The Victorian Livestock Exchange has hosted scores of buyers at Leongatha after wet weather forecasts have renewed confidence in the store cattle market.
Nutrien South Gippsland manager Brian McCormack said there was an "outstanding" yarding of cattle at the Victorian Livestock Exchange's Leongatha store sale, with prices rising above his expectations.
"You'd have to travel a long way to find cattle like that - as per grown steers, all of our cattle from 400kg to nearly 700kg, all of our vendor-bred cattle and cattle bought last year and grown to bullocks," he said.
"We had a lot of local bellows, fatteners and a couple of feedlotters we haven't seen here for about six months, are back in the game again, it helped make the market strong.
"We also have a very very good run of heifers as well."
He said it was the Leongatha site's final sale for the year, which brought its yarding size up to about 4000-head of cattle.
Phelan & Henderson & Co partner Simon Henderson said the store market prices were "certainly dearer" than the fortnight prior, with a large spike across the state.
"I think some of the heavier cattle over the front are making $200-$250 more than they have been making, and we're seeing anything lift up to $100-$150," he said.
"The bigger lifts have been with the better bred cattle, the straight lines of well-bred - particularly blacks, and Hereford Angus cross and Herefords."
He said people were returning the market to purchase, with buyers being local restockers, and a major feedlotter, Teys, Charlton, returned to the market.
"They have regained confidence after taking a lot of notice of the weather bureau and the [media] talking about the big dry," he said.
"This weather event was not forecast at all and it's nearly turned the tables, and now a lot of people that were sellers are now buyers.
"By the interest here, the size of the gallery, and the number of cattle, it only shows that the market is strong and people are confident again."
Mr Henderson said he hoped the strongest store prices will help boost the fat sale prices.
Hobson & Jones sold 11 steers, 458 kilograms, for $1420 or 310 cents a kilogram.
G & D Jacobson sold 13 steers, 440kg, for $1350 or 302c/kg.
M Dean, Rosedale, sold 14 steers, 393kg, for $1330 or 338c/kg.
G & J Tuckett sold 20 steers, 390kg, for $1290 or 331c/kg and 23 steers, 357kg, for $1210 or 339c/kg.
G & L Bennett sold 15 steers, 380kg, for $1270 or 334c/kg, and 16 steers, 345kg, for $940 or 272c/kg.
Brewis & Woodhouse sold 21 steers, 365kg, for $1190 or 326c/kg.
P & V Milner sold 10 steers, 389kg, for $1170 or 301c/kg.
M & D Harms, Outtrim, sold 10 steers, 337kg, for $1010 or 268c/kg.
Ripplebrook Park sold 13 steers, 359kg, for $1040 or 290c/kg.
Aquila Fields, Neerim South, sold 17 steers, 696kg, for $1890 or 272c/kg, 19 steers, 663kg, for $1790 or 270c/kg, 20 steers, 649kg, for $1690 or 260c/kg, 17 steers, 640kg, for $1720 or 269c/kg, and 20 steers, 656kg, for $1760 or 268c/kg.
BJ & LE Neumann, Perry Bridge, sold 20 steers, 656kg, for $1700 or 259c/kg, and 20 steers, 587kg, for $1590 or 271c/kg.
Kuch Grazing, Darriman, sold 17 steers, 541kg, for $1640 or 303c/kg, 20 steers, 552kg, for $1650 or 299c/kg, 22 steers, 532kg, for $1660 or 312c/kg, 18 steers, 531kg, for $1660 or 313c/kg, 20 steers, 530kg, for $1660 or 313c/kg, 20 steers, 516kg, for $1610 or 312c/kg, 21 steers, 506kg, for $1610 or 312c/kg, and 22 steers, 506kg, for $1550 or 306c/kg.
M Rolls, Flynn, sold 27 steers, 542kg, for $1660 or 306c/kg.
Nalajule Pty Ltd, Mardan, sold 25 steers, 481kg, for $1500 or 312c/kg, 23 steers, 449kg, for $1500 or 334c/kg, and 26 steers, 453kg, for $1500 or 331c/kg.
The same vendor also sold 23 steers, 414kg, for $1500 or 362c/kg.
Blackwood Grazing, Trafalgar, sold 30 steers, 457kg, for $1490 or 326c/kg, 27 steers, 452kg, for $1550 or 343c/kg, 26 steers, 447kg, for $1500 or 336c/kg, 29 steers, 435kg, for $1510 or 347c/kg and 26 steers, 428kg, for $1480 or 346c/kg.
Latrobe Park Angus, Morwell, sold 21 steers, 472kg, for $1550 or 328c/kg, and 19 steers, 444kg, for $1480 or 333c/kg.
M & N Castello, Thorpdale, sold 14 steers, 492kg, for $1570 or 319c/kg.
High Voltage Consultancy, Flynn, sold 25 steers, 447kg, for $1460 or 327c/kg, and 15 steers, 434kg, for $1470 or 339c/kg.
G & G Thompson, Stony Creek, sold 17 steers, 421kg, for $1480 or 344c/kg.
O'Loughlin Farms, Tarwin, sold 18 steers, 430kg, for $1480 or 344c/kg, and 18 steers, 415kg, for $1420 or 342c/kg.
DC Bates, Munro, sold 23 steers, 382kg, for $1320 or 346c/kg.
A & A Missen, Woodside, sold 20 steers, 387kg, for $1360 or 351c/kg.
SJ Conway, Traralgon, sold 21 steers, 373kg, for $1390 or 373c/kg.
Northside Pastoral, Inverloch, sold 16 steers, 394kg, for $1330 or 376c/kg, and 20 steers, 380kg, for $1310 or 346c/kg.
Ian Henstreberger, Dumbalk North, sold 68 Angus steers, including 23 steers, 430kg, for $1500 or 349c/kg, 23 steers, 395kg, for $1480 or 375c/kg, and 21 steers, 386kg, for $1360 or 352c/kg.
Ponderosa Herefords, Meeniyan, sold 20 Hereford steers, 414kg, for $1310 or 316c/kg, 17 steers, 395kg, for $1370 or 347c/kg, and 16 steers, 385kg, for $1200 or 312c/kg.
A & B Wilkin, Mirboo, sold 21 steers, 396kg, for $1310 or 331c/kg, and 22 steers, 339kg, for $950 or 280c/kg.
S & V Greaves, Koonwarra, sold 13 steers, 403kg, for $1270 or 315c/kg.
N Smith, Pound Creek, sold 21 steers, 388kg, for $1000 or 258c/kg, 24 steers, 360kg, for $960 or 267c/kg, 24 steers, 319kg, for $850 or 266c/kg, and 21 steers, 332kg, for $920 or 277c/kg.
Mardan Lodge, Mardan, sold 15 steers, 326kg, for $1110 or 340c/kg.
B & K Foat, Woodside, sold 15 steers, 326kg, for $1180 or 362c/kg.
Clark Cattle Co, Mirboo North, sold 14 steers, 361kg, for $1200 or 332c/kg.
K & F Whelan, Outtrim, sold 14 steers, 312kg, for $1010 or 324c/kg.
Polyplas Pty Ltd sold 22 steers, 278kg, for $960 or 345c/kg, and 16 steers, 236kg, for $830 or 347c/kg.