Garrison Feedlot, Murray Downs, NSW, has made a welcome return to the rail at Colac, bidding strongly on heavier lines at the monthly store sale.
Agents yarded 1018 head of steers, heifers, cows and calves after initially estimating they would only get 750.
Charles Stewart Dove auctioneer Shelby Howard estimated prices were up $100-$150 a head across the board.
"In places, little crossbred cattle sold for $200-plus more," Mr Howard said.
"The rain helped, that persuaded a few guys to sell this month instead of next month."
Charles Stewart & Co auctioneer Matthew Nelson said the first of the weaner cattle were starting to come through.
"The 300-400 kilogram steers were making anything from 500 cents a kilogram up to 600c/kg on the heavy, older cattle," Mr Nelson said.
"When you were talking about the weaners you were seeing sales of 650-700c/kg and higher when you got into the lighter cattle."
He said there was a significant number of crossbreds, which sold very well.
"There was a pen of 150kg Fleckveih calves which made $1500, so that works out at 1000c/kg," he said.
Garrison buyer Danny Saunders and Elders buyer Clarke Roycroft bought the heavier end of the cattle.
Agents from Warrnambool and Ballarat were also represented.
Charles Stewart & Co auctioneer Jamie McConachy said it was probably the biggest buying group at Colac for some months.
"It was one of the best sales we have had for a long time, Mr McConachy said.
"Not only was there a little bit more weight but there was also a little bit more quality.
"It just proves if you can put 1000 cattle on the page you will get competition, and that's what happened here."
He said heifer prices were comparable to the steers in terms of cents a kilogram.
Nutrien Ag Solutions auctioneer Phil Douglas said lines of cattle were coming back into the market.
"There were some good runs of weaner calves," Mr Douglas said.
"We still had what I would call our 'odds and sods' in our heavier cattle but there wasn't a lot of those."
He said heifers showed a big improvement on previous sales.
He said the steers were "properly bred, properly fed - just put them out and watch them grow".
B&J Healey sold four Mt William-blood Angus/Charolais-cross steers, 582kg, for $2610 or 500c/kg.
Te Aro sold 11 Murdeduke-blood steers, 440kg, for $2500 or 568c/kg.
P Jones sold four Otway-blood steers, 450kg, for $2460 or 546c/kg.
Hillbrae sold eight Murdeduke and Te Mania-blood steers, 371kg, for $2340 or 630c/kg.
A pen of eight Angus and Black Baldy steers, 318kg, sold for $2100 or 660c/kg, while a third pen of 18, 7-10 months, sold for $1920.
Blue Gums sold eight Larrigan-blood steers, 273kg, for $1900 or 696c/kg.
Riverside sold 16 Pathfinder-blood steers, 394kg, for $2410 or 612c/kg.
Riverside's seconds, a pen of 15, 353kg, sold for $2320 or 657c/kg.
Vale Pastoral sold six Angus and Angus/Hereford steers, Te Mania-blood, 305kg, for $2010 or 659c/kg.
G&SA Menzel sold seven Wolbul Poll Hereford steers, 369kg, for $2090 or 566c/kg.
Woodrowvale Pastoral sold nine Banquet and Murdeduke-blood steers, 408kg, for $2500 or 613c/kg.
Manintveld Family Trust sold seven Mt William-blood steers, 320kg, for $2000 or 625c/kg.
P & J Lenehan sold two Angus/Murray Grey heifers, 335kg, for $1900 or 567c/kg.
Yaugher Charolais sold eight Murdeduke-blood Angus heifers, 383kg, for $2250 or 587c/kg.
Riverside sold 13 heifers, 373kg, for $2200 or 536c/kg
Woodrowvale sold 10 heifers, 328kg, for $1930 or 588c/kg ,while Manintveld sold nine heifers, 325kg, for $1920 or 591c/kg.
Gunwick Hill sold nine heifers, 10-11 months, for $1660.
Dale Pastoral sold eight Te Mania-blood heifers, 7-9 months, for $1650.
L & B Lauricella sold 10 Murdeduke-blood heifers for $1580.
Lochs Farming sold 22 Angus cows and calves for $3400.
Yaugher Charolais sold 12x13 first calvers for $4350 and 16x16 second and fourth calvers for $4320.