B-DOUBLES lining up outside the Ballarat saleyards early last Friday morning took agents and vendors by surprise.

They had travelled from Inverell in NSW, Mt Gambier in South Australia and all points between, anxious to load a big share of the cattle on offer.

If the transports are there so are the buyers, and the vendors, with no alternative but to sell, gave them well-bred breeders to get their teeth into.

A fortnight ago the estimated yarding was 1000 head. It rose to 1500, then 2000 and on the day a surprising 3089 head.

Not so long ago people told me numbers were just not there but as I said at the time, a week of dry hot weather like we have had would soon reveal the true story. And in they came, load after load.

Ballarat is recognised as consistently providing quantity and quality and buyers attend with a regularity not seen in such numbers elsewhere.

Agents were prepared for a difficult battle as the dry set in, but the numbers took them by surprise.

Such is the professionalism of the five participating agents they quickly had the cattle penned and sold according to age, sex and quality.

Excellent judges of value, they reached the final bid and fall of the hammer quicker than I could write down price and estimated weight.

In four hours they moved at the speed of 772 head an hour, or about one pen a minute.

Some other venues could take a lead from Ballarat, or install a bell to sound when time is up, just like the old Newmarket days.

Commission buyers Duncan Brown and Dennis Henderson filled orders for near and far, including several feedlots.

Alistair Nelson from Colac bought for a Wagga Wagga feedlot and his own clients while Andrew Whan from MW&J Mt Gambier also bought for a feedlot and clients.

Then there was Terry Ginnane, Landmark Leongatha (contender for most approachable and disciplined buyer of the year); Bob McMahon (everyone's friend); Leigh Corrigan (minds his own business); Ian Duncan (studious buyer for Werribee Ag) and Jimmy Matthews (best known of all).

Strong support came from Wahroonga feedlot; Jimmy Blythe for Hells Gate feedlot; Leigh Chibnell; meat buyers for Collinson Westside Meats and Ballarat Meats; Poowong and a host of local buyers who kept them all honest.

Opportunities were few but nothing was cheap, although a tad down on the previous sale and good considering the conditions.

In places, the top runs of yearling-off steers, cows and calves and heifers could be bought at a discount.

I still believe cows and calves are the value cattle.

Even cows suffering from the dry were milking their calves well and with care will yield big dollars in a short time.

Well-bred heifer weaners at $400 to $450 ($100 less than their steer counterparts) were mouth-watering value but at the moment they are left to the feedlotters - doesn't that tell you something?

Peter Briody, Crawford Dowling, said vendors were faced with selling now or gambling on a change later.

Grown steers: Leigh Est., $865 or $1.84/kg and $760 or $1.73/kg.

Heavy yearling-off steers: B Cottrell, $675 or $1.77/kg; I Walker, $690 or $1.82/kg.

Best weaners: J Drinkwater, $530 or $1.83/kg; Bolton Downs, $550 or $1.90/kg.

Heifers: most made satisfactory prices.

Heavy heifers: W Vagg, $660 or $1.48/kg; outstanding draft of Murray Grey heifers from Cottrell, to $670 or average $1.74/kg.

Cows and calves: Lesko family, $1130; Narilla, $810; others from $770 to $925.

Graeme Nicholson, Elders, said grown steers and steer and heifer weaners were slightly cheaper but the weight and quality was better.

Grown steers sold for $1.70 to $1.80/kg; heavy steer weaners $1.80 to $1.85/kg, lighter steers $1.90 to $2.10/kg, heifer weaners $1.60 to $1.75/kg.

Demand was excellent considering the country is drying out daily and prime markets are cheaper.

Xavier Shanahan said many weaner cattle were $50 to $60 cheaper than last month but were quite acceptable.

Leo White, TB White & Sons, said Gippsland and Wagga Wagga, were strong.

Most weaners were 30-40kg heavier than last sale and many younger fresh calves were yarded.

Top weaners were $1.85 to $2/kg with odd pens $2.10/kg.

Many pens of heifer weaners weighed only 240 to 300kg but sold well, from $1.60 to $1.80/kg.

A big supply of cows and calves looked good value but it was hard to entice clients to buy.

Well-presented stock with breeding and quality always make their value.

On the market:

MICK Curtis and Scott Meehan from Newmarket Livestock will hold their inaugural Euroa store cattle sale on Friday with 1500 local breeders cattle.