Steer prices jumped 10-20 cents a kilogram on the previous month and some heifers had an even bigger rise at the smallest Naracoorte store cattle sale yarding for the year.
The Mid South East is on track for one of its wettest June on record so some vendors were unable to muster cattle out of wet paddocks, while many others are playing the long game and hoping the market will rally.
PPHS auctioneer Richard Harvie said the 673 head were better quality than many expected for a winter yarding which helped lift prices.
"Feeder steers making $3.65/kg to $3.80/kg was $150 to $200 more than where we thought it might be and even the lighter steers with so many coming out of NSW still sold well, there were still 280kg steers making over $4/kg," he said.
"There were no real runs of lighter cattle 240 to 260kg."
He said heifers were also "definitely stronger". 'We saw over $3/kg when we were expecting $2.20/kg to $2.70/kg so it was 60-80c/kg
There was a little bit more confidence but Mr Harvie put the increased competition on lighter cattle down to buy in prices being back to levels more people feel comfortable to have a go.
"When it was $1600 to $2200 you were only getting those producers who are in cattle year after year but at $800 to $1000 or $1100 now there is an opportunity for feedlotters and other operators," he said.
Overall the 219 steers topped at $1740 and averaged $1257, the 446 heifers topped at $1443 and averaged $948 and the eight cows with calves sold topped at $1920 and averaged $1285.
Steer top price honours went to A&S Bryson, Padthaway, with their 13- EU accredited February/March 2022 drop Angus.
Thomas Foods International bought the 470kg Stoney Point and Bull Oak Well bloods and also snapped up the Brysons' next pen 10 427kg for $1640.
RB&VJ Berling had 17 September/October 2022 drop Angus, 379kg make $1410 to Kaicowrie, Penola.
A few pens of steers cracked $4/kg including 25 August 2022 drop, EU accredited calves from Morundah Trust, Bool Lagoon.
The 288kg sold to Elders Lucindale for $4.16/kg or $1198.
Heifers easily outnumbered steers in the yarding with the top price of the category- from Arrow Maker, Kingston SE making $1443.
The July/August 2022 drop, Nampara blds which sold to Creek Livestock were 456.82kg.
Also from Kingston, Hunter Bros sold 23 March/April 2022 drop, Ben-Le bld Angus for $1250. The 375kg heifers were knocked down to Nutrien Naracoorte.
Elgin Pastoral, Thornlea, sold 23 Stoney Point bld yearlings for $1210 to Creek Livestock.
Competition was strong for breeder type heifers, particularly 60 August 2022 drop, EU accredited Angus from Morundah Trust.
The top pen of 22 Landfall bloods weighed 323.1kg and made $3.72/kg. This equated to $1203.
Nineteen JB Angus bld Angus, 331kg from Hislop Nominees, Stewart Range, made $1080.
The highest price in the cows with calves was one Speckle Park heifer with a calf at foot from SW Hinze, Lucindale. It made $1920.
Southern Australian Livestock auctioneer Mat MacDonald said the small yarding sold well.
"The 300 to 380kg steers were better than expected, we thought they may have been around $3.50/kg but they were up at $4/kg," he said.
Mr MacDonald said heifers to put with a bull were in strong demand but there were still buying opportunities on the 250-280kg heifers which traded in $2.70/kg to $3/kg range.
"Underpinning a lot of sales were that a few of our sheep guys were looking for 20 to 30 cattle," he said.
