'Extraordinary' and 'best seen' were some of the plaudits used to describe Hamilton's independent agents weaner steer sale on Monday.
Agents penned 3464 weaner steers which averaged 494 cents a kilogram or $1744 a head, grossing more than $6 million.
Lanyons Stock and Station Agents director Warren Clark, Hamilton, said the sale was unbelievable.
"I have never seen anything like it," Mr Clark said.
"Prior to the sale we were telling clients they were safe at 430-450c/kg, but at times that wasn't even starting money.
"The buyers stayed around and some of the final few runs were making over 500c/kg.
"We've never seen it before and who knows how long it will last.
"But you would have to go a long, long way to see a better yarding of black cattle.
"The consistency from pen one to the end was just fantastic."
Mr Clark said the weight was there, which was due to the season but also the breeding.
Buyers from the north and feedlotters were to the fore while south-east SA, local and Gippsland were also strong where suitable cattle were available.
He said the premium for EU cattle was as much as 30-40c/kg.
"This year vendors were well and truly paid for the EU," he said.
Kerr & Co auctioneer Craig Pertzel said it was an extraordinary sale with strong competition from a wide area of the eastern states.
Major buyers were Kellco Livestock Agencies, Dalby, Queensland, with 476, Miller Whan & John, SA, with 428, Andrew Lowe with 377 and Hopkins River with 257.
The price analysis showed that the yarding sold to a top of 554c/kg while per head prices ranged from around $1400 to $2143.
The sale kicked off with a draft from Camp Creek with a pen of 23 steers, 418kg, selling for 486c/kg or $2035.
Later in the sale, from the same vendor, was a pen of 57 Angus-cross, 334kg, sold for 517c/kg or $1731 and 15 at 311kg made 520c/kg or $1620.
The highlight of the sale was the consignment from Coffey Partnership that included a pen of 25 weighing 445kg that sold for 481c/kg or $2143.
The balance of the Coffey cattle sold mainly for 486c/kg on weights ranging from 387-398kg and making $1882 to $1938.
A draft from Mount View saw 23 at 417kg sell for 482c/kg or $2010.
The light end of the Mount View draft saw two pens totaling 39 that weighed from 316-322kg making 529c/kg or $1672 to $1706.
Corra's draft included a pen of 21 that weighed an average of 445kg and made 448c/kg or $1993.
Aringa West sold a pen of 17 weighing 406kg that made 486c/kg or $1974.
The same vendor also sold 32 steers, weighing 339kg, for 510c/kg or $1729.
EJC Cameron sold a draft of steers with the top pen on a liveweight basis being a pen of 30 weighing 317kg and making 530c/kg or $1680 and 29 at 331kg that made 510c/kg or $1692.
At the heavier end of the draft, 21 at 393kg made 480c/kg or $1886 and 25 at 396kg made 468c/kg or $1857.
A draft of 69 steers account Grasslands sold in three lines with 23 at 407kg making 472c/kg or $1924, 25 at 386kg making 484c/kg or $1870 and 31 at 362kg making 497c/kg or $1803.
A pen of 34 steers account Waradgery Pastoral weighed 367kg and made 484c/kg or $1777, while 26 at 337kg made 506c/kg or $1709.
Lighter lines of the Waradgery draft were 21 at 316kg making 522c/kg or $1650 and eight at 273kg made 520c/kg or $1423.
IS & HJ Brown sold a draft that included 26 at 383kg that sold for 486c/kg or $1864, a second pen of 24 at 340kg for 500c/kg or $1704 and 17 lighter steers at 281kg that made 530c/kg or $1490.