaviest a pen of 37 weighed 382kg and sold for 458c/kg of $1749.
The Hooper family, Panmure Flats, sold mixed sex Angus with 24 steers, 434kg, making 420c/kg or $1825. The heifers sold to a top of 424c/kg fr a pen of 20, at 365kg, or $1550. Highest per head was a line of 14 at 425kg that made 392c/kg or $1636.
Geraki Pastoral had two pens Angus and Angus-cross steers,12 to 14 months with a pen of 17 at 340kg making 450c/kg, or $1533. A pen of 16 at 312kg made 446c/kg or $1392.
Naweenda sold Angus weaners, 12-14 months, with the lightest being a pen of 10 at 209kg selling for 550c/kg or $1149. A pen of 18 weighing 243kg made 528c/kg or $1283 while 25 at 273kg sold for 515c/kg or $1410.
Ardononachie holdings sold a pen of 23 steers, 275kg for 498c/kg or $1372 while a lighter pen of 13 at 230kg sold for 526c/kg or $1211. The heifer portion sold to 442c/kg for a pen of 19 at 286kg, or $1266.
Shelbourne Estate consigned a draft that included a pen of 13 Angus that weighed 289kg and sold for 500c/kg or $1446 and seven Charolais-cross steers, 322kg for 462c/kg or $1491.
Moraine Pastoral sold a pen of 24 Hereford steers, 310kg that made 462c/kg or $1435 and 10 Angus, 327kg for 442c/kg or $1447.
In the heifer line-up Boiardo Pastoral sold 89 grown heifers with the lightest, a pen of 27 weighing 332kg making 448c/kg or $1490. A pen of 32 weighing 362kg made 446c/kg or $1614 while the heaviest pen of 25 weighed 401kg and sold for 421c/kg or $1709.
A pen of 19 sold account Lynlee weighed 336kg and made 446c/kg or $1502 and a second line of 18 that weighed 387kg for 416c/kg or $1610. The same vendor sold 14 at 293kg that made 432c/kg or $1269.
Julundur Farms had a pen of 17 that weighed 340kg and made 442c/kg or $1504.
P & M Ewing sold a line of 15 heifers, 368kg for 433c/kg or $1594.
A pen of 16 sold account N & J Lillie weighed 249kg and made 458c/kg or $1142, while 11 at 318kg made 444c/kg or $1414 and 38 at 287kg for 440c/kg or $1265.
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