Yea heifers heavily discounted, although heavier steers sell well

That was according to Elders Yea livestock manager Jamie Quinlan, who said compared with other sales around Victoria, the market remained firm to "fractionally dearer".

"The nice, well-bred, 480-600-kilogram steers were 240-265 cents a kilogram, but the further you got back in weight, the lower the price," Mr Quinlan said.

"Heavy heifers sold anywhere from 180-230c/kg, but once you got under 350kg, it was 140-180c/kg, with some light heifers making close to 100c/kg."

Agents yarded 2072 head of steers, heifers and cows and calves at the sale.

That included 1320 steers, which sold to a top of $1660 a head, and 691 heifers, which sold between $100-$910.

Cows and calves sold to $1860 a unit.

"There was probably no real main volume buyers," Mr Quinlan said.

"There were a lot of backgrounders, the odd feedlotter and bullock fatteners."

Gippsland agents picked up many of the early pens of heavier steers while commission buyers Campbell Ross, Melbourne, and Duncan Brown, Albury, NSW, also took a significant number of cattle.

Among the feedlots were Conroy Brothers, Bobinawarrah, Teys, Charlton, and Hopkins River, Dunkeld.

Bendigo agents McKean McGregor also bought pens of heavier steers.

Mr Quinlan said only well-bred heifers with weight were selling at the moment.

He said agents saw a correction in the market coming, but didn't see the "viciousness of the drop".

"Everyone knew the market was going to come off the boil a little bit, but I don't think anyone saw it coming to the extent it has," he said.

"Yes, there are weather analysts who have said it is an El Nino, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be a wide-ranging drought, where there is not a blade of grass anywhere.

"I think the hysteria around the severity of the El Nino has probably gone a bit too far."

Mr Quinlan said there was a great deal of caution in the district, with "everyone cutting and banking hay".

"If they have feed after that, they will buy cattle," he said.

Nutrien auctioneer Josh McDonald, Warrnambool, said he felt the market was "solid" on the heavier end of the steers and heifers.

"I thought, in comparison with other yards, they sold well," Mr McDonald said.

"The little cattle were the ones that were tough.

"They might have been $200 cheaper than last month."

Gippsland buyers were active on the heavier cattle in the first lanes, he said, while local buyers were also picking up heifers.

Lake View Grazing sold 10 Allendale-blood Hereford steers, 515kg, for $1270 or 246c/kg.

JC and MJ Coonan, Tara, sold 29 Angus steers, 591kg, for $1660 or 280c/kg.

Joyce Park sold nine Te Mania-blood steers, 563kg, for $1510 or 268c/kg.

A and D Munro sold 11 steers, 495kg, for $1200 or 242c/kg.

Connellan Industries sold 17 Coolana-blood steers, 478kg, for $1300 or 271c/kg.

R and S Cavill sold 15 steers, 443kg, for $1100 or 248c/kg.

M and K Cruise sold 15 Adameluca-blood steers, 446kg, for $1120 or 251c/kg.

Dropmore Pastoral sold 20 Conamarra-blood steers, 381kg, for $990 or 259c/kg, 40, 353kg, for $860 or 243c/kg, 19, 340kg, for $850 or 250c/kg, and 20, 304kg, for $850 or 279c/kg.

G and L Manson sold 19 Pine Bank-blood steers, 386kg, for $1050 or 272c/kg.

Yenken Pastoral sold 15 Riddellevue-blood steers, 363kg, for $910 or 250c/kg.

Izatt sold 17 Angus heifers, 353kg, for $730 or 206c/kg.

Chartwell Farms sold 12 Angus heifers, 401kg, for $850 or 211c/kg.

A Robson sold 11 Angus heifers, 412kg, for $790 or 191c/kg.