Feedlotters once again were very keen on at cattle during Mortalke's mid-April store sale, in line with a recent run of large yardings throughout Victorian store sales in the past week.
But they had a run for their money with commission buyers and local farmers all giving strong competition from the galleries.
Agents yarded 4875 cattle, which were underpinned by a feature run of heifers and steers from Glenthompson vendor Charles and Cass Kimpton, Toora West.
The Kimptons yarded 382 Angus steers, with the heaviest pen being 77 Angus steers, 544kg, sold for 418 cents a kilogram or $2273 a head.
Charles Kimpton said his cattle turned out very well and thanked his agents for drafting them for the sale.
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"These steers and heifers have all come in from our southern place down near Broadwater and our manager Russell Bell looks after that place, so he's done a great job with our cattle," he said.
"To see our cattle here, it gives me a great thrill, and while we didn't expect the prices to be what they were last year, we're really happy with how they sold."
"We saw many return buyers, and that means to me those buyers were happy with what they bought last year and, hopefully they've made a quid out of it,"
He also credited local studs Rennylea, Banquet and Tasmanian stud Raff Angus which produce great bulls which have in turn produced good cattle for them.
Prices during Thursday's sale were firmer than a month ago at Mortlake, especially with high quality lines of grown steers and heifers weighing over 400kg, with both runs regularly passing 400c/kg.
Also did well in the heifer run, selling a pen of 28 grown heifers, 470kg for 467c/kg or $2196.
Murroa East also sold 36 grown heifers, 436c/kg, for 396c/kg or $1729.
Elders Kerr & Co agent Bruce Redpath said prominent breeders at this April sale were in high demand.
"The Malanda and Toora West cattle certainly were stand out steers and heifers here and yes, the quality yarding was a lot better than a month ago," he said.
"All of the buyers, feedlotters and locals were in attendance, with a little bit of NSW competition, and certainly buyers from the southeast of South Australia were well represented."
Malanda yarded 100 heifers, with one pen of 67 Angus grown heifers, 400kg, sold for 402c/kg or $1608, while Toora West also did well in the heifer run, selling a pen of 28 grown heifers, 470kg for 467c/kg or $2196.
Mr Redpath said there was some mixed fortunes throughout the region with the autumn break, but good signs were ahead for those awaiting some rain.
"Locally speaking here through Mortlake, we could now say that an autumn break has happened pretty much after Easter, and what we've had this week south of Mortlake, has brought a lot of feed.
"In the south-east of SA, they tell me feed is very good and the north of Hamilton is very good too.
"In Mortlake itself, while there's been a break, I don't think it's been warm enough for the grass to grow, and the cattle are certainly showing the signs of that,
"For instance, the Toora West cattle were 40 kilos lighter than last year which all reflects back to the late rains in September and October, when these calves were trying to get going and needed sunshine."
Weaner steers also were about 10-20 cents dearer on average from a month ago, selling between 420-440c/kg for cattle between 330-400kg, while most of the run of 250-330kg cattle ranged between 430-460c/kg.
Weaner heifers averaged a little cheaper than their brothers, hovering between 360-380c/kg with Murroa East being an exception, who sold 36 grown heifers, 436c/kg, for 396c/kg or $1729.
Alanvale Farms sold 39 Angus weaner steers, 324kg, for 454c/kg or $1439.
Seabrook Agricultural sold 28 Angus weaner steers, 389kg, for 420c/kg or $1632.
Greene's View sold 16 Angus weaner steers, 394kg, for 416c/kg or $1640.
Langaluc sold 33 Angus weaner steers, 379kg, for 444c/kg or $1683.
Corra Pastoral sold 47 Angus weaner steers, 291kg, for 440c/kg or $1283.
D Cameron sold 13 Shorthorn grown heifers, 403kg, for 422c/kg or $1700.
N & J Lillie, Bostocks Creek, sold 15 Angus grown steers, 506kg, for 406c/kg or $2055 and a pen of 17 Hereford grown steers, 466kg, for 370c/kg or $1727.
