Weight - heavy or light - was the highlight of the December store sale a the Central Victoria Livestock Exchange, Ballarat, on Friday in a yarding of 3134.
Another strong attendance of buyers from far and wide ensured there was strong competition on all categories.
HF Richardson auctioneer James Haddrick said the sale was terrific and above expectations - "everything sold exceptionally well".
He said there was strong support from feedlotters, Gippsland and the north-east adding to a big crowd of local buyers.
Leo White from TB White & Sons said it was a magnificent result.
"Prior to this sale in the past couple of weeks there had been a cheaper trend, but we didn't see that here today," he said.
"There's a lot of confidence and a lot of feed around."
Liz O'Loughlin, Claretown, had the top pen, with five black baldy and Angus steers, weighing 652kg, that sold for $2460. The same vendor sold eight at 526kg for $2110.
A pen of 17 account BKO Buckley, 508kg, made $2400.
Two pens totaling 34 sold account Warrawidgee Pastoral, Pitong, saw the first pen of 18 at 598kg make $2320 while the second line of 16 at 516kg made $2110.
J Fitzgerald sold nine at 587kg for $2380. Pingiano/Fenton had a pen of 12 at 606kg that made $2330 and 11 at 569kg that made $2300.
Opie Pastoral sold grown steers with five at 632kg selling for $2330 and five grown heifers, 514kg, that made $1980.
A draft sold account Yanika included 26 Herefords that weighed 472kg and sold for $1930 while a second pen of 24 at 437kg sold for $1850, and seven black baldies, 461kg, made $1950. Nine black baldies heifers, 428kg, made $1700.
One of the feature drafts was account Mrs MP Laidlaw which included 12 Angus-cross, 484kg that made $2000, while the lead pen of Poll Herefords, of 20 at 519kg, made $2000 and the second draft at 463kg made $1910.
The heifers from the same vendor included eight at 466kg that made $1800 and 28 across three pens that weighed from 430 to 465kg that made $1700.
Vin and Sue Richards, Blampied, offered 100 steers and 75 heifers with the steers selling to a top of $1700 to average $1628. The top pen comprised 11 at 375kg. The heifers sold to a top of $1400 for a pen of 15 at 341kg, and the draft averaged $1331.
Garvagh sold a draft of steer weaners that included 22 at 355kg for $1770 and 14 at 391kg that made $1720,
IW & RL Shaw, Langdons Hill, sold 42 mixed sex, with seven, 448kg, making $1940, and a pen of 14 at 383kg that made $1700. Twelve heifers at 383kg that made $1540.
Oakdale Pastoral forwarded Coolana/Barwidgee & Murdeduke blood weaners with 12 steers at 360kg making $1630, 26 at 312kg making $1590, and 37 at 282kg made $1490.
A consignment from Seriston Pastoral Co of Shorthorn/Charolais-cross mixed sex weaners included seven steers, 434kg that made $1830, nine at 421kg for $1790, 36 at 378kg for $1565 and 25 at 342 for $1510. The heifer portion included 13 at 378kg that made $1550 and 40 at 343kg going for $1505.
Top of the heavy heifers was a pen of seven account MP & SE Ross, that weight 564kg and made $2100. Earlier the same vendor sold 11 steers at 567kg for $2290.
