Buyers were amply keen to take weaners home if the packed car park at the Western Victoria Livestock Exchange (WVLX) in Mortlake is anything to go by at the saleyard's feature weaner sale. Agents yarded just over 5600 of good quality cattle, with prices staying slightly softer than what was seen before Christmas. It follows a trend of many feature weaner sales in Victoria, where prices are staying around levels seen during feature weaner sales at the beginning of 2021. Brian O'Halloran & Co stock agent Anthony Mahoney said that both vendors and agents were still quite happy with those prices despite the fall back. "We've definitely seen a softening of the job, [and] I think everyone has been talking about that 500 cents per kilogram range and it's been north or south of that," he said. Most heavier steers above 330kg struggled to pass 500c/kg, while lighter steers under that weight generally had no trouble passing that price. READ MORE: Geoff, Ashley, Nova and Elvie Pilkington, Wandoon, sold 10 Angus steers, 400kg, for 448c/kg or $1792 a head and another nine Angus heifers, 326kg, for 460c/kg or $1503. Picture by Philippe Perez. Mr Mahoney however, said as the sale went on, cattle did get a little dearer, and prices for heifers were also doing surprisingly strongly. "Everyone realises what the job is at the moment and you generally realise where it's at," he said. "The market did get a little bit overcooked, and at the moment it looks [like] this is where it's going to be." Many orders headed north across the border, while local agents bidded vigorously for cattle for restockers. The big standouts in terms of steers was a pen from Penrith Nominees, which sold a pen of 34 Angus steers, 384kg, for 498c/kg or $1912 a head, as well as a pen of 44 Angus steers from Larobe Angus, which sold for 496c/kg or $1864. Althone sold a quality run of steers, with their first pen of 44 Angus steers, 362kg sold for 470c/kg or $1703. Stuie J Enterprises also had a stellar run of Angus steers, with one pen of 31 steers, 383kg, selling for 502c/kg or $1718, while that same vendor had a pen of 14 Angus heifers, 382kg, sold for 488c/kg or $1864. Tarrone View Family Trust sold several good quality crossbred cattle with one pen of 61 Angus-cross steers, 360kg, sold for 494c/kg or $1778, while Miranee sold 25 Angus-cross steers with Claremont blood, 352kg, for 490c/kg or $1726. Claremont also took part as a vendor and had many pens on offer, with a pen of 18 Angus-cross steers, 345kg, sold for 474c/kg or $1712. Geoff Pilkington, Wandoon, sold a pen of 10 Angus steers, 400kg, for 448c/kg or $1792. He was selling for the first time at Mortlake since the closure of the Warrnambool saleyards in December, and while he found it a smooth transition, "time will tell" on how the move will suit him. "Much of the changes haven't worried me too much and in a way, you get what you get," he said. Of the heifers, Larobe Angus also had a number of pens selling for prices close to their steer counterparts, with a pen of 30 Angus heifers, 339kg, sold for 504c/kg or $1710. WVLX Mortlake will host their second feature weaner sale for the month this week, offering female calves.