Weaner steers were in hot demand at the second December store sale at WVLX Mortlake, fuelling further price rises in the market.
Agents yarded about 5500 cattle for the sale, with many vendors taking an early advantage of the price boost.
Quality Angus weaner steers drove much of the confidence on the day with prices being up to 40 cents dearer compared to Mortlake's equivalent sale a month ago.
Grown steers and heifers however remained firm.
Southern Grampians Livestock & Real Estate livestock agent Scott Judd said northern rain was well and truly beginning to make an impact on the market.
"We're seeing the feeder job jump up at the 270-300c/kg mark and there is a lot of excitement that we've got that rain up north," he said.
"Guys can restock up there so the price has been driven by all that rain, but we are also beginning to see a need for meat in the heavier end cattle from overseas as well."
Mr Judd said as well as northern interest, South Australian buyers competed well for the weaner steers.
"There was actually a lot of South Australian feedlotter interest along with that northern interest, and I'd say this was probably a stronger interest from South Australia especially across the weaner steers and middle-weight heavier heifers," he said.
"Many of those middle-weight heifers went to Gippsland as well."
High competition on weaner steers sold 30c-40c dearer with lighter weaner steers between 250-350kg regularly passed 300c/kg, and some outstanding steer sales going for much higher.
The top price of the day going to Alanvale Farms for a pen of 50 Angus weaner steers, 289kg, sold for 382c/kg or $1104 a head.
The highest price per head went to Kevin Mugavin, who sold 12 Angus grown steers, 580kg, for 260c/kg or $1508.
Much like last week's store sale, processors JBS, Midfield Meats and Teys were keen on those heavier cattle, competing strongly in that section.
Mr Judd said recent large yardings showed an eagerness from vendors to take advantage of the price rise, with a small amount of "uncertainty if the price is going to hold on across the board, going into the future months".
"Our season has dried off a little bit around west [of Mortlake] and we're lucky in south that's it's held on a bit," he said.
But across Hamilton and areas north of there to Horsham and a bit towards central Victoria have dried off pretty early, other than some very recent rain that's topped up.
"People have to make a move, and a lot of these cattle that have come into this sale probably would have been in the first two weeks of the weaner sales in January," he said.
Weaner heifers were firm, with better quality heifers ranging between 220-260c/kg.
However one late heifer pen from Jingella of 30 Angus weaner heifers, 296kg, garnered heavy bidding competition to achieve an outstanding high of 332c/kg or $983.
Higher quality grown steers ranged between 250-302c/kg, while quality grown heifers ranged between 220-274c/kg.
A small amount of coloured cattle were on offer, with Aringa North selling 31 Hereford weaner steers, 251kg, for 290c/kg or $729.
Lal Lal sold 11 Angus weaner steers, 437kg, for 314c/kg or $1374.
R Bourk sold 17 Angus weaner steers, 403kg, for 316c/kg or $1276.
Westridge sold 22 Angus weaner steers, 430kg, for 310c/kg or $1334.
Seabrook Agricultural sold 23 Angus weaner steers, 396kg, for 318c/kg or $1259.
S Johnstone sold 17 Angus weaner steers, 357kg, for 308c/kg or $1102.
Fiveways Angus sold 20 Angus weaner steers, 401kg, for 308c/kg or $1238.
N Dellios sold 32 Angus grown heifers, 406kg, for 274c/kg or $1114.
NA & CG Elford sold 14 Murray Grey grown heifers, 440kg, for 235c/kg or $1034.
Laggan sold 31 Angus grown steers, 544kg, for 276c/kg or $1503.
The lowest pen prices achieved on the day were 140c/kg or $370.
