WEANER rates lifted by up to 20c/kg at Wangaratta as buyers showed renewed enthusiasm for cattle.

 Big rains up north, on the back of slightly better prices in the prime pens, were given as the reasons for the extra bidding, which pushed rates up across the board.

The offering of 2200 weaners included large runs of blacks, but also lines of Charolais-Angus and Herefords, as well as some crossbreds.

Stronger competition meant some of the prices paid for heifers were higher than those paid for steers in the regular run of weaner sales last month.

Most of the best lines of steer weaners sold above 180c/kg, with many lines making 190c/kg and more for cattle which weighed 300-350kg. Lines weighing above 350kg were more likely to sell from 175-185c/kg.

The best weaners, pens of Angus, made $720, achieved twice for steers which were 396kg and 407kg,  and made 177-181c/kg to be close to what was achieved at the best of the early weaner sales at Wodonga.

Stewart Scott Nominees sold one of these pens, and then sold their second run of Angus weaners, 313kg, for $618 or 197c/kg.

The other of these top two pens was sold by Lorna Nankervis of Laceby.

Plenty of pens cracked the $600 mark, though only four made it beyond $700.

One other pen of Angus weaners, 394kg, made $700 while the tops of the Charolais-Angus steers, bred by A&K Bailey made $718 (385kg, 186c/kg).

The sale exceeded many vendors expectations, including those of Peter Nolan or Tarrawingee, who sold Angus steers to $645, Charolais-Angus steers to $670 and Charolais-Angus heifers to $665.

This equated to more than 180c/kg for his steers and close to that for his heifers.

"I couldn't take these cattle home because we need the feed and the sale has gone considerably better than the sale I saw here two weeks ago," he said.

Some lines of steers made 200c/kg and more and some of the heifer weaners equalled rates paid for steers only a couple of weeks ago.

This includes the Nolans Charolais-Angus heifers which made $665 (365kg, 182c/kg) as well as their Angus which sold for $546 (310kg, 176c/kg).

Feature lines of Hereford steers and heifers also made good money, with competition on quality heifers between Injemria Herefords' Marc Greening and Tasmanian consultant Knox Heggaton pushing rates up to $505 for one pen which weighed just 275kg. It meant vendors, Murpack, receieved up to 184c/kg for their draft of heifers.

Buying competition included several pens to Tasmania and some to Sundown Pastoral Company, while others were sent to Horsham, and locals were also competitive.