Cattle numbers dropped by almost 2000 head to 4461 at Roma on Tuesday.
Weaner steers under 220kg topped at 260c/kg and averaged 240c/kg, while steers in the 220 to 280kg range reached 256c/kg, to average 231c/kg.
Steers weighing 280 to 350kg reached 261c/kg and averaged 232c/kg, with steers in the 350 to 400kg range making 263c/kg for an average of 249c/kg. Heavy feeder steers topped at 263c/kg and averaged 234c/kg.
Weaner heifers under 220kg topped at 178c/kg and averaged 156c/kg, while heifers in the 220 to 280kg range reached 190c/kg, to average 152c/kg.
Heifers weighing 280 to 350kg reached 210c/kg and averaged 157c/kg, with heifers in the 350 to 450kg range making 210c/kg, to average 175c/kg.
PJH agent Steve Goodhew said the reduced yarding boosted the market, but further big yardings would see prices continue to drop.
"Good quality cattle are still selling and they're certainly 10 or 15 cents dearer on last week for the same weight cattle," Mr Goodhew said.
"There are a lot of people weaning early at the moment, hence all the young calves in the yard.
"The cattle that have dropped off are the heifer portion and the cows because last week's market they were very tough, so many people have said they'd try and sell steers this week and hold the heifers."
Mr Goodhew said talk of rain in the region at the end of the week had caused a few people to not offload as many this week, but if storms didn't eventuate, people won't be able to hold cattle any longer.
Bruce Briscoe, Goomibah, Injune, sold 30 Santa-cross steers weighing 357kg for 263c/kg to make $941/head, and 60 Angus-cross steers weighing 350kg for a top of 263c/kg to make $992/head.
Mr Briscoe said after last week's market, he thought he'd only make 220 or 230c/kg.
"I normally take steers through to heavy feeders, 450kg plus, and I nearly pulled these out because there's a chance of rain, but I decided to sell steers and not my heifers.
"We did draft the bottom end out, so if it does break there's still a run of steers that can keep growing, and hopefully if we get a bit of rain through winter they can keep poking along."
