Buyers at the Naracoorte combined agents' monthly store cattle sale yesterday could have been mistaken for thinking they had the wrong sale day with little activity at the yards and less than three full races of cattle yarded.
The less than half-hour sale was a sign cattle numbers in the area are nearly exhausted coming into winter.
However prices held up well for the 236 head with South East restocker interest and a feedlot order.
Steers fluctuated between $2.30 a kilogram to more than $2.60/kg.
Heifers made $2.00-$2.15/kg aside from a 232kg pen making $2.37/kg.
The sale toppers in dollars a head were 17 Angus steers, April 2014-drop weighing 432kg from PJ&MW Bellinger, Millicent.
They were knocked down at $1050 to Teys Australia for their Charlton feedlot, Vic.
"That's $2.43/kg which is good considering the size of the yarding," agent John Chay from Chay & Merrett, Millicent, said.
"Hopefully the prices should hold up so there is something in it for everyone. We've seen steers make $1000 and then sold again for $1100 in the past," he added.
Roblyn Pastoral, Kingston, topped the heifer offering at $725 with 17 February-March 2014 drop Angus.
The 339kg heifers sold to Landmark Millicent.
*See full report in April 30 edition of Stock Journal
