Agents yarded 4712 head of cattle.

Meat & Livestock Australia market reporter Tim Delaney said the top of the grown steers sold to $2081, or 414 cents a kilogram, while heifers fetched $1943 or 372 cents a kilogram.

Lighter steers fared better, with weaner steers topping at $1853 or 504c/kg; heifers went for a top of $1283 or 358c/kg.

Heavier Angus steers made from 390-430c/kg, medium weights sold from 360c to 460c/kg and lighter pens made from 468c to 504c/kg.

European cross steer weaners were from 330c to 358c/kg and the other British breeds made 330c to 450c/kg.

Angus heifer weaners above 330kg sold from 310c to 335c/kg and the medium to lighter weight pens made 274c to 358c/kg.

European cross heifer weaners sold from 298c to 330c/kg with the British crosses selling from mostly 285c to 326c/kg.

Heavy steers made 330c to 360c/kg while Angus yearling steers sold from 288c to 410c/kg.

Hereford yearling steers made from 325c to 378c/kg and Black Baldy steers sold to 398c/kg.

Agents said the large yarding drew a big contingent of South Australian agents, which helped lift prices.

Charles Stewart, Terang, livestock agent Matthew Baxter said he thought the good runs of black steers sold achieved better than expected prices.

"I thought it would have been dearer than other markets, especially on the smart black steers," Mr Baxter said.

Local buyers competed with five or six agents from south-east South Australia.

He said many of the South Australians weren't regulars at the former Warrnambool sales but were attracted to Mortlake by the large yarding, which featured "some good runs of calves."

Feedlots, including Teys, Charlton, Thomas Foods International feedlot, Tintinara, SA, Creek Livestock, Mt Gambier, SA, Princess Royal, Burra, SA and O'Connors were all buying.

Mr Baxter said he felt the market was still on a downward trend, particularly when reflecting on recent prime sales.

Elders Warrnambool and Mortlake livestock agent David Patterson said he felt it was a "solid sale.

"TFI was really strong, right down into the mid-weight weaners, your 350kg cattle, they were very good on," Mr Patterson said.

"There were good runs of cattle, on proper pen sizes of 20 or more."

There had been a "good sprinkling of rain" in the west, to start the season.

"In saying that, it's got cold really quickly - if Mother Nature is kind to us here and we can somehow just sneak along with a little bit of rain, without getting too much, we will probably be OK," he said.

"If it comes in wet and cold it will be a different story, I think the cue will go in the rack."

He said it appeared some producers were selling heavier bullocks and buying back in "at the new price."

LMB Livestock and Land, Hamilton, livestock agent Bernie Grant said the best black feeder steers, 400-500kg, made up to 412-416c/kg.

"Your good runs of weaners sold well," Mr Grant said.

"There were still chances in some of the other weaner steers."

"It's interesting times."

He said he expected prices to "hover" around where they were at the moment, for some time. "They are saying northern NSW and Queensland are fairly dry."

Gippsland buyers were not as strong at the sale.

"South Australians have a bit of feed and with a yarding of nearly 5000 it means they know they can get a good run of cattle," he said.

JJ Kelly Stock Agency livestock agent, Jack Kelly, Warrnambool said he felt the sale was dearer than other regional markets.

"With the prime job coming back, there was a good line up of stock and we were really happy with the way the grown steers sold," Mr Kelly said.

"There was good competition, plenty of feedlotters there to keep things honest."

He said steers weighing 320-390kg sold from "very well" for 400-440c/kg.

"We all knew it was on the way back but there was a very large crowd there, no northern buyers, because there are plenty of cattle in the north, but buyers from all over Victoria."

He said off-bred cattle didn't do so well.

"They were still tough enough to sell," he said.

"The heifer job came back in price, because the north had certainly got cheap and that's forced back the price."

Barwonleigh Ag, sold 15 Murdeduke-blood steers, 483kg, for $1816 or 376c/kg.

IJ and SJ Logan, Wattle Gum Farm, sold 23 Toora West-blood steers, 393kg, for $1603 or 408c/kg.

Wattle Gum also sold 30 steers, 344kg, for $1444 or 420c/kg.

Woodlawn Pastoral sold 46 Hazeldean, Lawsons and Banquet-blood steers, 494kg, for $1926 or 390c/kg.

H Bufe sold eight Hereford steers, 547kg, for $1859 or 340c/kg.

D and M Lumsden sold 26 Rossander-blood steers, 366kg, for $1515 or 414c/kg.

DJ and A Cameron sold 14 Hereford -cross Eloora-blood steers, 424kg, for $1577 or 372c/kg.

C and B Ashcroft sold 14 Angus steers, 490kg, for $1871 or 382c/kg.

Linked Pastoral sold 19 Angus and Angus-cross steers, Claremont-blood, 298kg, for $1281 or 430c/kg.

Boolarra sold 11 Angus and Angus-cross Franc-blood steers, 206kg, for $964 or 468c/kg.

Tesbury Partnership sold 20 Coolana and Banquet-blood steers, 282kg, for $1252 or 444c/kg.

O'Sullivan Constructions sold nine Angus/Hereford-cross steers, 217kg, for $993 or 458c/kg.

South Boorook sold 24 Black Baldy steers, 220kg, for $1095 or 498c/kg.

Alanvale Farms sold 48 Pathfinder-blood steers, 307kg, for or 446c/kg

Alanvale also sold 22 steers, 266kg, for $1369 or 504c/kg.

Ayrhaven sold 14 Nampara, Millah Murrah and Banquet-blood steers, 219kg, for $1099 or 502c/kg.

Sylvan Grove sold 16 Nampara-blood steers, 218kg, for $1090 or 500c/kg.

MA and MF Fleming sold 13 Banquet-blood heifers, 412kg, for $1380 or 335c/kg.

Narweena Station sold 35 Mt William-blood Charolais-cross heifers, 379kg, for $1402 or 370c/kg.

J and M Lilley sold 19 Angus heifers, 369kg, for $1335 or 362c/kg.

K and J Wyatt, Mt Kincaid, sold 40 Banquet and Pathfinder-blood heifers, 328kg, for $1082 or 330c/kg.

BE Byrne sold 10 Murdeduke-blood heifers, 322kg, for $1049 or 326c/kg.

Telang Lamb and Beef sold 26 Rennylea and Murdeduke heifers, 194kg, for $694 or 358c/kg