Lighter steers climbed towards 500 cents a kilogram at Euroa, in another sign the market continues to gain in confidence.
Agents yarded 2039 head of steers, heifers, pregnancy-tested-in-calf females and cows and calves, more than 500 head than originally expected.
Conroy Brothers was the main feedlot bidding at Euroa, but commission buyers Duncan Brown, Albury, NSW, and Andrew Lowe, Wagga Wagga NSW, picked up a sizeable part of the yarding.
Corcoran Parker, Wodonga, was bidding alongside locals and agents from Shepparton, Benalla, Yea and even Colac.
Elders auctioneer Joe Allen, Euroa, said rising prices might have drawn more cattle to the sale.
"We did have some cattle carry over from January," Mr Allen said.
"There was probably a bit more quality and better lines than we traditionally see in February.
"We had a good run of 350-450-kilogram Angus and Angus-cross feeder-weight steers and they sold in the mid-300 to high-300 cents a kilogram.
"In a buoyant market, once we got down to a 300kg steer it's very much a price point where people are just bidding to $1200 a head."
Nutrien livestock agent Russell Mawson, Euroa, said all the cattle were showing seasonal bloom.
"We are almost running a spring campaign in the middle of summer but it's green, everywhere you drive around there is actual feed in the paddock," Mr Mawson said.
"The better-bred cattle were similar to those at Wangaratta, they made the money, no problems at all, reaching more than 400c/kg for the steers.
"When you got down to the light steers, they were a lot stronger again."
He estimated the market could be $400 dearer than late last year.
Rodwells auctioneer Ryan Carpenter, Euroa, said while the yard did not have "the big, quality runs of cattle" offered at Wangaratta or Wodonga, prices were still "effective".
"Grown cattle, 400-500kg, sold from 350-380c/kg and the top end of the weaner calves sold from 370-400c/kg - but there were plenty of sales of the lighter weaners making 420-440c/kg," he said.
"400c/kg is the new number."
He said younger heifers sold from 320-350c/kg, with grown heifers in the high 200c/kg range.
L Apted and Sons, Arthurs Creek, sold 50 Newnham-blood steers, 241kg, for $1100 or 456c/kg, and 50, 207kg, for $980 or 473c/kg.
Gooram Springs, Gooram, sold 19 Prime and Millah Murrah-blood steers, 273kg, for $1220 or 446c/kg.
R and K Barnes, Euroa, sold 29 Newnham-blood steers, 348kg, for $1390 or 399c/kg.
The Martins, Terip, sold 11 steers, 369kg, for $1220, or 330c/kg.
G and L Johnston, Spring Fields, Ruffy, sold 16 Connamara-blood steers, 362kg, for $1470 or 406c/kg.
Glendower, Sheans Creek, sold 11 Connamara-blood steers, 9-11 months, 369kg, for $1420 or 384c/kg.
GK Elliott sold 18 steers, 387kg, for $1480 or 382c/kg.
A and P Beard sold 16 Table Top-blood steers, 434kg, for $1600 or 368c/kg.
Clifton Park sold16 steers, 416kg, for $1590 or 382c/kg, 20 steers, 349kg, for $1420 or 406c/kg, and 16, 342kg, for $1390 or 406c/kg.
Korlmi, Arcadia, sold 20 Angus steers, 321kg, for $1380 or 429c/kg.
Abadean, Lockington, sold eight PTIC heifers for $1600, and nine for $2025, as well as 8x8 cow and calf units for $1875.
Gooram Springs sold 10 cows, depastured to Red Hill bulls, for $1760, and another 10 cows for $1680.
Yulong sold 11 Lawsons-blood heifers, 442kg, for $1380 or 312c/kg.
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
