The cold snap wasn't the only thing shocking the crowd at this week's Roma store sale, with prices rising again across several categories.
Numbers improved by 2868 this week, with a yarding of 4980 head, made up of mostly local cattle.
The higher quality of the yarding was evident in the significant improvements across the lighter weight cattle, with a larger buying panel keen to snap up restocker numbers.
In the breakdown from MLA; Lightweight steers improved by 19 to 51c on last week, with steers under 200kg topping at 846.2c/kg and averaging 740c/kg, and those under 280kg reaching 838.2c/kg and averaging 766c/kg. Steers under 300kg also improved by 33c, making to 786.2c/kg and averaging 676c/kg, while steers under 400kg eased by 5c, with a top of 764.2c/kg and an average of 640c/kg. Heavyweight steers to feed averaged 546c/kg and topped at 586.2, on par with last week's sale.
Lightweight heifers improved by 13 to 83c, with heifers under 200kg averaging 689c/kg and topping at 700.2c/kg, while those under 280kg made to 656.2c/kg and averaged 610c/kg. Medium weight heifers eased slightly by 3 to 5c, with those under 330kg making to 594.2c/kg and averaging 548c/kg, and heifers under 400kg reaching a top of 595.2c/kg and an average of 558c/kg. Heavyweight heifers achieved a top of 542.2c/kg and an average of 532c/kg.
Grown steers reached 450.2c/kg and averaged 450c/kg, while grown heifers saw an average of 420.2c/kg and topped at 540c/kg. A line of EU accredited PTIC cows made to $2625/head, while a small number of cows and calves sold to a top of $2580/unit.
Elders agent Keith Crouch said vendors were stoked with the improved prices, which he credited to more post-rain movement around the region.
"From the steer market, everyone was very happy," he said.
"It was bit dearer, which was probably due to everyone finally being able to move around a bit after all of the good rain that we've had.
"Our vendors were over the moon with their results."
One of the vendors who achieved a great result at this week's sale was the Dunn family, Coogoon Roma, who sold 94 head of Angus, Angus cross and Santa Gertrudis steers.
One pen of 20 Angus cross steers made to 714.2c/kg, weighing in at an average of 315kg and returning $2249.73/head, while another pen with 23 Angus cross steers reached 802.2c/kg, returning $2138.04/head and weighing 266.5kg on average.
25 Angus steers also made to 802.2c/kg, weighing an average of 280.4kg and returning $2249.37/head, and 26 Santa Gertrudis steers reached 792.2c/kg, weighing 257.3kg on average and returning $2038.39/head.