Following along from recent wet weather and with a big drawcard – the bi-annual draft of Camoola Angus weaners, from Beveridge – the Pakenham sale soared $25-$30 a head above recent markets, according to Peter Brewer, Rodwells, Pakenham.

The Camoola weaners, aged seven to nine months and by Te Mania and Dunoon bulls, reached to a top of $684 over 121 head or 206 cents a kilogram, to average $635 and to $530 over 122 heifers, for an average $453.

Secured by mostly local buyers, the weaners set off a bidding storm.

But buyer interest did not stop here, but spread across the breadth of the market.

“We’ve had some pretty decent rains around here in the last week or 10 days and people were taking advantage of that and with cattle in shorter supply, they want to build their numbers up a bit, Mr Brewer said.”

Quality was also a prominent factor in the good result, with secondary, crossbred types in a minority and plenty of opportunities for buyers to put together a line of cattle.

Pat Reddan, Rodwells, Pakenham, said that weaner markets at Yea and Euroa, with solid northern support, had set a high benchmark and by default pushed up prices in the southern centres.

“A lot of our blokes go to Yea and Euroa to buy cattle and come back empty-handed and are now happy to pay more at home without the freight component,” Mr Reddan said.