Vendor-bred cattle prices jumped by as much as $200 a head at Bairnsdale's first fortnightly sale for April as recent rain injected a shot of confidence into several major buyers.
Agents yarded 1542 steers and heifers at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange on Friday where agents were "somewhat surprised" by a strengthening of store cattle prices.
Bill Wyndham & Co livestock manager Colin Jones said a combination of buyers from South Gippsland and the Bairnsdale district, plus a small amount of feedlot competition, contributed to the rally of prices.
"The quality overall was not too bad and that was surprising, because while there was some mixed-quality cattle, there were some extremely good pens of cattle too," he said.
"The better end of the steer weaners could have been $200 a head dearer compared to our last market in March, while the older cattle were up to $100 dearer.
"The better end of the heifers were about $100 dearer also, while the secondary types of heifers were similar rates to what we have seen at recent sales."
Mr Jones said some parts of South Gippsland had received up to three inches, or about 80 millimetres, of rain in the last seven days.
"While it doesn't rain grass overnight, it gives buyers in that area a bit of confidence," he said.
Nutrien East Gippsland Livestock manager Brad Obst said there was healthy competition on the better-bred yearling and grown cattle.
"Heifers attracted strong competition, but the crossbred and smaller pens of cattle didn't see the rise the well-bred cattle did," he said.
"South Gippslanders were the strength of the market and probably bought 60-70 per cent of the yarding, while we saw an improvement from local graziers too on the back of recent and predicted rains."
B Hancock, Wy Yung, sold six Angus, 2.5 years, 675kg, steers for $2090 or 309c/kg.
K Pardow sold nine Angus, 618kg, steers for $1900 or 307c/kg.
RA & AT Chila, Wy Yung, sold 10 Angus/Friesian-cross, two years, 543kg, steers for $1640 or 302c/kg, and 12, 497kg, steers for $1640 or 329c/kg.
R & J Miller sold eight Angus, 500kg, steers for $1590 or 318c/kg.
Campo Romawi, Romawi, sold 13 Charolais, two years, 494kg, steers for $1550 or 303c/kg.
A & K Keys, Nicholson, sold 10 Angus, 16-18 months, 447kg, steers for $1420 or 317c/kg.
The same vendor sold seven fourth-calving Angus/Hereford-cross cows with calves at foot, four and five months, for $1600 a unit.
D Woodward sold 17 Angus, 414kg, steers for $1500 or 362c/kg, and 16, 368kg, steers for $1300 or 353c/kg.
Standora Pty Ltd, Newmeralla, sold nine Angus, 12-14 months, 387kg, steers for $1300 or 335c/kg.
Barnhill Angus sold 17, 373kg, steers for $1240 or 322c/kg.
AD, MK & AJ Reed sold 10 Hereford, 368kg, steers for $1000 or 271c/kg, and 19, 324kg, steers for $780 or 240c/kg.
The same vendors aols 19 Hereford, 274kg, heifers for $680 or 248c/kg, and 12, 230kg, heifers for $510 or 221c/kg.
Kent Park sold 15 Hereford, 358kg, steers for $1150 or 321c/kg, 18, 314kg, steers for $1080 or 343c/kg, and 12, 281kg, steers for $1140 or 405c/kg.
F Van Doeselarr sold 19 Angus, 354kg, steers for $1240 or 350c/kg.
B & J Herbert sold 11 Angus, 356kg, steers for $1250 or 351c/kg, and 10, 347kg, steers for $1250 or 360c/kg.
W Gibbs sold 16 Angus, 345kg, steers for $1130 or 327c/kg, and 11, 258kg, steers for $1000 or 387c/kg, plus nine Angus, 268kg, heifers for $740 or 276c/kg.
The same vendor sold 15 Hereford, 260kg, heifers for $650 or 250c/kg, and 14, 235kg, heifers for $580 or 246c/kg.
D Perdon sold 10 Angus, 307kg, steers for $1090 or 355c/kg.
The Herberts also sold 10 Angus, 339kg, heifers for $960 or 283c/kg, and 11, 324kg, for $960 or 296c/kg.
Rylan Fishing, Lakes Entrance, sold nine Angus, seven and eight months, 259kg, steers for $940 or 362c/kg.
Wilfin, Benambra, sold 22 Angus, five and six months, 243kg, steers for $960 or 395c/kg.
MJ Cattle Co, Bruthen, sold five Limousin second-calving cows with Limousin calves, one and two months, at foot for $1720.
K & T Woodgate sold 18 Hereford, 292kg, heifers for $820 or 280c/kg, and 16, 255kg, heifers for $820 or 321c/kg.
D Woodward sold 17 Angus, 414kg, steers for $1500 or 362c/kg, and 16, 368kg, steers for $1300 or 353c/kg.