Processors had no chance but to stand back and watch Pakenham's store sale play out last Thursday as restockers competed fiercely for a limited selection of cattle.
The mixed and smaller yarding compared to a fortnight ago had little effect on prices and demand at the Victorian Livestock Exchange where agents yarded about 2000 cattle amid warm conditions.
Strong interest from South and West Gippsland restockers and agents combined with a handful of northern Victorian and New South Wales orders pushed prices a touch higher than a fortnight ago, agents said, despite fewer quality cattle on offer.
Alex Scott & Staff Pakenham auctioneer David Setches said promising seasonal conditions and a mild summer across the region had given farmers extra confidence to put cattle back to the paddock.
"We had the second drafts of cattle from a fortnight ago and they were 40 kilograms lighter and made $40 [a head] more," Mr Setches said.
"There was less cattle and more demand and we have the potential of 20 to 40 millimetres of rain coming on Friday and now we're into February.
"We haven't had that dry summer people were expecting."
The sale started with about 100 cow and calf units which sold to $3650 for a pen of three Kalinka Charolais cows, third and fourth-calvers, with calves by a Parringa bull.
Catani Angus, Catani, sold four cows with calves at foot for $3400, while Andrew McKenzie-Smith, Lang Lang, sold three Angus/Limousin-cross cows with calves at foot for $3550.
Nutrien Delaney Livestock and Property director Anthony Delaney said the sale featured very few runs of feature vendor-bred cattle.
"Each agent yarded two or three very good pens but then it tailed off into ones and twos pretty quickly but they still sold to strong demand," Mr Delaney said.
"We didn't have any runs of cattle and most of the cattle we did sell were sold to local buyers or to commission buyers to head north or to South Australia.
"Prices were probably better in comparison to the last sale because we had similar prices but a lesser-quality yarding."
In the heavy steer section, Coco Diamond Pty Ltd, Bena, sold 18 steers, 650kg, for $2550 or 341c/kg and 21 steers, 580kg, for $2260 or 389c/kg.
D Briston, Coldstream, sold 15 steers, 592kg, for $2290 or 386c/kg.
Tarralinga Olives, Shoreham, sold nine steers, 606kg, for $2310 or 381c/kg and another 13 steers, 535kg, for $2020 or 377c/kg.
Riverview, Molesworth, sold 14 steers, 654kg, for $2540 or 386c/kg, while Greenhills sold a pen of six steers, 648kg, for $2480 or 382c/kg.
Bankisa Gully, Woodstock, sold 10 steers, 632kg, for $2400 or 379c/kg and 14 steers, 589kg, for $2260 or 383c/kg.
Elders Pakenham auctioneer Michael Robertson said the yarding featured plenty of cattle with weight, but cast doubt over how long the supply of heavy cattle would last.
"As the season goes on I think the weight we're seeing at the moment will disappear and that's why prices are so high at the moment with both strong and steady demand from your restockers and feedlots," he said.
In the lighter section, N & J Hazelton, Mirboo, sold 17 steers, weighing 351kg, for $1710 or 487c/kg and 10 heifers, 326kg, for $1550 or 475c/kg.
Stokes Brothers, Upper Plenty, sold 14 steers, 422kg, for $1800 or 426c/kg, nine steers, 330kg, for $1660 or 50c/kg and eight heifers, 370kg, for $1600 or 432c/kg.
B Shannon, Lancefield, sold eight steers, 397kg, for $1870 or 471c/kg and 14 steers, 328kg, for $1700 or 518c/kg.
Markana Farms, Lang Lang, sold 10 steers, 282kg, for $1590 or 563c/kg and KB & JG Thomas, Yannathan, sold 10 steers, 286kg, for $1600 or 559c/kg.
J Govan, Pearcedale, sold 10 steers, 312kg, for $1690 or 541c/kg and nine heifers, 312kg, for $1500 or 480c/kg.
K Coilet, Woodfield, sold 19 steers, 350kg, for $1775 or 507c/kg.
I & A Burnside, Sunbury, sold 10 steers, 404kg, for $1760 or 435c/kg.
C & K White, Heath Hill, sold nine steers, 353kg, for $1690 or 478c/kg.
M Anderson, Kernot, sold 10 steers, 425kg, for $1790 or 421c/kg.
D Alberto Farms, Lang Lang, sold 22 steers, 545kg, for $2120 or 389c/kg.