Wodonga based commission buyer Duncan Brown made a surprise appearance at the Kyneton monthly store cattle sale, picking up several pens of steers and heifers for border agents.
Agents yarded 462 head of steers, heifers, cows and calves.
A Macedon Ranges shire staff member checked COVID-19 double vaccinated certificates, under state government regulations, and several potential buyers were turned away.
Lighter cattle sold to 761 cents a kilogram in a yarding that largely ranged in weight from 300-400 kilograms.
Heavy steers sold to $2580 a head.
McGrath Rodwells auctioneer Kieran McGrath said it was a very solid sale, with some pens more expensive than last month and others trading at a firm rate.
"Quality cattle sold very, very well," Mr McGrath said.
"Duncan Brown made a fleeting visit and bought a few cattle - it's always good to see an outsider come in, it just keeps everyone on their toes."
Elders Kyneton auctioneer Dean Coxon said while there no large lines, the quality was very high.
"Those later spring and early autumn calvers came in and we will start to see our weaners come through, next sale," Mr Coxon said.
"Our area is being rewarded.
"You are seeing our clients put that back into our cattle by going to recognised studs and paying really good money for bulls - there's no doubt our cattle are improving all the time."
Among the buyers were Beefed Up Holdings, Highland Meats, Hardwicks, the Ballarat Meat Company, Elders Korumburra and Yea, and Paull and Scollard, Myrtleford.
Ballarat, Bendigo and Kyneton agents were also active.
Frank Sedlak sold three steers, 505kg, for $2580 or 510c/kg.
P Bau sold seven Angus steers, 494kg, for $2500 or 506c/kg.
Barker and Wall sold 14 steers, 410kg, for $2580 or 629c/kg.
L&P Mudford sold four steers, 388kg, for $2240 or 577c/kg.
A&K Ford sold 13 Barwidgee-blood steers, 266kg, for $1920 or 722c/kg.
J&S Dean sold 11 Adameluca-blood steers, 327kg, for $2120 or 648c/kg.
Emerald Castle sold 10 Coolana-blood steers, 395kg, for $2380 or 602c/kg.
They also sold a pen of five steers, 372kg, for $2270 or 610c/kg.
J Heffer sold four steers, 358kg, for $2240 or 625c/kg.
K Chase sold seven steers, 302kg, for $2160 or 715c/kg.
Sadron sold five Coolana-blood steers, 282kg, for $2000 or 709c/kg.
P Gooch sold four Glendan Park-blood steers, 316kg, for $1990 or 630c/kg.
They also sold nine steers, 341kg, for $2220 or 651c/kg.
Gadsen sold nine Glendan Park-blood steers, 263kg, for $1920 or 730c/kg.
A Cogger sold seven steers, 245kg, for $1840 or 751c/kg.
E Day sold seven Te Mania-blood steers, 260kg, for $1980 or 761c/kg.
Sutton Grange sold 14 High-Spa-blood steers, 411kg, for $2580 or 628c/kg.
Rocco Galgano sold four steers, 386kg, for $2140 or 554c/kg.
David Ashley sold four Shorthorn steers, 223kg, for $1640 or 735c/kg.
M Thomson sold five steers, 324kg, for $1980 or 611c/kg.
Girvan Family Trust sold six Anvil-blood steers, out of Adameluca cows, 265kg, for $1980 or 747c/kg.
T Walsh sold 11 heifers, 282kg, for $1750 or 620c/kg.
AL Maggs sold six heifers, 240kg, for $1460 or 608c/kg.
Emerald Castle sold 11 heifers, 342kg, for $2060 or 602c/kg.
B&S Griffiths sold seven Beckham-blood heifers, 362kg, for $2040 or 563c/kg.
Zoetrope sold seven Adameluca-blood heifers, 317kg, for $1960 or 618c/kg.
T Walsh sold 11 Angus heifers, 282kg, for $1750 or 620c/kg.
Brindabella sold 11 Lawson-blood heifers, 282kg, for $1750 or 620c/kg.
Matthew Culph sold 11 heifers, 262kg, for $1770 or 675c/kg.
P Gooch sold five heifers, 305kg, for $1790 or 586c/kg.
Sadron sold five heifers, 305kg, for $1850 or 606c/kg and another 11, av 262kg, for $1720 or 656c/kg.
Girvan sold six heifers, 264kg, for $1700 or 644c/kg.
P&L Gordon sold three by three, third and fourth calvers, Hazeldean-blood, with calves-at-foot for $3500.
J&M Dunn sold nine by nine cows and calves for $3120.
D&S Anderson sold seven by seven heifers and calves, depastured to an Adameluca bull for $3550.
Merrindoc Pastoral, Tooborac, sold seven by seven heifers, pregnancy-tested-in-calf to a Reiland bull, for $3600.