Vendor-bred calves sold to strong competition at Leongatha on Friday as secondary cattle eased slightly due to less demand.
Agents yarded 2500 cattle for the fortnightly store sale where half-a-dozen feedlotters and commission buyers were active throughout the entirety of the market.
Prices for well-bred lines of calves and grown cattle sold at firm rates, agents said, who added they found it more challenging to offload cattle with less condition, describing it as a mixed yarding.
The less buoyant market was largely due to two factors, agents said, which included less feed on the ground for cattle locally in South Gippsland, as well as another store sale running simultaneously at Yea.
The sale featured a draft of 100 mixed-sex Herefords, aged between one and two years, consigned by Daryl and Margaret Hook, Selwyns, Pound Creek, who recently sold their property and were dispersing their herd.
Mrs Hook's family, the Beards of South Gippsland, have sold for Nurtien South Gippsland Livestock, originally Gippsland & Northern Co Op for more than 100 years.
Their top pen of 13 steers, 526 kilograms, made $2040 a head or 387 cents a kilogram, with their lightest pen of 11 steers, 287kg, fetching $1480 or 515c/kg.
The family also sold 12 heifers, 409kg, for $1490 or 409c/kg.
Buneep Park, Bunyip, sold a draft of 90 eight-month-old Angus steers which all sold for more than 600c/kg.
The first pen of 30 steers, 255kg, made $1530 or 600c/kg, the second pen of 24 steers, 218kg, made $1450 or 665c/kg and the third pen of 19, 206kg, made $1420 of 689c/kg.
An unweighed pen of calves, estimated to have averaged about 180kg, made $1260.
Nutrien Leongatha auctioneer Jack Ginnane said the quality of the yarding was not as strong as the previous sale and reflected the dry conditions graziers had experienced across the region.
"The quality cattle still sold very well and we had a mix of feedlots and commission buyers along with restockers who were jumping on the opportunities," Mr Ginnane said.
"Some of the Angus steer calves sold just as good if not better in places with many buyers forgetting what cattle were making on a cents a kilogram basis and just focusing on the price per head."
"Heifers sold very strong and I worked out before the sale what I thought they would make and I had to throw the card away because they were a fair bit dearer than what we expected."
Heifers were mainly purchased by a number of feedlots who were active filling orders ahead of the winter lull, while a few, select pens of females were retained for breeding purposes.
Elders Leongatha and Korumburra livestock manager Rohan McRae said feedlotters were active on the heavy, well-bred steers.
"Our well-bred weaners sold right up to the mark and heavy calves made 450-500c/kg, while lighter calves were from 500-600c/kg and the crossbred cattle also sold well," Mr McRae said.
"You would have to call it a mixed yarding but the season is marching on."
Terry Miller, Woolamai, sold his annual draft of mixed-sex Angus calves, 11-13 months, including 16 steers, 333kg, for $1680 or 504c/kg.
Denis McRae, Wonthaggi, also offered a mixture of Hereford/Shorthorn-cross and Angus/Friesian-cross cattle as part of his herd dispersal. The draft included six grown steers, 610kg, for $2390 or 391c/kg.
Alex Scott & Staff Leongatha auctioneer Dane Perczyk said areas around South Gippsland were starting to feel the effects of the dry weather.
"We're waiting for an autumn break so people are really sitting back and waiting for that to happen," he said.
How the cattle sold
J & P Fleming, Merton Vale, Willung, sold 10 steers, 418kg, for $1930 or 461c/kg and another six steers, 454kg, for $1870 or 411c/kg.
F & H Colaciello, Tyers, sold 15 steers, 372kg, for $1820 or 482c/kg.
B Hinson, Hazelwood North, sold 12 steers, 362k,g for 480c/kg and another nine steers, 287kg, for $1520 or 529c/kg.
M Thomas, Meeniyan, sold 10 steers, 610kg, for $2270 or 372c/kg and nine steers, 636kg, for $2470 or 388c/kg.
P & C Johnston, Leongatha South, sold 16 steers, 542kg, for $2290 or 422c/kg.
R & J Taylor, Walkerville, sold 10 steers, 539kg, for $2200 or 408c/kg.
S Bare, Hallston, sold 21 steers, 465kg, for $2100 or 451c/kg.
Cardinia Creek Angus sold 14 steers, 288kg, for $1560 or 541c/kg.
D & D Staley, Fish Creek, sold 10 steers, 256kg, for $1410 or 550c/kg.
K Chipperfield, Loch, sold six steers, 482kg, for $2050 or 425c/kg.
J & G Christensen sold 18 steers, 366kg, for $1740 or 475c/kg.
Churchill & Sly, Kilkunda, sold 12 steers, 555kg, for $2200 or 396c/kg.
Ashfield, Inverloch, sold 12 steers, 429kg, for $2010 or 468c/kg.
AJ, BR & NB Moyle, St Clair, sold 15 steers, 352kg, for $1810 or 514c/kg.
TC Jacka, Dumbalk, sold 15 steers, 276kg, for $1570 or 568c/kg.
F & H Colaciello, Tyers, sold 20 heifers, 332kg, for $1520 or 451c/kg.
T & L Butcher, Allambee South, sold 13 heifers, 560kg, for $2080 or 371c/kg.
I & D Bell, Tarwin Lower, sold 16 heifers, 444kg, for $1760 or 396c/kg.
G & S Couper, Mardan, sold eight heifers, 438kg, for $1780 or 406c/kg.