The effects of the failing season in Gippsland were felt at Bairnsdale's fortnightly store sale, with quality declining and fewer well-bred cattle offered, according to Meat & Livestock Australia.
Despite that, MLA market reporter Brendan Fletcher said some steers sold for up to $200 a head dearer.
Agents yarded about 2160 head of cattle, down about 100 on the previous sale.
Elders Bairnsdale livestock agent Morgan Davies said he felt the prices were about $100, or 30-40 cents a kilogram, better than a fortnight ago.
"Traditionally, it's a big feeder, spring-drop type sale, through August-September there is a lot of stock that flows out of east Gippsland," Mr Davies said.
"It's been a prolonged, dry winter and a dry start to spring, so it hasn't given people many choices, to be honest.
"It's been pretty tough going."
He said as the sale went along "it ran out of 'oomph' on those lighter cattle.
"There wasn't the competition on them, to soak those cattle up."
"It was cheaper on the lighter cattle and dearer on the better weaners."
It followed the trend of other sales, around Victoria.
Mr Davies predicted more major sales in the coming months - "it will just keep on rolling along."
"Runs of black weaners were particularly dearer, 20-30c/kg, across the board," he said.
"There was the ability absorb lots of them."
Mr Fletcher said all the regular buyers from south Gippsland and the area were in attendance, although locals were noticeable by their absence.
The gallery included one major commission buyer, as well as Boston Ag, Stratford, Elders Korumburra, Wellington Livestock, Sale, East Gippsland Livestock, Bairnsdale and Matt Greenwood, Sale.
Westside Meats, Bacchus Marsh, was also buying cattle.
"Quality declined with fewer well-bred cattle, while the effects of the failing season were evident in many places," Mr Fletcher said.
"Steers sold up to $200/head dearer, however, there was no improvement where quality was an issue, with some averages declining further for this reason.
"Heifers sold firm."
Mr Fletcher quoted the top pen of weaner steers as 10 Herefords, 382kg, which sold for $1150 or 301c/kg.
Yearling steers topped at $1700/head for a pen of three, 580kg, which sold for 293c/kg.
The top of the weaner heifers made $980 for 10 Euro crosses, 354kg, or 276c/kg.
Yearling heifers made to a top of $1100 for 21 Herefords, 381kg, or 288c/kg.
Cows with calves at foot sold from $660 to $1,560/unit.
Macclesfield Pastoral, Orbost, was one of several vendors with large drafts.
It sold its first pen of 20 Angus steers, 344kg, for $1010 or 293c/kg; their seconds, 20 steers, 345kg, also sold for $1010 or 292c/kg and a third pen of 20, 329kg, also went for $1010, or 306c/kg.
Macclesfield also sold a pen of 20, 304kg, for $960 or 315c/kg.
DK and SL Faithfull sold 27 Angus steers, 321kg, for $1020 or 317c/kg and 32 steers, 288kg, for $930 or 322c/kg.
K and K Skews sold 27 Black Baldy steers, 308kg, for $1010 or 327c/kg and another pen of 27, 316kg, for $1100 or 348c/kg.
A third pen of 28, 296kg, sold for $1050 or 354c/kg.
Holstons Pastoral Company sold 15 Angus steers, 251kg, for $920 or 366c/kg.
Their pen of 21 steers, 195kg, sold for $495 or 253c/kg.
Black Mountain Pastoral sold 12 Angus steers, 373kg, for $1110 or 297c/kg.
They also sold 17 steers, 328kg, for $990 or 301c/kg.
M and G Preston sold six Hereford steers, 513kg, for $1360 or 265c/kg.
T and V Wyatt sold 14 Angus steers, 268kg, for $850 or 317c/kg.
B and J Tice sold eight Angus steers, 269kg, for $880 or 327c/kg.
B Scott sold four Black Baldy and Angus steers, 481kg, for $1250 or 259c/kg.
LW and PE Howlett sold two Speckle steers, unweighed for $1140.
P Hodder sold three Angus steers, 580kg, for $1700 or 293c/kg.
J Matthews sold 10 Angus steers, 542kg, for $1480 or 273c/kg.
N and M Hamer sold nine Angus steers, 501kg, for $1490 or 297c/kg.
Esnouf and Schneider sold four Angus steers, 421kg, for $1270 or 302c/kg.
Barry Wykes sold two Angus steers, 423kg, for $1270 or 300c/kg.
Hutton Partnership sold 34 Hereford steers, ave 366-422kg, for $980-1190 or 282-301c/kg.
CK and AJ Bush sold 38 Angus and Black Baldy steers, 256-335kg for $870-1030 or 307-340c/kg.
M Marshall sold 39 Hereford heifers, av 352-381 for $850-1100, or 241-289c/kg.
CK and AJ Bush sold 25 Pinora-blood Black Baldy heifers, 321kg, for $950 or 296c/kg.
Condon Lee sold 22 Angus heifers, 321kg, for $900 or 280c/kg.
RR and VG Russell sold 10 Limousin-cross heifers, 356kg, for $970 or 277c/kg.
J and C Van Der Wewrf sold 10 Belgian Blue heifers, 356kg, for $980 or 275c/kg.
M Whelan sold 10 Angus heifers, 338kg, for $760 or 224c/kg.
M and G Preston sold 12 Black Baldy heifers, 306kg, for $700 or 228c/kg.
M and M Treasure sold five Hereford heifers, 366kg, for $790 or 215c/kg.
Tice sold eight Angus heifers, 258kg, for $600 or 232c/kg.
Holstons sold 23 heifers, 181kg, for $500 or 276c/kg.
RJ and PA Carey sold eight Limousin heifers, 413kg, for $1070 or 259c/kg.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
