Victorian Livestock Exchange at Pakenham yards 1172 cattle

Nutrien Delaney Livestock & Property director Anthony Delaney, Pakenham, said it was the first sale where Gippsland spring-sale calves made their debut, about a month earlier compared to previous years.

"Season-wise central and East Gippsland is going good, but it's just on a knife's edge a little bit," he said.

"Today was a bit of a sample of what we have to come over the next few months, the September to November period."

He said he believed Nutrien's main lines sold very well compared to store markets elsewhere.

"It's certainly very comparable," Mr Delaney said.

"I'd say this week everything seems to have more life about it, both fat sales and store sales, and it's August next week so if anywhere will be dimmer in supply, it has to be now.

"It was brighter for the better lines of cattle."

Mr Delaney said the 400-500-kilogram cattle mostly sold to feedlots with grazier competition "starting to poke its head up".

"There were not many calves here, so what was here sold to very strong demand due to lack of numbers," he said.

"This area, and a lot of the states are going to experience an early spring, it has that sort of feel about it."

The feature lines included Guy & Noble, Valencia Creek, who sold 45 yearling steers, including 14 steers, 550kg, for $1790 a head or 325c/kg.

Malanda Pastoral Pty Ltd, Stradbroke, sold 16 steers, 16 months, 537kg, for $1790 or 333c/kg.

EJ and ML White, Kilmany, sold 45 cattle, including 19 steers, 515kg, for $1830 or 355c/kg, and 20 steers, 467kg, for $1770 or 379c/kg.

V & D Albanese, Tyers, sold 45 cattle, 20 months, including 29 steers, 588kg, for $1960 or 333c/kg, and 16 steers, 555kg, for $1960 or 353c/kg, and 12 steers, 329kg, for $1200 or 364c/kg.

Everitt Seeley & Bennetts stock agent Jason McInnes said lighter cattle were dearer.

He said one vendor, A Abrahams, Kilcunda, sold 22 steers for 442c/kg, but said a similar pen of cattle consigned by the same vendor a fortnight ago made 410c/kg.

"On those lighter cattle I think they're dearer because it's still winter and we can tuck them away until September," Mr McInnes said.

"It was about 15 to 20 cents dearer on the lighter cattle."

L & P Vearing sold 16 Hereford steers, 595kg, for $1820 or 305c/kg.

S & G Crofts, Healesville, sold 20 heifers, 374kg, for $1240 or 331c/kg.

Wiltara Farms Pty Ltd, Clyde North, sold two steers, 515kg, for $1480 or 287c/kg, and three steers, 370kg, for $1100 or 297c/kg.

M & L Ashton, Yarra Glen, sold 15 steers, 304kg, for $1210 or 398c/kg, and 19 heifers, 333kg, for $900 or 270c/kg.

Prof A Kaye, Flinders, sold 12 steers, 539kg, for $1790 or 332c/kg.

N Swinnerton, Red Hill, sold three Angus and Black Baldy steers for $1650.

B Trewin, Gormandale, sold 10 steers, 400kg, for $1520 or 380c/kg.

R Trewin & B Heywood sold 11 steers, 400kg, for $1520 or 380c/kg.

Kingfield Partnership, Ballangeich, sold 12 heifers, 346kg, 12-14 months, for $1040 or 300c/kg, and 11 steers, 10-11 months, for $1020.

R Hylkema, Drouin South, sold three steers, 423kg, for $1420 or 335c/kg.

JM & D Fletcher, Drouin East, sold five steers, 290kg, for $860 or 296c/kg.

B & C Pastoral Pty Ltd, Donnybrook, sold six steers, 418kg, for $1000 or 239c/kg.

M Tanner, Tyers, sold five steers, 671kg, for $1850 or 275c/kg, six steers, 582kg, for $1680 or 288c/kg, and 21 steers, 602kg, for $1820 or 302c/kg.

SIG Group, Hastings, sold 15 steers, 460kg, for $1330 or 289c/kg.

Killary Estate, Tynong, sold 16 steers, 490kg, for $1660 or 338c/kg, and nine steers, 445kg, for $1430 or 314c/kg, and 10 steers, 381kg, for $1350 or 354c/kg.

Leeanndale Holdings, Yinnar, sold 10 steers, 283kg, for $1120 or 395c/kg.