A large and mixed yarding at Leongatha on Friday contributed to a fluctuation of prices during South Gippsland's fortnightly store cattle sale.
Agents yarded about 3000 head with well-conditioned, vendor-bred calves selling to 572 cents a kilogram.
Secondary cattle showing less condition allowed restockers to shop conservatively.
Local bullock fatteners were active throughout the sale with only two feedlot buyers operating during the market.
Low rainfall for the month of November is also believed to have affected buyer confidence, with places like Pound Creek receiving as little as 4.6 millimetres since the start of the month, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Elders Leongatha and Korumburra livestock manager Rohan McRae said the sale featured some good runs of quality cattle, however, overall quality was back in places from a fortnight ago.
"If you look at the sale, it might not have looked as buoyant but at the end of the day the prices got to where they have been previously," Mr McRae said.
"Our heavy cattle were out to $2200, our good runs of spring-drop cattle were $1800 to $1900 and our cross-bred cattle sold anywhere from $1700 to $1900 so it looked solid."
J Fortune, Nilma North, sold seven steers, 580kg, for $2380 or 410c/kg, and 12, 567kg, for $2310 or 407c/kg.
F & C Cameron, Wild Dog, Phillip Island, sold 22 steers, nine months, 342kg, for $1750 or 511c/kg, and 18, 302kg, for $1700 or 562c/kg.
High Voltage Consulting, Woodstock, Flynn, sold 18 steers, 346kg, for $1610 or 465c/kg, and another 15, 269kg, for $1540 or 572c/kg.
D & M Jones, Mirboo, sold 17 steers, 269kg, for $1530 or 568c/kg.
WD Clark, Whitelae, sold eight steers, 260kg, for $1460 or 561c/kg.
Alex Scott & Staff Leongatha auctioneer Dane Perczyk described the sale as "patchy in places".
"We noticed the edge come off a bit and some lots were a bit cheaper than a fortnight ago," Mr Perczyk said.
"You were still buying dear cattle but they were no way as dear as last fortnight.
"It might have eased 10 cents on both the steers and perhaps even a bit more on the heifers."
ALBA Investments, Yanakie, sold two pens of Angus heifers, 13 to 14 months, for $1800. The 40 heifers were purchased by a Wodonga-based agent for a client in the north.
SEJ Leongatha livestock manager Jimmy Kyle said a dip in quality and fewer major buyers contributed to the fluctuation in prices.
"But the top calves made the rates they have been making," Mr Kyle said.
"Ninety per cent of the cattle stayed locally, with bullock fatteners and restockers very strong."
Nutrien Leongatha livestock manager Brian McCormack said the said was "quite solid".
"There was a difference in quality and the better bred cattle sold to equal prices but the plainer cattle were a fraction easier," Mr McCormack said.
Steers
A & A Missen, Woodside, sold a draft of cattle including 13 steers, 478kg, which made $2140 or 417c/kg, and five, 518kg, for $2090 or 403c/kg.
Tullaree Pastoral Co, Middle Tarwin, sold 20 steers, 490kg, for $2090 or 426c/kg.
D Bates, Munro, sold 21 steers, 420kg, for $1900 or 452c/kg, and another 13, 463kg, for $1940 or 419c/kg.
Randan Pty Ltd, Walkerville, sold seven steers, 612kg, for $2090 or 314c/kg.
Joroka Pty Ltd, Fish Creek, sold 16 steers, 427kg, for $1850 or 433c/kg, and another 15, 360kg, for $1800 or 500c/kg.
Elm Valley, Tarwin, sold 20 steers, 406kg, for $1940 or 477c/kg.
P & A Chishom, Archies Creek, sold 20 steers, 391kg, for $1900 or 485c/kg.
Lester Farms Pty Ltd, Leongatha, sold a draft of steers including 23, 363kg, for $1640 or 451c/kg, 21, 325kg, for $1500 or 461c/kg, and 18, 296kg, for $1490 or 505c/kg.
