GROWN steers sold to $780 or $1.65/kg while the best of autumn-drop weaners sold to $610 or $1.75/kg at Euroa today.
Prices were equal to slightly up on yesterday's Yea and Wodonga sales, although like most of the recent spring sales weaner steers sold $80-$100 under the rates of this time last year.
Phil Newton of Pinnaroo Park, Mansfield, who had 131 Simmental-Angus steers, sold his heaviest pen of 18 February-March drops weighing 344kg for $585.
Mr Newton said he was satisfied with sale considering the state of the industry.
He estimated that his average would have been down $100 on last year.
Most of the Angus weaner steers sold from $500-$600, with most of the demand coming from Yea and Mansfield backgrounders.
Prices for the heavy Angus steers was generally hifgher than Yea, although the lighterweight steers were about equal at rates from $1.85-$2/kg.
South Gippsland grass finishers were also strong accounting for nearly 300 steers.
One of the highlights of the sale was the strong demand for more than 300 pregnancy tested cows and heifers.
Sharleena Nominees from Tallarook topped the pregenancy-tested-in-calf heifers at $1110 for 19 30-month-old Angus due to calve from mid January.
A surprised property manager Les Cowell said he would have been happy to accept $900.
The best of the weaner Angus heifers sold to strong demand from breeders with prices pushed beyond the $1.60/kg payable by the lot feeders or processors.
Typical of the demand for breeders was Paul Chisholm from Wonthaggie who bought 68 weaner heifers to a top of $570.
Mr Chisholm said he was switching his enterprise from breeding first cross milk vealers to straight beef.
