Strong support for a good quality yarding at Kyneton's annual weaner calf sale saw steers sell to $2015 a head and heifers to $1790.
Keen interest from Gippsland for steers to go on grass as well as strong demand for backgrounding cattle for the Riverina and south-east SA, and processors, set the price level which restricted local buying.
Dean Coxon, Elders Kyneton, said they had been hoping that the autumn calving producers would "get a lick of the ice cream", and they had.
Mr Coxon said that last year the steers averaged $985 and heifers $803, and this year the averages were $1791 and $1596.
He said a lot of heavy steers made 460-490 cents a kilogram and lighter steers and the heifers made to 500c/kg and more.
McGrath Rodwells principal Kieran McGrath, Kyneton, said their yarding averaged $1666 across steers and heifers.
"Overall it was a very good result and right up with other sales," Mr McGrath said.
"The quality of the cattle showed the improvement in the breeding of cattle in the region."
Top of the sale was $2015 for a pen of 13 steers, 431kg, sold by Helen Bennett, Mia Mia.
RK Phillips sold a pen of 18, weighing 430kg, for $2000 as well as a pen of 12 heifers at 372kg for $1740.
First-time seller at this sale Peter Grant, Rosehill, Kyneton, had the next pen of 15 steers that weighed 419kg and sold for $1950 and seven at 371kg, made $1800.
His pen of 17 heifers, weighing 381kg, sold for $1760.
A pen of 11 steers sold account Springbank, 405kg, made $1930 and 17 heifers, 363kg, made $1760.
F Notman, Lancefield, sold 19 steers, 399kg, that made $1950.
MM Shea, Barfold Beef, sold a draft of mixed-sex weaners, that included 22 steers at 401kg that made $1920.
They also sold 20 heifers, 349kg, for $1690.
Maylands sold 11 steers, nine-months-old, 399kg, for $1900.
The heifers from the same vendor included a pen of 14 at 321kg that made $1580.
D & L Sutton had a pen of five Angus/Charolais-cross steers that weighed 404kg and sold for $1910.
The Active Corp, Glendene, sold mixed-sex weaners including 30 Angus steers, that topped at $1880 and weighed an average of 371kg and sold for an average of $1832.
The 35 heifers weighed an average 337kg and sold for an average of $1613.
J Fraser had a pen of nine Simmental steers, 383kg, that sold for $1800.
Penmore sold Angus and Black Baldy weaners with a pen of 18 April/May-drop at 368kg making $1820.
A line of 14 steers, 330kg, sold account AM McCarthy for $1720.
Granite Hills Wines had a line of 14 steers at 390kg that sold for $1880.
Langley Pastoral forwarded weaners that topped at $1840 for a pen of 23 at 373kg and 19 at 338kg that made $1780.
The lead pen of their heifers was 14 at 364kg that made $1720, and 21 at 303kg that made $1540.
D & L Schooling sold 14 steers, February/March-drop, 372kg, that made $1800.
J Hedstrom sold a line of Hereford steers, comprising 12 that weighed 374kg, which sold for $1770.
Barro Group, Gisborne, forwarded Poll Hereford steers, February/March-drop with the top pen of 18 weighing 399kg and selling for $1870.
Another pen of 14 at 357kg sold for $1710.
A line of Adameluca-blood weaners from HG Barton, comprised 24 steers averaging a weight of 344kg, averaged $1753.
Steers sold account F Hook included a pen of six, March/April-drop, at 331kg, that made $1780, while 12, June/July-drop, 291kg, made $1670.
Thirteen heifers at 295kg sold for $1540 and eight at 309kg made $1500.
CR & LM Priest had lines totaling 50 steers and heifers with the top steers, 361kg, making $1780.
The 36 steers averaged $1766 and 24 heifers averaged $1476 on weights of 301kg.
D 7 L Gordon sold 10 heifers, 291kg, for $1720.