There was an increased yarding on the advertised number with 1460 coming forward for the feature female and store sale.

Steers topped at 338 cents a kilogram and heifers at 308c/kg, but there were times when the open auction cattle surpassed the 400c/kg level.

In the open auction, the top was $1110 a head for steers, with most between $840 to $1100, and smaller types at $780 to $840.

The open auction heifers mainly sold in a range of $500 to $830.

The quality of the females coming forward was helped by a number of dispersal sales that featured some of the best Hereford cows and heifers to be seen.

Saffin Kerr Bowen Rodwells auctioneer Josh McDonald said it was the best run of Hereford cattle you would see.

The Keane family, Tarrone, Dunn family, MacArthur, and Saffin family, Tarrone, provided the dispersal cattle.

Mr McDonald said the heifers sold to good competition while the good pens of cows to follow sold to good demand.

Most demand came from South Australia with some local support.

He said store sale numbers should start to rise as prices bring more cattle forward.

Warrnambool Stock Agents Association president Anthony Mahoney said it was an excellent sale.

Mr Mahoney said the heifers particular were a stand-out making a touch over 300c/kg, but were consistent at 285 to 290c/kg.

The open auction steers sold extremely well making over 400c/kg, and the open auction heifers were also strong.

"It just shows a bit of confidence in the job, it was very strong market," he said.

He said the locals were strong with the need to restock and that supported the strong feedlotter inquiry.

He said agents ensured the pen sizes were kept down and there was plenty of water available for stock on a hot day.

Top of the heifer market was a pen of 10 out of a draft of heifers sold by Fox Hill.

These made to $2300 for two year-old heifers, pregnancy-tested-in-calf to Dollar, Lawson and Claremont bulls.

They were due to calve in March and April.

The same vendor sold heifers, same description, for between $2000 and $2150.

G & C Keane, Tarrone, sold Black Baldy and Angus heifers, second-calvers and PTIC to Angus bulls to a top of $1900.

The same vendor, whose property had been sold, also forwarded Poll Hereford cows, third to seventh-calvers, and PTIC to Angus bulls, to a $1875 average.

Most cows and calves sold from $1600 to $1830, PTIC cows between $1700 and $1830, and smaller lines of cows sold from $1500 to $1800.

The sale started with a usual run of grown steers weighing from 320 to 470kg.

The full run sold in a band between 320 and 330c/kg.

The tops were a pen of 21, weighing 328kg, that sold for 338c/kg or $1100.

These were sold by Carinya.

The same vendor sold a pen of 11 Angus steers in the open auction that made $1050.

Two pens sold by Napier sold to a top of 334c/kg for the lighter Black Baldy steers, weighing 359kg, coming out at $1199.

The heavier pen of 11, weighing 399kg, sold for 321c/kg or $1280.

Hereford steers sold by Russells sold to a top of $1488.

The pen of 15, weighing 480kg, sold for 310c/kg.

The lighter pen of seven, at 341kg, sold for 320c/kg or $1091.

Araluyn sold Black Baldy steers, 413kg, for $320c/kg or $1321, while Clover Rise had nine Angus steers, 444kg, that sold for 317c/kg or $1407.

A pen of 12 Charolais steers, 484kg, sold by J Tod, made 305c/kg or $1476.

The best of the heifer prices was 310c/kg for a small pen of Speckle Parks that weighed 326kg and came out at $1010.

Angus heifers sold to 308c/kg, or $982, for a pen of 18 sold by GJ Anders that weighed 319kg.

Ten Black Baldy heifers sold by Pretty Hill weighed 330kg and made 300c/kg or $990.

Elandery Lodge forwarded 20 Angus heifers, that weighed 440kg, and made 291c/kg or $1280, while a second line of 26, weighing 410kg, sold for 285c/kg or $1168.