Quality was mixed at the Bairnsdale store sale on Friday but prices held, with buyers from the north helping to lift the market.
Agents yarded about 870 head of cattle.
Bill Wyndham & Co auctioneer Jake Fullgrabe said the yarding was a few hundred head short due to heavy rain in East Gippsland.
He said grown steers with weight were sought after, with those weighing between 450 and 550kg making between $2000 to $2400 a head.
Feedlot buyers and South Gippsland bullock fatteners were chasing the heavy cattle, he said, and the sale was dearer than a fortnight ago.
"We had an extra buyer from Wodonga come over from Corcoran Parker and he would have bought probably two B-doubles of littler cattle - that 250 to 350kg range - which put a fair floor in our market," he said.
"On those smaller cattle, probably a good $100 dearer."
Light steers were making up to 700 cents a kilogram, he said, while heifers were getting dearer and dearer every week in the fat market which was now being seen in the store sales.
"We're seeing restockers in our local area trying to buy heifers to tip out and join, as well as blokes that can't afford to buy steers and are turning to buying heifers to fat, are lifting that female job," he said.
"That old fashioned gap between the steers and the heifers of say $300 or $400, well I'd say the heifers are probably selling as good as the steers."
P Hopkins sold five Red Angus steers, 604kg, for $2350 or 398c/kg, and a pen of four Charolais cross steers, 400kg, for $2170 or 407c/kg.
Glenshiel Pastoral sold 11 Angus steers, 400kg, for $1900 or 475c/kg, 12 Charolais heifers, 495kg, for $1960 or 395c/kg and 15 Charolais heifers, 454kg, for $1950 or 454kg.
Kaye Neil sold 11 steers, 310kg, for $1700 or 548c/kg.
Robert Moon, Gelantipy, sold 64 head over three pens, which reached 580c/kg, 615c/kg and 672c/kg.
Sharp Fullgrabe & Co livestock agent Brent Coster said the quality was mixed with fewer lines of well bred cattle, but everything still sold well.
Light steers and heifers sold very well, he said.
The rainfall, despite preventing some cattle from reaching the sale, was welcome too.
"It was getting to the pointy end and it was really hanging out for a drink," he said.
"These last few weeks have really set us up, we've got a lot of moisture in the ground now."
"If it keeps coming we'll have a good winter and hopefully set us up for a good start to the spring at least.
"It's just put a bit more confidence in now."
Mr Coster said cows and calves also sold well, with a run of 37 Angus selling for an average price of $3300.
Meat & Livestock Australia's market report noted there was a smaller section of well bred calves on offer with a larger proportion of secondary cattle.
It found increased feedlot activity saw prices generally firmer for the market.
The MLA report found Angus steers weighing 362kg topped the weaner steers at $1800 or 497c/kg, while Angus steers weighing 472kg topped the yearling steers at $2230 or 472/kg.
Limousin heifers, 365kg, made $1700 or 466c/kg to top the weaner heifers, while a pen of Charolais, 495kg, sold for $1960 or 396/kg to top the yearling heifers.