A number of South Gippsland buyers were missing from the competition, but strong feedlot support on heifers kept this section afloat.

Prices eased from $40-$50 on steers, with heifers coming in $10-$20 cheaper and cows with calves at foot up to $150 cheaper.

Auctioneer Gordon Conners, FOB, Sale, said the dry season was pushing producers into offloading cattle into store sales rather than holding out for a prime market sale either later in the year, or next year season permitting.

“This is Sale’s driest September on record, but if this had happened five years ago the yards would have been filled twice over,” he said.

“I think there’s a lack of numbers, we’re probably blessed a bit with that, otherwise we’d be in real trouble.”

The top steer price was snared by a single Hereford offered by GD Lee, with Avondale realising a top of $845 for 51 Angus steers, average $740.

JK and JG Cobain also sold an impressive pen of 11 Hereford at $825, average $675 over a total 31.

Steve Vassie, Boisdale, sold a nice run of 18 Hereford, two years, to $775, average $758.50 and 15 Angus at $670 for 18-20 months.

Bought at this sale 12 months ago at “cheap” rates, Mr Vassie said the return was well within expectation.

After the first run of grown steers quality slipped away, with values ranging down to $578.

Steer weaners topped at $676 for 35 Angus sold by BJ, LE and AT Newmann to Corcoran Parker, Wodonga.

Richard Crooke, Rosedale, sold 39 Angus black baldy and Angus steers, Pinora and Innisdale blood, 13-14 months to $608, average $593.

Mr Crooke topped the heifer charge at $580 for 18 black baldy sisters, with 21 seconds at $568, both secured by Peter Lee buying for the Charlton Feedlot and 17 thirds at $458.

Danny Kuch sold a quality line of Dunoon and Andora blood Angus weaners to $544, with the tops secured by Charlton Feedlot, for an average $526.

Feedlot support, buoyed by Graham Ward who secured over half of the heifer yarding, and John Collins for Caldermeade, kept heifers from suffering the same losses as steers.

Cattle were sold into the local area, Wodonga, Charlton and South Gippsland.