Sales at the monthly Yea store sale marked time with other centres, in what one agent described as a "typical winter yarding".
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Agents yarded 1848 head of steers, heifers, cows and cows and calves at the Yea selling centre, with buyers from three states operating.
A western Victorian processor and feedlot, backed by South Australia's Princess Royal feedlot, Burra, again dominated purchases of the heavier steers, while many pens of lighter heifers went to NSW.
Elders Delaney Livestock and Property auctioneer Anthony Delaney, Pakenham, said there was starting to be a "little bit of movement" in the whole market.
"It was refreshing to see a few Gippsland agents here, "Mr Delaney said.
"It's a little bit of a sign of the times in that decent numbers are running out - there were not the cattle here in the heavier category, but what was here sold extremely well," he said.
"It was probably no dearer to what we have seen but it probably held up, with three to four major feedlots operating."
Heavier cattle sold to the high 300 cents a kilogram, while the weaner portion "floated around 400c/kg," he said.
"Quality ran out very quickly, I thought heifers were on a par to what we have seen, although lighter stock could have been $100-150/head dearer."
Nutrien auctioneer Josh McDonald, Warrnambool, said it was a "typical winter's yarding.
"I'd say the quality really probably wasn't there, we got through the better end quickly," he said.
"Your better end of the heavier steers sold for the high 300c/kg and up around 400c/kg, with the good heavy heifers selling for 320-330c/kg, which is about on a par with other centres, Mr McDonald said.
Steers sold to a top of $2400, while heifers went for up to $1410.
Cows and calves made a top of $1950.
Midfield Meat Group, Warrnambool, was the main purchaser of steers in the first lanes of heavier cattle, with weights dropping away quickly to the low to mid 300 kilograms.
Buyers for Princess Royal and Hopkins River, Dunkeld, also bought heavier cattle.
Lighter steers were picked up by agents from Alex Scott & Staff and South Gippsland Livestock, Leongatha.
SEJ, Leongatha, Baw Baw Livestock and Delaney Livestock rounded out the Gippsland buyers, with steers also going back to local paddocks.
Albury, NSW, based commission buyer Duncan Brown picked up many of the pens of light heifers, for northern clients in centres such as Walgett, Coonamble and Warren, NSW.
CPS Thomas Balhausen, Dubbo, and Ray White Rural, Albury, were other NSW buyers and Miller, Whan and John, Mount Gambier, SA, also picked up lighter heifers.
Heavier heifers were sought by Northern Victoria Livestock, as well as meat buyers, Westside Meats, Bacchus Marsh, and Ascot Meat Products, Wodonga.
D Robb & K Deacon, Thornton, sold nine, 711kg, 22-24-month old Angus steers, Rennylea-blood for 337c/kg or $2400 to Hopkins River, 28, 686kg steers, for 342c/kg or $2350 and 12, 670kg steers for 341c/kg or $2290.
Millewa Farms sold 12, 465kg, 14-16 month Angus steers, Merridale-blood, for 397c/kg or $1850 to Princess Royal.
CK & ML Oliver sold nine, 486kg Angus steers, Connemara-blood for $1800 or 370c/kg to Midfield Meats and 20, 343kg, steers for 384c/kg or $1320 to SGL.
B Tucker, Ellinbank, sold 12, 441kg, Poll Hereford steers for 367c/kg or $1620 to Princess Royal.
G Williams sold 12, 335kg, 8-10 months Angus steers, Connemara-blood, for 355c/kg or $1190 to Duncan Brown, buying for AJF Brien and Sons, Coonamble, NSW.
Whataview, Murrindindi, sold 11, 339kg, 10-11 month Angus and Charolais/Angus steers, Paringa-blood, for 368c/kg or $1250 to Rick Wills, Nutrien Yea.
Mark Walsh sold 17, 297kg, 10-11 month Angus steers, Riddelvue and Dunoon-blood, for 400c/kg or $1190 to SGL.
M & K Greenshields sold 9, 263kg, Angus steers, Riddelvue-blood, for 365c/kg or $960 to AJF Brien and Sons.
P&H Bonsema, Acheron, sold 16, 446kg, Hereford steers, Glen Goulburn and Glen Trevor-blood, for 356c/kg or $1590 to Princess Royal.
Tangles Pastoral sold 12, 335kg, eight-nine month Hereford steers, Tarcombe and Glen Trevor-blood for 355c/kg or $1190.
Faraday sold 8, 319kg, 12-14 month Charolais and Charolais-cross steers for 307c/kg, or $980 to Westside Meats, Bacchus Marsh.
Ballandry sold 7, 219kg, Angus steers, Reiland and Riddellvue-blood, for 369c/kg or $810 to ASC.
Ballandry sold 24, 231kg, Angus heifers for 311c/kg or $720.
Millewa Farms sold 12, 442kg, 14-16 month Angus heifers for 307c/kg or $1360 to Westside Meats.
Koala Grazing, Tooboorac, sold 12, 443kg, Angus heifers for 318c/kg or $1410.
KJ, GM & RL Kelly, Myrtle Creek, sold 30, 359kg, Angus heifers, Jarobee and Dunoon-blood for 334c/kg or $1200.
Altapiani Livestock sold 21, 224kg, Angus heifers, Kelly-blood, for $710 or 318c/kg.
G&G Williamson, Taggerty, sold 17, 321kg, 8-10 month Angus heifers, Connemara-blood for 311c/kg or $1000 to Nutrien.
Inverness sold 19, 301kg, Angus heifers, Connemara and Lawson-blood, for 322c/kg or $970 to Duncan Brown.
Springfell Angus sold 13, 247kg Angus heifers, Tulagi-blood, for 319c/kg or $790.