A plain yarding of secondary cattle and fewer volume buyers compared to a fortnight ago contributed to a cattle price correction at Leongatha on Friday.
Agents yarded about 1200 cattle for the fortnightly market which featured only a handful of vendor-bred cattle.
Agents said prices for feeder-weight steers eased by as much 20-30 cents a kilogram, largely due to the absence of several major buyers.
Many onlookers attended the store sale to escape the cool and wet conditions experienced across most of South Gippsland.
Nutrien Leongatha livestock manager Brian McCormack said the yarding of cattle was very mixed.
"The market was cheaper than what it was a fortnight ago and some of the feeder-type cattle would be 20-30c/kg cheaper," Mr McCormack said.
"A lot of the cattle stayed locally and after a big sale a fortnight ago, the next sale will feature a good run of calves so it was just a smaller yarding than normal."
Feature pens included 42 Angus steers offered by Micah Berry, Wonthaggi, who sold seven two-year-old cattle and two pens of April and May 2020-drop calves.
The older cattle, 509kg, made $2080 a head or 408c/kg.
The two lighter pens including 20 head, 326kg, made $1810 or 555c/kg, while the second pen of 15 steers, 299kg, made $1750 or 585c/kg.
A consignment of 30 Hereford April 2020-drop calves by the Young family of Ensay also attracted strong interest with the top pen of 15, 417kg, being knocked down for $1940 or 465c/kg.
The second pen of 15, 395kg, made $1800 or 455c/kg.
J & M Ainsworth, Stradbroke, sold 38 steers including a top pen of 20, 344kg, for $1850 or 537c/kg and 18 steers, 290g, for $1660 or 572c/kg.
Oldham Pastoral, Archies Creek, sold 23 Angus steers, 355kg, for $1800 or 507c/kg, while B & K Drew, Mountain View, sold 17 vendor-bred steers, 279kg, for $1480 or 530c/kg.
Elders Leongatha and Korumburra livestock manager Rohan McRae said he was pleased with some of the results from the sale after a mega yarding two weeks ago.
"You could say it was a bit of a clean up and some of the cattle that were put off last fortnight were here today and you could easily see it was a mixed yarding," Mr McRae said.
"We had only a limited amount of well-bred cattle and whilst they may have just been of the pace compared to a fortnight ago, they still sold very well.
"There will be ups and downs from week-to-week but our store cattle in perspective are in line with trade prices."
At the heavier end of the sale, S Teagle, Trida, sold 11 steers, 618kg, for $2270 or 367c/kg.
Mardan Lodge, mardan, sold 15 Hereford steers, 532kg, for $2100 or 394c/kg and 21 steers, 350kg, for $1640 or 468c/kg.
K Graham, Mardan, sold 16 steers, 530kg, for $2140 or 403c/kg and Glenfinnan, Mardan, sold five steers, 450kg, for $1940 or 431c/kg.
D & M Vernon, Mirboo North, sold seven steers, 451kg, for $2020 or 447c/kg, while C & S Mullholland, Wonyip, sold eight steers, 368kg, for $1800 or 489c/kg.
D & J Osment sold 14 steers, 450kg, for $1950 or 433c/kg.
SEJ Leongatha livestock manager James Kyle said cattle prices declined due a lack of major buyers.
"There was no feedlot competition here whatsoever and heavy cattle reflected that a little," Mr Kyle said.
In the heifer section, TS Lelliott, Mirboo North, sold eight heifers, 382kg, for $1550 or 405c/kg and eight heifers, 316kg, for $1380 or 436c/kg.
J Gillam, Dumbalk, sold seven heifers, 440kg, for $1440 or 327c/kg.
M Harrison, Dumbalk, sold 14 heifers, 411kg, for $1840 or 447c/kg.
P Calder, Wild Dog Valley, sold 1 heifers, 420kg, for $1840 or 438c/kg and 11 heifers, 408kg, for $1600 or 392c/kg.