IT WAS vendor picnic day at Wodonga as prices for lightweight weaner steers shot above the 250c/kg mark.

And the top end of the autumn 2008 drop steers also jumped to $770, or almost $50 on last week's opening sale at Wodonga.

Selling agents Elders, Corcoran Parker and Landmark Albury yarded grown, yearling and weaner Angus steers, and Angus weaner heifers for day one of the two day annual premier weaner sale.

The yarding of 4890 Angus cattle averaged $578 and grossed $2,826,521.

Cattle were booked to Albury-Wodonga, Gundagai, Inverell, Quriindi, Bathurst, Dubbo, Glen Innes, Goondiwindi, Warialda, Finley, Holbrook, Wagga Wagga, Yass, Yarrawonga, Corryong, Wangaratta, Charlton, Alexandra and Myrtleford.

With regular volume commission buyer Duncan Brown absent, the gate was left open for Wagga Wagga buyer Andrew Lowe to put the floor in the market.

Some buyers who had travelled from northern NSW and southern Queensland expecting cheap cattle were left standing empty handed.

Tony Moffat, of Cattle Traders Australia, had travelled from Goondiwindi to buy steers, weighing 260-270kg for Warwick Meats and the Oakey Holdings owned Whyalla feedlot.

"We thought we could get steers here for $550 landed but the market was just too dear," he said.

Elders-owned Charlton and Killara feedlots were active, paying 177-186c/kg for grown steers.

This category, aged 14 to 16 months, sold to $35 up on last week's special store sale at $625-$845.

But, on a cents a kilogram basis, they remained equal on 171-191c/kg.

The top pen of Cascade blood steers, aged 15-16-months and weighing 472kg, were sold by H & L Hurley, The Willows, for $845.

Yearling steers, aged 12-14 months, sold to equal rates of $635-$695, or 172-185c/kg.

The heavy end of the autumn 2008 drop weaners (300-404kg) sold for $530-$770, or 176-205c/kg.

Steers aged eight to nine months sold for $515-$625 or 195-223c/kg.

Lightweight weaner steers, aged four to seven months and weighing under 300kg, kicked up a gear, selling for 203-265c/kg ($470-$580).

A few pens without weight cards displayed sold to an estimated 276c/kg.

Demand was solid for heifers, topping at $595 and selling down to $420, or 157-185c/kg.

This story was originally published on WeeklyTimesNow on January 8.