About 140 people watched a full clearance of more than 1100 calves on offer in Balclutha this month.
The annual sale has been held at Balclutha Saleyards since 2020.
For the first time, Richard Pepperall, of Jack’s Bay, won the R.B. Murray Trophy for offering the heaviest pen of steers at the sale.
Mr Pepperall’s winning lot was a pen of seven Charolais-cross steers, which had an average weight of 342.9kg and sold for $1530 per head, or $4.46 per kg.
Demand was strong for calves, driving prices up on last year.
Last year, the trophy winning pen of Charolais-cross steers sold for $1180 per head.
Mr Pepperall said the lift in beef prices was "bloody excellent".
He had been farming for more than 40 years and regularly offered calves at the sale and $1530 was easily the most he had been paid for a steer.
"By a long margin," MrPepperall said.
Sheep and beef farmers had needed commodity prices to improve, he said.
"I’ll get a new hay mower."
The shields for the highest individual price for a pen of weaner steers and top price for a pen of weaner heifer were both won by Beresford Farm owners Steph and Warren Burgess, ofPuketiro.
Their wining pen of Simmental steers sold for $1585 each, or $4.89 per kg.
"We were impressed with the prices," Mr Burgess said.
They had retained their top calves, he said.
"The best 100 are still at home and that makes it sweeter still."
The $1585 price tag was the most they had been paid for a steer at the sale, he said.
"We had high $1300s a few years ago but nothing like this sale, it is the highest we’ve ever had."
Farmers were happy sheep and beef prices were rising, a change from softer commodity prices.
"It is putting a smile on a lot of farmers’ faces."
"It is getting harder to find good cattle."
A rise in beef prices was evident when comparing the highest steer price Beresford Farm fetched at the same sale last year, a pen of Simmental and Angus cross selling for $1110 per head, or $475 cheaper than their top lot this year.
The shield winning heifers at the sale this year, was a pen of seven Angus and Simmental cross, selling for $1290 each, or $4.45 per kg.
Again in contrast, the highest heifer price fetched at the sale last year was a pen of Simmental and Murray Grey cross heifers, selling for $860 per head, or $430 cheaper than the shield-winning heifers this year.
PGG Wrightson auctioneer Russell Moloney said demand at the sale was "strong" as buyers were buoyed by there being plenty of grass across South Otago.
Vendors had provided excellent cattle at great weights, Mr Moloney said.
Exotic cattle breeds sold "really well" and heifers were "the surprise", selling for up to $4.83 per kg.
Vendors and buyers were "very happy" with the sale result and it was nice everyone was feeling positive, he said
"As opposed to this time last year," Mr Moloney said.
