The latest spring drop weaners to be sold at Kyneton have boosted prices, with cattle presenting in the peak of condition, after excellent seasonal conditions.
Agents, who yarded 710 head of cattle, said well-bred cattle were also now consistently being sold through the yards, further driving up prices.
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Elders Livestock manager Dean Coxon said the May store sale was the dearest seen at Kyneton, for a long time.
"A guy from Inverell, NSW, bought three loads of calves,a lot of people got run over by him, he didn't miss any," Mr Coxon said.
"The the locals were also strong, as were Ballarat and Gippsland agents."
A shortage of cattle and improved breeding lines in the Kyneton area were pushing up prices.
The quality of the progeny of sires from Banquet, Te Mania and Adameluca bloodlines was showing up at the yards, with the weaners making the most of the good season.
"Our autumn, this year, has been like a second spring, you could not get a better autumn in this area," he said.
Kieran McGrath, McGrath Rodwell, said it was a solid sale, from start to finish.
He said agents from a wide area competed with local buyers for cattle.
Apart from Bendigo and Ballarat, buyers came to Kyneton from Seymour, Sunbury, Geelong, Albury, Shepparton and Tatura.
"I would think, as we are getting further into winter, the cattle are getting harder to find," Mr McGrath said.
"Whether they get any dearer, that's the $100,000 question; if prices stay at the current rates, all sellers will be very satisfied."
He agreed some areas around the district were experiencing a "mini-spring".
"That is reflected in the condition of some of the cattle; they are nearly in prime condition now."
Landmark Dwyer's John Robson said most of the offering was of spring drop weaners.
He said Wilga Feedlot, Inverell, took 266 head of cattle.
"They wanted the better-bred weaners, in the yarding - it was the best we have had, for a long time," Mr Robson said.
Breeding lines were starting to show through, on the cattle on offer.
P Hone sold 10 Angus steers, 438kg, for $1670, or 381cents/kilogram.
G Thiele sold 10 Angus steers, 411kg, for $1600, or 389 c/kg.
Gradamier Beef sold 12 Black Baldy steers, 341kg, for $1470, or 431c/kg.
Eaton Park's first pen of 15 Angus steers, 308kg, sold for $1330, or 431c/kg, while a second pen of 17, averaging 267kg, went for $1230, or 460c/kg.
M O'Connor sold 11 Adameluca-blood spring 2019-drop drop Angus steers, 265kg, for $1330 or 501c/kg, while a second pen of 12, 312kg, sold for $1390, or 445c/kg.
Maylands sold 14 Banquet-blood Angus steers, 294kg, for $1330, or 452c/kg.
The property's 14 Angus steers, 259kg, sold for $1190, or 459c/kg.
E Boetcher sold four Angus cows, second calvers, PTIC for spring calving, for $1900.
Fellcroft sold seven Angus and Charolais/Angus cross heifers, 445kg, for $1490, or 334c/kg.
A Hauke sold 11 Angus heifers, 342kg, for $1350, or 394c/kg.
PG Pastoral sold 17 Angus heifers, 322kg, for $1350, or 419c/kg.
Eaton Park's 19 Angus heifers, 257kg, went for $1240, or 482c/kg.
Maylands sold 19 Angus heifers, 266kg, for $1270, or 477c/kg.
M O'Connor sold16 Angus heifers, 272kg, for $1240, or 455c/kg.
The Active Corporation "Glendene", sold 15 Adameluca Angus blood steers, 296kg, for $1390, or 469c/kg.
.AM McCarthy sold 13 Angus steers, 335kg, for $1480 or 441c/kg.
The property also sold nine Angus heifer weaners, 322kg, for $1310, or 406c/kg.
J & N Davis sold 13 Black Baldy/Angus-cross steers for $1130.
Bruce and Paula Young, sold a pen of Shorthorn/Charolais-cross steers, 300kg for, $1120, or 373c/kg.
A Sandilands sold a pen of five 10-month old steers for $1610 and five heifers for $1410.
Teddy Brown sold seven unweighed Shorthorn steers for $1220.
Leigh Barker sold three Angus/Limousin-cross heifers, with Limousin CAF, to six weeks, unjoined, for $2520.
Johnny Fuljek sold five Red Angus cross steers, 300kg, for $1250 or 416c/kg.
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