Mortlake's first store sale of October once again had a limited depressed market as good lines of yarded cattle restricted large price drops.
Agents yarded a little over 1300 cattle at WVLX Mortlake on Thursday, which was a decreased yarding from Mortlake's last store sale a few weeks ago, but up from an advertised 800 projection.
Mortlake Stock Agents Association president Jack Hickey, JM Ellis Livestock, said some last minute cattle coming into the saleyards.
"There was a few extras on the day, including a late run of about 400 good steers that would not have been in advertising had come in from the one vendor," he said.
That vendor was Brandon Pastoral, whose cattle were able to pass 200 cents per kilogram on most pens, with the best lot being an offering of 60 Angus grown steers, 535kg, sold for 268c/kg or $1433 a head.
"That line was well and truly a feature line of cattle for sure," Mr Hickey said.
He said agents felt sales did meet expectation and at times was even better than what the market was performing across the state.
"There actually wasn't a top class run, but the sale actually went pretty okay for us," he said.
"The recent wet weather probably meant prices didn't drop as well, but it's just a factor of the actual season in a way.
"Those good cattle, like the Brandon line, did bring a good amount of buyers that we probably weren't banking on."
There was wide interest, with buyers from across the state headed to the sale to purchase, with local feedlotters showing strong interest and keeping bidding competitive.
"Restockers were definitely the driving force of the day really," Mr Hickey said.
Prices were about 30c/kg per kilogram cheaper across the board compared to Mortlake's equivalent store cattle sale a month ago, but Angus cattle actually sold nearly 20c/kg dearer for cattle of similar weights.
A number of Charolais cattle also did well, including a pen from Kurrawa Partnership, who sold six Charolais weaner steers, 340kg, for 242c/kg or $822.
IS Black Estate also sold eight Charolais weaner steers, 297kg for 236c/kg or $700.
Stedar Enterprises was one of the best lighter Angus weaner steer pens of the day, with eight of those cattle, 292kg, sold for 230c/kg, with pens of similar cattle not heading below 180c/kg.
There were some good quality pens of Friesian steers with PJ & RL Page selling a pen of 19 Friesian steers, 466kg, for 152c/kg or $708.
A pen from Elledan Pastoral of 11 F1 Angus/Friesian cross yearling steers, 444kg, did sell for 200c/kg or $888.
Cows with calves at foot sold to a top of $1140 for which was for one cow and calf weighing 650kg from CJ & AM Surkitt.
M & J Hiscock sold eight Speckle Park cows with calves at foot, 495kg, for $1100.
