The yarding of about 2000 head opened on heavier weaner steers, which failed to arouse much interest and sold about $20-$30 a head cheaper, according to Russell Mawson, Landmark, Euroa.

But as agents pushed through the pens and cattle weights dropped, prices bloomed.

"The lighter end of steers was very strong, with most people buying to a dollar value rather than cents per kilo," Mr Mawson said.

"The light end of steers was making from $500-$550."

The market opened on a pen of 28 older steers off Wandoomarook Farm, snapped up at $720 or 168 cents a kilogram by Dennis Henderson, together with the following 14 Angus off Sharleena Nominees at $680 or 167c/kg.

These shared the same top dollar with Carinyah, which sold a run of 40 Herefords to $680 or 183c/kg.

From here rates dropped to $670, secured by Burnview Angus, Ewart Holdings and Arrow Valley Pastoral, with each returning 162c/kg, 166c/kg and 164c/kg respectively.

Sharleena off-loaded seconds at $620.

The first of the Eaglewood Park Angus hit the 200c/kg mark, fetching just one cent above and returning $640, bought by Damian Whyte buying for a Bathurst operator.

At the close of the sale Mr Whyte said he averaged about 170c/kg and 360kg over 95 Hereford and Angus.

Eaglewood Park’s 54 steers sold from $575-$640 and averaged $610.

* Extract from full report in Stock & Land, January 22.