Heifers destined for the paddock for breeding and EU-accredited stock met the best demand at the Hamilton all breeds heifer sale on Thursday.
The sale was dominated by buying orders from south-east South Australia, local and western regional areas.
While there was an EU accreditation influence, the impact was on increased demand in bidding rather than a price premium.
Elders auctioneer Aaron Malseed said the EU cattle definitely received a much higher level of competition that the non-EU pens, although not all the EU cattle were kept in the system.
Mr Malseed said the general price trend across the sale was similar to other sales across the state.
The line was for cattle destined for the paddock for breeding or these being bought for backgrounding.
There was a lot of local support with Angus heifers going back to the paddock making a top of 312 cents a kilogram, while the top end of the Herefords made to 270c/kg.
The general run of Angus and Hereford heifers sold from 250-270c/kg, while the complete yarding averaged 261c/kg.
The yarding was slightly lower than expected as some breeders elected to send heifers for export while other retained heifers to utilise excess feed at home, he said.
SA-based agent Miller Whan & John picked up 25 per cent of the yarding with 321 cattle purchased while an order through Kerr & Co, Hamilton, was next best with 153 head.
The balance of the buyers were from Mount Gambier, SA, and Victorian centres including Hamilton, Casterton, Mortlake and the Gippsland region.
One pen went to a Launceston, Tasmania, account.
Just four lines broke the $1000 barrier and the Nangana annual draft of 148 Banquet-blood heifers had three of them.
The top 66 of the Nangana heifers sold to a top of 312c/kg or between $1049 to $1073.
The only other cattle to break the $1000 barrier was a draft that led off the sale forwarded by AA & DG Donovan.
The pen of 16 Bassano-blood heifers, 396kg, sold for 272c/kg or $1077.
Jean Maling, Fiveways, Portland, followed up topping the steer sale on Tuesday with a top price of 280c/kg for a line of Bassano-blood heifers.
The line weighed 345kg and came in at $967.
Two further lines sold for 273c/kg and 271c/kg or $$844 and $904 respectively.
The best of the Hereford heifer section was 278c/kg for a pen that was part of a consignment from the Gull family's Green Gully.
The top pen comprised 11 steers, 311kg, that came out at $866.
Yarram Park, Willaura, purchased 94 Yarram Park-blood Hereford heifers from Sandy Camp and Lochredale for between $800-$940.
The heifers will be used in Yarram Park's commercial breeding program in SA.
Sandy camp also sold a pen of 17 Black Baldy heifers, 328kg, that made 270c/kg or $892.
Among the Euro cattle, a pen of 18 Delamere-blood, sold by Lindock, made 259c/kg or $823 for weights of 318kg.
Sixteen Charolais, Mount William-blood, that weighed 353kg sold for 250c/kg or $882.
Eighteen from the same vendor, 321kg, made 250c/kg or $804.
A consignment of Shorthorn-cross heifers sold by S Ferrier made to 252c/kg or $718 for a pen of 12 weighing 285kg.
Lighter heifers from the same vendor weighing between 239 and 271kg made 230c/kg.
