A decline in quality cattle at the Bairnsdale store sale had also influenced a decline of interested buyers and prices compared to their previous sale a fortnight ago.
Agents yarded about 2500 cattle at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange where locals were the dominant buying group.
Elders livestock support officer Melinda Coster said confidence had been down across the board as the cold months approached.
"It was definitely a mixed yarding and it reflected the sale, with only select buyers really having a go though," Ms Coster said.
"I think people were getting much of their cattle off their hands at our sale before winter sets in."
READ MORE:
Ms Coster said south Gippsland agents including SGL and Alex Scott and a number of commission buyers were high volume purchasers, while high country buyers stayed away.
The balance of the yarding headed back to the paddock.
"We didn't have buyers from over the hills and southern NSW at this this sale unfortunately, so we were missing that competition," she said.
Prices declined in the order of $200 to $400 a head, but some quality was present, with PTIC cows and heifers being the highest quality cattle of the day.
A mixed quality amount of cows with calves at foot also sold well to good competition.
Buchan vendor Glenshiel Pastoral had one of the top heifer pens, with 22 Charolais heifers, 399kg, sold for 350 cents a kilogram or $1400 a head.
Christa Treasure, Stratford, sold 21 Hereford steers, 337kg for 356c/kg or $1200.
Snow Rural, Bengworden had two pens of 25 Angus steers, the lighter weighing 266kg, sold for 488c/kg or $1300.
Mitchell Valley Produce, Woodglen sold 18 Limousin steers, 345kg for $1280.
The heaviest pen of the day belonged to Lindenow South vendor Deep Water Farm, who sold eight Angus steers, 596kg, for 362c/kg or $2160.
