There was a good yarding of 1310 head of cattle at Warrnambool last week for the monthly store sale, where light cattle prices continued to rise.
With an exceptional season in the region there was plenty of demand for all categories of stock with feedlots, processors and grass finishers present, as well as orders for heifers to go back to the paddock.
Buyers were keen to purchase numbers with the spring weather increasing feed availability in the paddocks.
The best of the weighed steers in the weight range of 300-450 kilograms made 550-640 cents a kilogram.
Of the open auction penning, prices per head ranged from $1450-$1990, with the high end equating to 867c/kg.
Weighed heifers topped at 636c/kg, with most selling from 585-636c/kg.
In the open auction sale, heifers made $1500-$1880, or up to 725c/kg.
F1 heifers sold in a range of $1500-$1880, with the smaller heifers making $1300-$1500.
Nutrien agent Philip Keane said the sale was exceptional and with the recent rains of 30-40 millimetres in the past week, it would get better.
"Where it really took off was the lighter cattle, where the open auction steers, 150-200kg, made 700c/kg plus and over 800c/kg," Mr Keane said.
"And [there was] not a lot of difference between the heifers and the steers.
"A lot of people have reared calves instead of selling at $400-$500; they have kept them and are getting $700 to $1000."
The market for crossbred steers was quoted at 480-554c/kg, as demand from producers with feed clashed with feedlotters and processors.
Friesian types lifted in prices again, making 400-458c/kg.
A pen of Hereford cows and calves topped that section at $4000, with most making $3300-$3800.
Springing Simmental heifers to calve in mid-November made $3750.
Warrnambool Stock Agents Association president Jack Kelly said the whole region was having a bumper season.
Mr Kelly said the heavy rain on the weekend and early in the week had meant some vendors were unable to transport cattle into the yards.
He said given the market, those that missed out were very disappointed.
The top of the heavy steers was a draft from WA Doelle & Sons, Edenhope, who forwarded 55 Simmental steers, 15-17 months, with a pen of 33 weighing 401kg making 592c/kg or $2374, and the heavier pen of 22, 456kg, making 575c/kg or $2662.
Penstone sold nine Angus/Limousin-cross steers, 470kg, for 562c/kg or $2641.
A pen of Speckle Park/Friesian-cross steers sold by A & C Nevill, Warrnambool, weighed 405kg and sold for 550c/kg or $2227.
Of the lighter steers, a pen of 21 by Iona, 12-14 months, 352kg, sold for 598c/kg or $2105.
A draft of Black Baldy and Angus/Black Baldy-cross steers sold by Napier included a pen of 19, 290kg, that made 640c/kg or $1856, and a second pen of 15 that weighed 340kg for 610c/kg or $2074.
A pen of 266kg steers, 10 months, sold by Westcoast, made 640c/kg or $1702.
The heifer portion comprised 13 at 283kg that made 614c/kg or $1736.
Rossander forwarded mixed-sex Angus, 10 months, with the steer portion comprising five at 195kg, weaned, sold open auction for $1690 or 866c/kg.
The heifer portion comprised 13 at 209kg that sold for $1660 or 794c/kg.
Seven Angus heifers sold by P & B Madden, 484kg, made 558c/kg or $2700.
A pen of Angus heifers sold by Round Lake, 239kg, made 636c/kg or $1520.
Limousin-cross heifers, 258kg, sold by Sedcroft, made 588c/kg or $1517.
Wyndoona Farming Partnership sold a draft that included 13 Angus heifers, 199kg, that made $1550 or 778c/kg, and a second pen of 10 at 243kg for $1490 or 617c/kg.
The steer portion included a pen of 10, 257kg, that made $1500 or 583c/kg.
CG & PA Haberfield, Mepunga, sold Shorthorn/Friesian-cross and Angus/Friesian-cross steers, 243kg, that made $1450 or 597c/kg.
Tim and Paris Carter, Fairview, Purnim, sold Hereford cows with calves at foot that made to $4000 and two pens of Simmental heifers, due to calve in early November, for $3050 and $3750.