Cattle prices ease across Yea, Leongatha, Bairnsdale and Mt Gambier sales.

Five major sales across Victoria and South Australia spread out the big buyers but the competition at Yea remained firm. See the prices here.

It was a huge sale day across Victoria with big yardings lined up at major saleyards including Yea, Leongatha, Bairnsdale and Mt Gambier, SA.

The Nutrien and Elders store sale at Yea put up around 2500 cattle to sell despite the buying base being dispersed across Victoria and South Australia.

“There was probably too many cattle on the market in the one day. They still sold very well but it just knocked a bit off the top of the heavy end,” Nutrien Ag Solution Yea agent Tyson Bush said.

A few heavy hitting feedlot and commission buyers in attendance put a floor in the market but the crowd was notably smaller than the large turn out the Yea weaner sale drew a few weeks ago.

Heavy steers above 500kg returned from 460c/kg to 480c/kg – about 10c to 15c back on previous sales. However, the market strengthened again when bids started flowing for the autumn drop calves at 460kg and below making from 500c/kg all the way up to 780c/kg for types just under 300kg.

“A couple of buyers said to me that (price drop) led them into a false sense of security but that wasn’t the case – they pushed up to the levels we’ve seen,” Mr Bush said.

“These (cattle) numbers are all still local but the job has been so good it’s just the money that has brought them out,” Mr Bush said.

“People are saying they don’t want to carry cattle over Christmas.”

Fifth generation farmer Tom Oliver was a volume vendor at the sale, offloading 140 steers and heifers in total alongside father Geoff, partner Kelly Brooks and ten-month-old daughter Grace.

Mr Oliver sold to highs of $2310 or 783c/kg for a pen of 23 Angus steers at 295kg, while their heifers sold to a top of $2200 or 583c/kg for a pen of 15 Angus at 377kg.