South Gippsland buyers at the Pakenham rail, after widespread rain

Agents yarded 3483 head of steers and heifers.

With feedlots largely absent, the bulk of the heavier steers went to Melbourne commission buyer Cambell Ross and Anthony Hullick, Tarwin Lower, who picked up a significant number of pens of cattle for Keswick.

South and east Gippsland buyers included Elders livestock agent Carlo Taranto and Delaney Livestock and Property.

They were joined at the rail by Baw Baw Livestock, Warragul and Wellington Livestock, Sale agents.

Delaney auctioneer Anthony Delaney said the sale brought in a lot of yearling cattle from central and west Gippsland.

"We found the job fully firm, to probably a shade better," Mr Delaney said.

"All our older steers hovered at a bit over 300 cents a kilogram, regardless of the weight, right along and our calves 330-340c/kg and 350c/kg in some spots,

"It was a terrific yarding sold to strong demand, with the majority of cattle going back into the paddock."

He said it didn't appear J&F buyers were very active, as there were not a lot of cattle in the specifications they sought - "they (the cattle) were either too heavy, or too light."

He said heifer prices stabilised and might have been "a little bit brighter, on reports of what they were making in other places."

The best weaner steers made from between $1200-1500 a head while heifers made from 700-950/hd."

It had been a "tremendous season" in south Gippsland, but other parts of the state were not faring so well.

"Round here, there is a bit of confidence in the job," he said.

Alex Scott and Staff auctioneer David Setches said one pleasing sale was by JP Brewer, Greta, who made 375c/kg for the top pen of a run of well-bred steers.

"Those cattle made 30 cents a kilogram more than what we have been seeing at other selling centres, around the traps," he said.

"It was very pleasing."

He said it was stronger than a fortnight ago.

Most of west Gippsland received 40 millimetres of rain, last week, which "galvanised" confidence back into the job.

"We will get a season now, that's exactly what we needed, it was very timely - silage is being cut everywhere now," he said.

"If we are lucky enough to be under some of that spring rain, we will be okay up until Christmas."

Mr Setches agreed feedlots were not buying.

"There are plenty of cattle starting to come forward, feedlots are getting pretty full and they are only buying to replenish what they need," Mr Setches said.

"There is not that urgency in the feeder market, as there was a month to six weeks ago."

Most of the cattle offered ranged between 300-400 kgs, and made between 290-340c/kg, with a premium paid by on the Brewer feature line.

Local agents bought the bulk of the cattle, to go back into the paddock.

Everitt, Seeley and Bennetts auctioneer Les Seeley said advertised feature lines held firm, with better bred cattle being rewarded by demand.

"Those cattle, particularly heifers, continued to show a 10-20c/kg betterment," he said.

Kimray, Romsey, sold 21 Barwidgee and Murdeduke-blood steers, 562kg, for $1790 or 318c/kg.

Hurstdale, Officer South, sold 18 steers, 503kg, for $1420 or 282c/kg.

Rolling Hills Natural Beef, Trafalgar,sold 18 steers, 545kg for $1650 or 302c/kg; 20 steers, 511kg, for $1620 or 317c/kg and 21 steers, 500kg, for $1400 or 285c/kg.

Wallaby Downs, Merricks North, sold 28 steers, 490kg, for $1540 or 314c/kg.

Maleela Holdings, Woodstock, sold 18 steers, 426kg, for $1180 or 276c/kg.

Cairns Operators, Nambrok, sold 15 steers, 465kg, for $1200 or 258c/kg.

Perry Family Farms, Kerrisdale, sold 21 Kelly and Lawson-blood steers, 434kg, for $1230 or 283c/kg.

GG, EJ, MJ and R Bates, Maidavale, Munro, sold its first pen of 24 Rennylea, Adamaleuca and Hazeldean-blood steers, 433kg, for $1440 or 332c/kg; a pen of 22 steers, 398kg, for $1320 or 331c/kg and a pen of 23 steers, 397kg, for $1310 or 329c/kg.

A and J Gerrand, Longford, sold 30 Alpine-blood steers, 417kg, for $1340 or 321c/kg.

NQ Parke, Ellinbank, sold 32 Pinora-blood steers, 336kg, for $1000 or 297c/kg.

Malanda Pastoral, Stradbroke, sold 25 Leawood-blood steers, 335kg, for $1200 or 358c/kg.

P and M Burns, Plover Plains, Clarkfield, sold 31 007 and West Creek-blood steers, 330kg, for $1000 or 303c/kg.

B Cummins, Merton, sold 32 Kelly-blood steers, 317kg, for $950 or 299c/kg.

Allnut Family Trust, Pearcedale, sold 24 West Creek-blood steers, 324kg for $1010 or 311c/kg.

B and J Henwood, Bravington, sold 24 Innesdale-blood steers, 315kg, for $850 or 269c/kg.

TM and WA Stammers, Neerim East, sold 18 steers, 493kg, for $1400 or 283c/kg and 18 steers, 444kg, for $1240 or 279c/kg.

JP Brewer, Greta, sold 18 Te Mania and Absolute-blood steers, 400kg, for $1500 or 375c/kg, 18 steers, 364kg, for $1260 or 346c/kg and 15 steers, 343kg, for $1280 or 373c/kg.

Another pen of 15 steers, also 343kg, sold for $1310 or 381c/kg, while the lighter ones, 22, av 288kg, sold for 378c/kg.

Mayneline Angus, Woodstock, sold 20 steers, 325kg, for $1130 or 347c/kg.

P and J Green, Monomeith, sold 15 Nar Nar Goon-blood steers, 330kg, for $870 or 263c/kg.

A Heffernan, Flinders, sold 11 Banquet-blood steers, 481kg, for $1380 or 286c/kg.

P Malkin, Moorooduc, sold 13 steers, 476kg for $1310 or 275c/kg.

J amd M Spencer sold 13 Leawood-blood heifers, 471kg, for $1230 or 261c/kg.

S Fahey, Tyers, sold 16 Banquet-blood heifers, 406kg, for $1100 or 270c/kg.

Bates sold 25 heifers, 328kg, for $860 or 262c/kg.

Mrs C Jeffrey, Driffield, sold 34 Newcomen and Bowman-blood heifers, 301kg, for $600 or 199c/kg.

She also sold 29 heifers, 295kg, for $530 or 179c/kg.

Malkin sold 13 heifers, 458kg, for $1220 or 266c/kg and 15 Table Top-blood females, 324kg, for $600 or 185c/kg

J Buchanan, Tanjil South, sold 26 Pathfinder and Rosskinb-blood heifers, 329kg, for $980 or 297c/kg.

D Duric, Woodstock, sold 17 Absolute-blood heifers, 411kg, for $1050 or 255c/kg.

MA McCormack and Sons, Caldermede, sold 12 Absolute-blood heifers, 369kg, for $750 or 203c/kg and 22, av 353kg, for $680 or 192c/kg.