Spring-drop steers sold to an impressive top of 750 cents a kilogram at Mortlake on Thursday during a sale which was dominated by northern NSW orders.
Agents yarded just shy of 5300 cattle for the monthly store sale at the Western Victoria Livestock Exchange where grown heifers were also a highlight, selling to a top of 541c/kg.
Mortlake Stock Agents Association president Matt Baxter said it was one of the dearest sales he had seen in the Western District.
"We had good runs of EU and non-EU Angus calves and they sold accordingly anywhere from 660-750c/kg for calves that were close to 200 kilos," Mr Baxter said.
"There was a bit of local interest especially for the better bred calves and a lot of the spring-drop steer calves were making between $1500-$1650 a head."
R & V Finch, Ballaarook, Coleraine, sold the top pen of Angus weaner calves with 21 head, 197kg, knocked down for 750c/kg or $1477.
The same vendor also sold 58 steers, 229kg, for 714c/kg or $1635 and another pen of 41 Angus-cross steers, 260kg, for 615c/kg or $1599.
Tambourine Pty Ltd sold the dearest pen of Angus weaner heifers with 25 head, 239kg, making 614c/kg or $1467.
The same vendor also sold 25 Angus steers, 252kg, for 638c/kg or $1607.
Another dear pen of 15 weaner heifers was consigned by Selkirk East Pastoral, 249kg, which made 600c/kg or $1494.
Selkirk East Pastoral also sold 16 Angus weaner steers, 298kg, for 692c/kg or $2062
Mr Baxter said spring-drop calves were 15-20c/kg dearer compared to the previous March sale.
"The strength from the north was on those lighter spring-drop calves and that's because they suit a lot of programs," Mr Baxter said.
"Most of the 380kg-plus cattle were mainly bought by about five or six feedlotters operating throughout the sale and restockers were also very active."
Cass and Charles Kimpton, Toora West, Glenthompson, sold a draft of 204 Angus heifers including a sale-topping pen of 21 heifers, 389kg, for 541c/kg or $2104.
"The Toora West heifers were the tops of the grown heifers section and made from 488-541c/kg and weighed between 390-470kg," Mr Baxter.
"They were bought mainly by return buyers including two local people and a buyer from the Wimmera and will either be retained for breeding or sold as a joined female at a later date."
The Kimpton's first pen of 17 heifers, 474kg, made 488c/kg or $2313, the second pen of 17, 466kg, made 488c/kg or $2274 and the third pen of 22, 427kg, made 521c/kg or $2224.
The grown heifers from Toora West were 27c/kg dearer compared to the top pen of grown steers at the sale.
"Heavier feeder heifers were only 10-20c/kg below steer value so it shows there was real demand for those better bred lines of females," Mr Baxter said.
"Given the size of the yarding and the strength from start to finish, it was a real credit to the vendors."
DCF Marine Pty Ltd sold the dearest pen of 30 grown Angus steers, 418kg, for 514c/kg or $2148.
The same vendor also sold 20 Angus weaner steers, 363kg, for 566c/kg or 2056 and another pen of 14 weaner steers, 313kg, for 558c/kg or $1746.
Another feature in the sale was Yera Estate's draft of 150 spring-drop cattle including 31 Angus-cross heifers, 219kg, which made 602c/kg or $1318.
The top pens of Yera Estate's steers included 22 steers, 296kg, for 588c/kg or $1740, a second pen of 69 steers, 255kg, for 652c/kg or $1662 and a later pen of seven steers, 202kg, for 730 or $1474.
AK & LF North sold 109 spring-drop steers including a top pen of 51, 301kg, for 554c/kg or $1667.
Their second pen of 49 steers, 265kg, for 617c/kg or $1635 and a third pen of nine steers, 214kg, for 708c/kg or $1515.