Agents reported excellent quality and strong demand at the annual steer weaner sale at Colac on Thursday.
Charles Stewart livestock consultant Matt Nelson said the prices reflected that weights were up on previous years.
"Our best calves obviously were getting up over 400kg but there was a lot of calves in the 370 to 400kg that probably other years wouldn't have been that heavy.
"That's probably as dearer cattle sale as what we've probably seen, dollars per head wise, just purely because of the weight.
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"A lot of those heavy calves were making 480c/kg and things like that.
"Some of those lighter calves towards the end of the sale were 600kg up to 700c/kg for little 200kg calves - that's huge money."
Livestock manager Phil Douglas said Nutrien's yarding averaged about $1730 a head.
"It was a very good yarding of cattle and I know there wouldn't be a single person that's complained about the sale today - except for people trying to buy," he said.
"Plenty of fellas were saying there average was $600 to $700 better than last year."
The bidding began with Angus steers, with RW & LF Kemp's first pen of six at 464kg selling for 431c/kg or $2000 a head.
Their second pen, with nine at 427kg, then sold for 451c/kg or $1930 a head, while Bellerson sold 19 at 378kg for 486c/kg or $1840.
Lariggan sold 21 steers at 397kg for 460c/kg or $1830 a head.
M & L Jacobs sold 185 head in total, including 42 at 388kg for 474c/kg or $1840, and 50 at 336kg for 532c/kg or $1790 a head.
Demand was also strong for Herefords, with MG & HM Smith selling a pen of 16 at 341kg for 480c/kg or $1640 per head.
Moonmoote sold 12 at 352kg for 463c/kg or $1630 per head.
Mr Douglas said prices were good across the day, with Herefords on par with Angus, although the heavier European breeds did not quite match the British breeds.
He said there was good support from both local and northern buyers.
"The northern blokes were very strong early on and strong on the lighter end too," he said.
"We had two orders from Gippsland and we never bought a calf for them, they gave us a bit of money but we just didn't have enough."
"They said, buy British bred, buy as many as you like, and we never filled the old wheelbarrow."
He said the good prices reflected the work that went in by producers.
"Some people say it's too much money, but I think that for the work the producer puts in, not just this year but over the years with breeding, and don't forget that these prices have been pretty good the last few years, the last couple of years, but not 10 years," he said.
"I still say it's where it should be.
"As long as the bloke that's bought the cattle today, he makes a quid.
"While they're making a quid, they'll be back and we've got to have that if we have an annual sale like that every year."
For full coverage of the weaner sales this week, including detailed market reports, The Land will post updates here.
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