Ballarat's October store sale has rallied to keep prices firm or slightly cheaper compared to their depressed store sale a month ago, with all feedlotters present but not all particularly active.
Agents yarded about 1700 cattle, including some high-quality draughts, which boosted parts of the sale similar to how Mortlake store sales in recent weeks.
Nutrien Ballarat stock agent John McKinnon said farmers had held back many good lines for the last few months.
"There were cattle here today that probably would have been good to sell two or three months ago," he said.
"They've just held and held and now probably got paid for it as well as they can today.
"There's certainly been cattle that have put on a lot of weight in the last month to six weeks, and I've seen cattle that have certainly started to bloom and spring up.
Mr McKinnon said that some farmers are still cautious about selling off stock as they are benefiting from what is becoming a bumper spring in parts of central and of western Victoria.
But price rises of up to $70 a head compared to prime sales in recent weeks showed some small positive steps in the market.
"We've been lucky at the moment, and it looks like we'll get more rain on the weekend, but I think people are biting the bullet now and selling those cattle they were holding," he said.
"But in saying that, it's still only 1700 yarded today, not 3000, or 4000."
The sale began strongly with a run of well-bred grown steers with one pen of 13 Angus grown steers, from Huzzy & Calwell 541kg, sold for 238 cents per kilogram or $1290 a head.
"I thought that there was a very good run of grown steers, [with] some going to the kill and some heading to the feedlots for cattle over 600kg and those in the 450-550kg range," Mr McKinnon said.
"That market was firm on last month to maybe a fraction better on some of the some of those really well bred 450-490kg calves."
Weaner steers also had weight with many pens averaging over 400kg in that section and selling to strong competition from northern buyers and feedlots for up to $50 a head better than last month.
Steers between 400-500kg averaged 225c/kg, while those in the 330-400kg range averaged 246c/kg.
Lighter steers also averaged 244c/kg to even stronger competition than their heavier brother, with many new local farmers competing with the commission buyers to purchase those steers.
Some of the best performers in that section included G & A Price sold 14 Angus weaner steers, 390kg for 250c/kg or $900, and BW & HM Rowe sold 11 Angus steers, 370kg for $960 or 258c/kg.
Vendor Tom Davies, Dunach Park, Stoney Park sold 14 Angus Francs-blood weaner steers, 427kg for 234c/kg or $1000, and another pen of 23 Angus weaner steers, 389kg, for 241c/kg or $940, both with Francs Blood genetics.
"The cattle we old are all grass-fed, and Francs Blood progeny do well for us," Mr Davies said.
"We practice regenerative farming too, and one or two others also practice it, but it's worked for us and our stock.
Mr Davies said he was as satisfied with the state of the market and planned to sell more cattle next month.
"It's just a reality at the moment that prices are a bit low, and things will probably stay the same for about 12 months until we get some improvement," he said.
"That's what I'm thinking anyway."
One of the best-performing cents per average pens was 10 Angus weaner steers from Carngham Station, 325kg, sold for 280c/kg or $910.
Grown and heavier weaner heifers also sold to good competition, with those in the 400-500kg range averaging 207c/kg, while heifers in the 330-400kg range averaged 188c/kg.
A pen of 18 Angus heifers from Warrah, 426kg, sold for 220c/kg or $940, while Carnham Station also did well in the heifer portion, selling a pen of 11 Angus heifers, 487kg, for 234c/kg or $1140.
One of the shining lights of the sale was the dispersal of cows and calves from the Lloyd family, which included one pen of 11 cows and calves for $2140.
Ingleby Ag also sold eight cows and calves for $1450.
