A smaller yarding at Euroa on Wednesday attracted spirited bidding, with a significant portion of the cattle offered going to the Goulburn Valley.
Agents at the North East Store Sale Centre offered 800 head of steers, heifers and cows and calves.
The top priced steers made $1600, while heifers reached $970.
"The lead of the 290-300 kilogram steers were making $1000 a head, then it tailed away to the 250-260kg steers, which made $800-850," Elders auctioneer Joe Allen, Euroa said.
"On the first block of heifers the price was probably in the high 200c/kg and then you got into some better runs of quality Angus, which probably made 300 cents a kilogram plus."
Overall he said the sale was "a little bit dearer" than last month, as numbers of heavier, feeder cattle had started to tighten.
The sale was the first since Easter and recent rain, with Kyneton operating a week ago.
"We are just starting to see the spring-drop weaners start to roll in - quality wise, they have been pretty good," Mr Allen said.
Schubert Boers, Lavington, NSW, Henry Dundas, Corcoran Parker, Wodonga, Elders and Nutrien, Shepparton, as well as Euroa agents were among the main buyers.
Conroy Brothers was the only notable feedlot, while Mulcahy Livestock, Tatura,"bought a big run of heifers," Mr Allen said.
"If you watched it really hard, you probably could note the areas that had the rain - going towards the Ky Valley and Tatura, they had the last rain and have just got 25-30mm, so they are ahead of the game, probably," he said.
There was only a small number of pens of heavier cattle, he said.
"People have already gone through and sold pretty heavily in January and February," he said.
"It's a bit of a time where we take a step back until April-May were we start to see more spring-drop cattle come through," he said.
Nutrien Harcourts livestock agent Jack Jones, Euroa, quoted the market as firm to slightly cheaper.
"We didn't have the buyers like Duncan Brown, Albury, NSW, so it was quite a one sided gallery," Mr Jones said.
"Once we got into the good drops of weaner calves, they sold from 300-330c/kg."
Nutrien Harcourts Euroa branch manager Russell Mawson agreed the heifers were stronger than they had been.
"The bottom end might have been 250c/kg while the tops were a tick over 300c/kg," he said.
It was a mixed yarding - "it's our winter yarding, but when you looked at that 800, there was something for everybody, it wasn't just bits and pieces," Mr Mawson said.
The area had received anything from 20-70mm of rain, he said.
"It's not an immediate response, you have to grow grass to get confidence, but we are on the right tram track," Mr Mawson said.
"NSW and southern Queensland are having the best season they have ever had but they are not buying yards and yards of cattle.
"You look at the feedlot and prime job and it hasn't lifted enough to pay a lot more at this end."
Liam Riley sold six, 557kg, Lawson-blood Angus steers for 287c/kg or $1600 to Conroy Brothers.
Eagle View sold eight, 424kg, Kelly-blood Angus steers for 316c/kg or $1340 to Henry Dundas, Corcoran Parker.
E & L Hill sold 11, 356kg, Angus steers for 331c/kg, or $1180 to Elders Shepparton.
Thalia sold 15, 410kg, Connamara-blood Angus steers, 12-14 months, for 302c/kg or $1240 to Henry Dundas, Corcoran Parker.
D & D Sexton, Villa, Finley, NSW, sold 20, 350kg, Witherswood and Scott-blood Angus steers, seven-eight months, for 340c/kg or $1190, 20 steers, 301kg, for 395c/kg or $1190 and 12 steers, 308kg, for 305c/kg or $940.
Salo Farm sold 11, 299kg, Connamara-blood Angus steers for 331c/kg or $990 and a second pen of 15 steers, 265kg, for 354c/kg or $940, which went to Elders Shepparton.
Stribling & Phelan, Flat Rock, sold seven, 329kg, Newnham-blood Angus steers for 306c/kg or $1010 to Elders Euroa.
BR Kellett & KE Wright sold 22, 290kg, Connamara-blood Angus steers for 341c/kg or $990 to Nutrien Benalla.
Crusader sold 12 Kelly-blood Angus steers, 255kg, for 376c/kg or $960 to Mulcahy Nelson.
Upson Downs sold 11 steers, 207kg, for 352c/kg or $730 to Elders Shepparton.
Huntly Farms sold five, 360kg, Alpine-blood Angus heifers for 269c/kg or $970 to Elders Shepparton.
Stribling & Phelan sold 12, 310kg, Newnham-blood Angus heifers for 287c/kg or $890.
Sexton sold 29, 318kg Witherswood and Scott-blood Angus heifers, seven-eight months, for $900 or 2883c/kg and 20 heifers, 297kg, for $850 or 286c/kg to Schubert Boers.
Thalia sold eight, 344kg, Connamara-blood Angus heifers for 255c/kg or $880.
Lynbrook sold 14, 305kg, heifers for 245c/kg or $750 to Red Earth Rural.
R Negrin sold nine, 303kg, Newblax-blood Angus heifers for 264c/kg or $800 to Elders Shepparton.
Crusader sold 16, 252kg, Kelly-blood Angus heifers for 293c/kg or $740.
M Leigh sold 10, 328kg, Dajory-blood heifers for 244c/kg or $800.
Upson Downs sold six, 223kg, Speckle Park heifers for 255c/kg or $570.
D & L Broadbent sold six by six cows and calves for $1475.