Richards & Rae, Ryanston, sold 17 steers, 260kg, for $1470 or 565c/kg.
J & C Triantafllou, Woodside, sold 11 steers, 564kg, for $2200 or 590c/kg, and 14, 526kg, for $2160 or 410c/kg.
E & J Cox, French Island, sold eight steers, 286kg, for $1470 or 513c/kg.
R & C Jennings, Gormandale, sold two pens of bucket-reared Friesian and Friesian Jersey-cross bull calves, 3 months, including 13 for $700 and 26 for $600.
R & W Horner, Glen Forbes, sold four steers, 507kg, for $1990 or 392c/kg.
DC McGrath, Cowes, sold 22 steers, 379kg, for $1840 or 485c/kg.
TJ Miller, Woolamai, sold 22 steers, 380kg, for $1880 or 494c/kg.
T Kemper & C Charlton, Mardan, sold eight steers, 305kg, for $1600 or 524c/kg.
Tablelands Pastoral sold 21 Hereford steers, 395kg, for $2000 or 506c/kg.
G Jones, Foster, sold 13 Hereford steers, 342kg, for $1820 or 532c/kg.
Somerville, Moe sold five steers, 273kg, for $1370 or 501c/kg.
Cameron's Hill, Arawata, sold seven steers, 599kg, for $2290 or 382c/kg.
Deep Creek Farm, Woodleigh, sold 14 steers, 322kg, for $1620 or 503c/kg.
D & G Hunter, Trafalgar, sold 12 steers, 381kg, for $1840 or 482c/kg, and 13, 335kg, for $1760 or 523c/kg.
S & L Stori, Kongwak, sold 20 steers, 365kg, for $1850 or 506c/kg.
RE Evans, Bass, sold 19 steers, 330kg, for $1670 or 506c/kg.
G & L Simmons, Woodside, sold 10 steers, 343kg, for $1740 or 507c/kg.
B Cantwell, Welshpool, sold 24 steers, 362kg, for $1700 or 496c/kg.
K Shea, Leongatha, sold 10 steers, 548kg, for $2100 or 383c/kg.
J & C Brennan, Cape Liptrap, sold 18 steers, 318kg, for $1600 or 503c/kg.
L & B Newnham, Glen Forbes, sold 15 steers, 300kg, for $1700 or 566c/kg.
C Lukins, Foster, sold nine steers, 268kg, for $1420 or 529c/kg.
G & C Hosking, Woodside, sold 11 steers, 288kg, for $1590 or 552c/kg.
Heifers
D Bates, Munro, sold five heifers, 496kg, for $1940 or 391c/kg, 15, 402kg, for $1810 or 450c/kg, and 13, 414kg, for $1850 or 446c/kg.
Joroka Pty Ltd, Fish Creek, sold 18 heifers, 372kg, for $1730 or 465c/kg, and 18, 331kg, for $1490 or 450c/kg.
BW & SJ Harris, Korumburra, sold 17 heifers, 340kg, for $1500 or 441c/kg.
High Voltage Consultancy, Woodstock, Flynn, sold three pens of heifers including 15, 373kg, for $1540 or 412c/kg, 20, 325kg, for $1460 or 449c/kg, and 20, 293kg, for $1450 or 494c/kg.
DC McGrath, Cowes, sold 10 heifers, 346kg, for $1530 or 442c/kg.
TJ Miller, Woolamai, sold 12 heifers, 327kg, for $1490 or 455c/kg.
T Kemper & C Charlton, Mardan, sold nine heifers, 303kg, for $1410 or 465c/kg.
J & E Keogh, Stony Creek, sold 13 Angus Friesian-cross heifers joined to a Limousin bull ready to calve for $2440.
R & Y Densley, Mirboo, sold 11 Angus cows with calves at foot for $2700, 12 cows with calves at foot for $2660 and 14 cows with calves at foot for $2580.
G & R Robinson, Nambrok, sold nine Hereford heifers with Black Baldy calves at foot for $2600.
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