A mixture of local, feedlot and commission buyers were out in force purchasing cattle at the WVLX Mortlake Annual Feature Spring Drop Weaner Sale on Thursday.
Agents yarded just a little more than 4100 cattle, in a well-attended sale despite the cold weather conditions.
Lighter weaner steers between 200 and 300 kilograms of average weight were seeing prices in pushing towards 800 cents a kilogram mark, although the vast majority of pens did not pass that number.
Slightly heaver weaner steers with an average weight of over 300kg saw prices around the 680c/kg mark.
Nutrien auctioneer Josh McDonald said agents had some expectations of lower than normal sales, but agents had been generally happy with how things turned out.
"There's been a really good run of cattle here today, with an excellent run of weaner steers, especially the blacks and Baldys," Mr McDonald said.
"They sold really well, even though probably everyone thought it might have been a little bit cheaper here today.
Mr McDonald said he was impressed by the performance of the heavier weaner steers despite there being "somewhat of a feeling" there'd be lower prices.
"The heavier ones are still making like sort of near to 700 cents and we are seeing sort of mid 700s for those medium weight cattle that generally were around 260kg average weight," he said.
Mr McDonald said he was impressed with the wide variety of buyers with "local competition giving it a bit of a go, while agencies here buying from up north as well, along with those commission buyers".
Kent Family Trust sold 18 Angus weaner steers, 356kg, selling at 674c/kg or $2403 a head.
The same vendor also sold one weaner steer later in the sale, 450kg, for 630c/kg, or $2610.
Alanvale sold a pen of 12 Angus steers, 376kg, for 642c/kg or $2418, while another pen of 13 Angus steers, 330kg, sold for 632 c/kg or $2085.
Kirkoola Partnership sold 13 Angus steers, 270kg, for 726c/kg or $1960.
Bay of Islands Farm sold 43 Angus steers, 254kg, for 796c/kg or $2022.
Greg Culell sold 14 Angus steers, 260kg, for 738c/kg or $1921.
Yera Estate sold a run of pens of Angus weaner steers and Angus x Hereford steers, with one pen of 30 weaner Angus steers, 257kg, selling for 790c/kg or $2032, and another pen of 20 Angus x Hereford steers, 252kg, sold for 764c/kg or $1929.
Telang Lamb & Beef/Starling Farms sold many solid pens in a row at the Mortlake sale, with one lot of 25 Angus weaner steers, 283kg, sold for 762c/kg or $2159 and another pen of 68 Angus weaner steers, 292kg, selling for 760c/kg or $2226.35.
The Rises, sold 10 Angus steers, 313kg, for 650c/kg or $2034 and seven Angus weaner heifers, 300kg, for 570c/kg or $1714.
Murroa East Pastoral sold 31 Angus weaner steers, 283kg, for 752c/kg or $2132.
Corangamite Park sold 14 Red Angus weaner steers, 316kg, for 670c/kg or $2120.
Estate IS Black sold 12 Charolais weaner steers, 311kg, for 640c/kg or $1993.
N & S Adams sold 10 Speckle Park weaner steers, 268kg, for 636c/kg or $1708.
Wyndoona sold 11 Angus heifers, 269kg, for 650c/kg or $1752.
FJ & ML Templeton sold 16 Angus heifer, 305kg, for 600c/kg or $1831.
