Buyers braved the cold at Dalby on Wednesday morning for a 7000 head yarding of quality cattle.
Demand from processors, restockers and lot feeders saw the market firm on previous weeks, driven by some top quality pens.
Tom and Michelle O'Connor, Daandine, Dalby, offloaded Droughtmaster cows and heifers, pregnancy tested empty, for a top of 269c/kg and $1337/head to average $1096.
Mr O'Connor said they would normally sell empty cows at this time of year, but due to the season they were offloading more than usual.
"We only give them a joining window of eight weeks and because it was so hot and there was no feed, they struggled this year," he said.
Running a breeding herd of 400 Droughtmaster cows, the O'Connors normally carry the progeny through to feeder steers and replacement heifers, but the season has made that hard.
"We've still got about 300 weaners at home and we've got them on a bit of oats that will get them to Christmas, but we have sold 340 heifers we were going to keep," Mr O'Connor said.
Mr O'Connor said while normally they would offload heifers and carry the bulk of their steers through, this year they would be doing the opposite.
"We'll sell steers and hold heifers in the hope that it will rain and people will be looking for breeders."
Ray White Eastern Rural director Peter Bird said the market had been dearer on last week.
"We've had a good rise in cows, up to 15 cents and the better end of the cows topping at 260 cents," he said.
"The lighter end of the cows, the score two cows, could be up to 30 cents dearer.
"Bullocks sold to 320c/kg and that's probably a good 10 to 15 dearer, so of the export cattle that have sold, it's very strong."
Mr Bird said the market for restocker and feeder cattle had been firm, with the yarding made up of quality cattle, including 2800 cows.
"There's offloads happening now that people really don't want to do and there's plenty of cows coming onto the market," he said.
"Luckily the job is increasing with some buying pressure from the south and we've got our local processors here that are supporting the job well."