Hamilton weaner steer prices soared past 770 cents a kilogram on Monday as week two of the southern weaner cattle sales series kicked off in Victoria.
Northern NSW demand for cattle to restock underpinned the 4120-head feature sale as much as 80 per cent of the large yarding of cattle went north of the Murray River or south to Gippsland.
Local western district agents said they were rapt with the prices, and while prices were on par with other recent cattle sales, the consistent high prices at the sale remained "red hot" from the first to the last pen.
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It was the first of four weaner sales at the Hamilton Regional Livestock Exchange this week, with other sales to take place at Casterton, Yea, Kyneton, Euroa, Wodonga, Pakenham and Naracoorte, SA, this week.
Last week sales predominately took place in north-east Victoria and SA as sales were held at locations including Wangaratta and Wodonga, with sales set to return to the latter later in the week.
LMB Livestock auctioneer Hugh Douglas, Hamilton, said a large portion of the Angus and Black Baldy yarding featured cattle weighing 350kg and above.
"A lot of calves here today sold in excess of $2300 with the top calves from $2500 to 2800c/kg and in a cents a kilogram price, cattle 580-650c/kg for those heavier calves 380-420kg," he said.
"Once you got onto your lighter calves, the cents a kilogram jumped and calves 300-350kg were making 660-730c/kg and only a sprinkling of calves under 300kg made from 740-800c/kg."
Mr Douglas estimated about 80 per cent of the yarding would leave the Hamilton district, most bound for northern NSW with several loads destined for restockers in Gippsland.
He said the average weight of the yarding at the sale was one kilogram heavier compared to the 2021 sale.
"However, we saw a lot more tail-ends of peoples' drafts and that's because of how high the prices are at the moment," he said.
"We always have a northern interest but it's seasonal driven and it's well documented that they have feed and need stock.
"Generally speaking, we would usually get a load to South Australia but NSW especially really stepped up and we have never seen it like we did today."
Among the feature drafts was 82 Angus steers consigned by the Rees family, Roo Park Pastoral, Telangatuk East, 10-11 months, which included 28 steers, 297kg, for 778c/kg or $2310 and earlier 24 steers, 393kg, for 650c/kg or $2554.
Aringa West Pastoral, Yambuk, sold 96 Angus steers, 10 months, including 16 Angus steers, 400kg, for 642c/kg or $2568.
Coffey Partnership, Port Fairy, sold 106 Angus steers, eight to 10 months, including one of the heaviest genuine weaner pens with 16 Angus steers, 442kg, selling for 616c/kg or $2722.
Calga Pastoral sold 96 Angus steers, nine and 10 months, including 18 steers, 394kg, for 650c/kg or $2561.
John and Roma McErvale, Cadell, Branxholme, sold 149 Angus steers, 10 months, including 28 steers, 419kg, for 632c/kg or $2648.
BA & AM Linke, Mt Napier, sold 177 Angus steers, nine and 10 months, including 27 Angus steers, 422kg, for 616c/kg or $2599 and 75 steers, 365kg, for 696c/kg or $2540.
Camp Creek sold the first pen of the sale with 26 Angus steers, 423kg, for 608c/kg or $2571 and later another 82 steers, 387kg, for 662c/kg or $2561.
Phil Canavan, Raheen, Myamyn, sold 110 Angus steers including 22 steers, 380kg, for 658c/kg or $2500 and 30 Angus steers, 304kg, for 754c/kg or $2292.
Tim Johnston, Waradgery, Brit Brit, sold 80 Angus steers including 25 steers, 371kg, for 663c/kg or $2459 and 31 steers, 341kg, for 718c/kg or $2448.
Nigel and Liz Paulet, Glenesta, Drumborg, sold 103 Angus steers, 10-11 months, including 14 steers, 375kg, for 658c/kg or $2467 and 46 steers, 328kg, for 720c/kg or $2361.
Hamilton & District Stock Agents' Association president Warren Clark said a significant portion of the yarding was destined for NSW.
"I don't think it was any dearer than other sales we've seen, but the point of difference was that it was consistent from pen one to pen 161," he said.
"We sold a light pen of calves for 810c/kg and back in our October sale, the same sort of calves made 850c/kg but they had probably better displays of breeding."
"As one buyer said here today, 'I've bought 600 cattle and that gives me 600 cattle to sell later on', and they just don't have any cattle in the north."
Mr Clark said he expected the high beef prices for store cattle to remain consistent for well into the new year.
"I'm going to stick my head on a chopping block here but I think we'll be right for another six months or maybe even longer," Mr Clark said.
"The breeding is what stood out today and these calves had done very well and that's attributed to the bloody breeding and farm management of these animals."
Mountainview sold 15 Angus steers, 414kg, for 616c/kg or $2599 and 45 steers, 337kg, for 714c/kg or $2406.
Skene sold 30 Black Baldy steers, 371kg, for 672c/kg or $2493.
Riverbend sold 19 Angus steers, 415kg, for 602c/kg or $2498.
Stonehaven sold 23 steers, 398kg, for 642c/kg or $2555.
Garrangreena sold 23 steers, 397kg, for 650c/kg or $2580 and 32 steers, 331kg, for 724c/kg or $2396.
Winninburn sold 22 steers, 426kg, for 633c/kg or $2696.
Willamay sold 18 steers, 418kg, for 640c/kg or $2675.
Athlone sold 13 steers, 416kg, for 648c/kg or $2695 and 30 steers, 357kg, for 690c/kg or $2463.
Pineview sold 26 Angus steers, 414kg, for 646c/kg or $2674.
Fixby sold 21 steers, 394kg, for 654c/kg or $2576.
Karonga sold 16 steers, 413kg, for 644c/kg or $2659.
EJC Cameron sold 27 steers, 415kg, for 629c/kg or $2610 and 69 steers, 370kg, for 675c/kg or $2497.
Wilderness Trading sold 26 steers, 411kg, for 648c/kg or $2663.
Balcairn sold 20 steers, 400kg, for 644c/kg or $2576.
Murndal sold 2 Black Baldy steers, 385kg, for 680c/kg or $2618 and 29 steers, 335kg, for 696kg or $2331.
Glen park sold 24 steers, 322k,g for 740c/kg or $2382.
Corrijon sold four steers, 255kg, for 824c/kg or $2101.
