A whopping $4.4 million worth of cattle passed through the pens at Wangaratta on Friday during the region's feature female weaner sale.
In total, 2142 female cattle sold to an average price of $2084 a head, two days after 3752 cattle were auctioned during the Wangaratta Livestock Exchange's feature steer weaner sale.
The mammoth week for agents, vendors, buyers, livestock carriers and yard staff alike in the north-east capped off almost 6000 cattle sold across both sales with a combined gross value of $12.9 million in sales.
It follows the annual southern weaner sales series in the first half of January, when more than $140 million worth of livestock passed through Victorian saleyards.
RELATED READING: Victorian weaner sales gross $140 million in just two weeks
Elders Wangaratta territory sales manager Oliver Mason said a majority of the cattle sold at the heifer sale were purchased by northern and eastern Victorian graziers with the intention to use in breeding operations.
"We're still seeing a lot of support for heifers from northern buyers, but not as much as the steers," he said.
"A large portion of the heifers and certainly more than the steers were bought by local buyers and it's good to see these cattle, including the lead draft, go back into breeding programs in the north-east."
He said a handful of NSW feedlots which bought heifers to place into backgrounding operations "put a floor" in the market.
"There would be a slight correction overall but there are still isolated sales where purchasers were chasing particular lines of cattle that were as strong as the prices we saw in January," Mr Mason said.
The bulk of the yarding was aged between 10 and 12 months and featured only 12 grown heifer pens.
Corcoran Parker director Justin Keane said the sale was underpinned by local cattle breeders, and backed up by feedlotters.
"The lead of the Angus heifers were making more than the steers two days earlier," he said.
"It was the first time in five or six years we've seen such urgency among people to buy heifers to put back to the bull.
"People are continuing to rebuild their herds so there are a big number of buyers present."
The best presented weaner pen was awarded to I Weidemann, Laceby, for his draft of 20 Angus heifers, 336 kilograms, which made $2260 or 672 cents a kilogram.
In the grown heifer section, G & J Chalwell, Bowmans Forest, sold 32 Angus, 425kg, for $2370 or 557c/kg.
M Dunne, Springhurst, sold 10 grown Charolais heifers, 446kg, for $2350 or 526c/kg.
RELATED READING: Wangaratta light Angus calves hit 943c/kg in feature weaner sale
In the genuine weaner section, A Dinning, Hansonville, sold 21 Angus, 276kg, for $2050 or 742c/kg.
AG & JE Simpson, Docker, sold 17 Angus heifers, 324kg, for $2340 or 722c/kg and 11 Angus heifers, 375kg, for $2550 or 680c/kg.
P & K Delmastro, Bobinawarrah, sold 14 Angus heifers, 372kg, for $2430 or 653c/kg.
Yopies Pty Ltd, Hansonville, sold nine Angus heifers, 251kg, for $1850 or 737c/kg.
G & K Tanner, Greta, sold 25 Angus heifers, 318kg, for $2350 or 738c/kg.
JJ Nolan, Laceby, sold 24 Angus heifers, 307kg, for $2220 or 723c/kg.
S Davies, Docker, sold 20 Angus heifers, 315kg, for $2260 or 717c/kg.
RT, GJ & B Hooper, Greta, sold 27 Angus heifers, 344kg, for $2400 or 697c/kg.
KJ & RL Ryder, Tawonga, sold seven Angus heifers, 318kg, for $2200 or 691c/kg.
RC Warner, Beechworth, sold 20 Hereford heifers, 309kg, for $2110 or 682c/kg.
KJ Heywood, Warrenbayne, sold 15 Angus heifers, 310kg, for $2110 or 680c/kg.
R Clark, Boorhaman, sold 17 Angus heifers, 336kg, for $2270 or 675c/kg.
R & E Ackland, Greta South, sold 11 Charolais heifers, 302kg, for $2010 or 665c/kg.
R & J Widdup, Warrenbayne, sold 10 Angus heifers, 323kg, for $2130 or 659c/kg.
RH McLelland, Eskdale, sold 27 Simmental/Angus-cross heifers, 338kg, for $2145 or 634c/kg.
NJ Blewett, Mudgegonga, sold eight Limousin heifers, 334kg, for $2100 or 628c/kg.
