PRICES were strong at the Strathalbyn feature cattle sale on Friday, with bidding reaching $3.33 a kilogram on lighter steers.
Elders Strathalbyn's Danny Reynolds said cattle had sold as expected, which was very strong.
"A lot were above $3.20/kg, so at least 20c/kg above the last sale," he said.
"The quality of the cattle was very good, with a lot more at the heavier weights than usual.
"Form here on in, it's going to be a rising market, rather than falling."
Nutrien Ag Solutions' Bradley Walker said there was plenty of interest from buyers to meet the good quality of the yarding.
He said lighter steers and heifers in particular sold well but the sale was strong across the board.
"A lot of people, in the back of their minds, know the cattle market is going to pick up, so we're seeing a bit of that urgency," he said.
M McCallum, Milang, kicked off the sale with a pen of 10, 408 kilogram April-drop Angus-Charolais that received the per head highest price of $1270, or $3.11/kg.
SW&JL Davidson, Kingscote, sold 16, 385kg April/May-drop Angus at $1250 or $3.25/kg.
The same vendor offered two more runs each of 20, 331kg Angus, which sold at $1100 and $1090, or $3.32/kg and $3.29/kg respectively.
JT,VF&BD Howard, Penneshaw, sold 20, 378kg April/May-drop, Pasturefed Cattle Assurance System-eligible South Devons at $1180 or $3.12/kg.
DB&HP Wright, Macclesfield, sold 16, 385kg March/April-drop Angus-crosses at $1190 or $3.11/kg.
R Johnson, Ashbourne, sold 10, 353kg February/March-drop Angus at $1130 or $3.20/kg.
BE Pile, Yankalilla, had eight, 346kg June-drop Angus-Red Angus make $1100 or $3.22/kg.
RA&YG Hams, Vivonne Bay, offered 11, 341kg March/April-drop Sterita Park and Nampara-blood Angus, which made $1090 or $3.20/kg.
JR&JP Fisher, Second Valley, sold 20, 334kg March/April-drops at $1085 or $3.25/kg.
Silverton Park, Delamere, sold 17, 314/kg March/April-drops at $1010 or $3.22/kg.
RW Young, Parndana, had 17, 306kg Angus-crosses make $910 or $3.23/kg.
In the lighter weights, SW&JL Davidson sold 16, 289kg April/May-drop Angus at $940 or $3.25/kg.
DJ&AR Edwards, Oakbank, sold 17, 260kg May/June-drop Angus at $865 or $3.33/kg.
KMF Installs, Kangaroo Island, had 19, 261kg Angus made $855 or $3.27/kg.
CJ&KM Stapleton, KI, sold 14, 258kg May/June-drop PCAS Angus at $825 or $3.20/kg.
The heifer offering was topped by nine, 378kg March/April Sterita Park-bld Angus at $1090 or $2.88/kg from DM&JC Weatherspoon, Kingscote.
M McCallum sold five, 389kg April-drop Angus-Charolais at $1090 or $2.80/kg.
AJ Cooper, Langhorne Creek, had 14, 300kg April/May Kingarth-bld Angus make $860 or $2.87/kg.
Calana Heights, Stokes Bay, sold 17, 290kg April/May-drop PCAS Angus at $810 or $2.79/kg, with another three, 283kg Murray Greys making $810 or $2.86/kg.
SJ Childs, Kingscote, sold 11, 269kg April/May-drop Raven-blds at $765 or $2.84/kg.
There was a limited offering of cows and calves at-foot.
Six second-calf Angus cows with six December-drop CAF from Powell Livestock, Lobethal, made $1450, while a single Charolais cow with CAF from Imperial Partners, Mount Pleasant, sold at $1500.
Start the day with all the big news in agriculture. Click here to sign up to receive our daily Stock Journal newsletter.