LAME cattle complications are hitting buyers at the Ballarat saleyards hard, with sore feet complaints increasing.
Industry heavyweight and cattle buyer Jim Matthews said he had bought 350 head out of the selling centre about a month ago, and 44 were lame.
"I went to the sale before last, and just never went back again because I just can't afford to buy lame cattle," he said.
The news comes after another cattle buyer Lea Chibnall claimed that buyers had lost faith in Ballarat, largely because management - Regional Infrastructure Pty Limited (RIPL) - would not spend the money they were taking in yards fees to make the facilities comfortable for the animals, cattle in particular.
"Cattle are again emerging from the Ballarat saleyards with sore feet because of the hard and abrasive concrete floor and mud from constant used without an adequate covering of woodchips," he said at the time.
But RIPL general manager Andrew McCarron said they "immediately" responded to sore feet complaints at the selling centre by installing woodchips three weeks ago to minimise the problem. He said the issue was resolved.
Mr Matthews said he would be prepared to reassess the situation at Ballarat, but others in the industry remain critical - and say it is an ongoing problem.
Dave Toohey, who runs Naringal Station Feedlot at Wallinduc, said he's spent an exorbitant amount of money on penicillin to fix the problem after purchasing cattle with sore feet at the Ballarat saleyards, and the issue appeared to be getting worse.
"I've spent more money on penicillin in the past six months after buying cattle out of Ballarat than I can remember," he said.
"You'd be amazed at how many need shots, and some don't come good at all."
Mr Toohey said woodchips were not enough, and that management needed to maintain the condition of the centre - or build a roof.
"If you get an inch of rain, you just have the same problem again," he said.
"Why should it take us to jump up and down for them to do something about it? They need to take more responsibility."
Mr McCarron admitted it was a difficult to issue to manage, because Ballarat did not have a roof.
"Everything is exposed to the elements," he said.
But his words did not appease Mr Toohey, who said management of the centre had gone downhill over the past six months.
"We buy 200 cattle a week, and a lot of the time we purchase about 40 to 50 head out of Ballarat," Mr Toohey said.
"The biggest problem with sore feet is always at Ballarat. It's an absolute headache for us."
If the centre is too muddy, Mr Toohey said he often told his buyer, Lea Chibnall, to purchase cattle elsewhere.
Selling centres such as Pakenham or Colac, which had a roof, rarely offered lame cattle.
He said the problem at Ballarat had begun to impact his business.
"I don't want to be using penicillin, I run a free range feedlot," he said. "This can't drag on. It's got to stop."
Part of the problem, according to Mr Toohey was the delayed decision on the relocation of the Ballarat saleyards.
Last week, it was announced the findings of an independent panel into the relocation could be up to two months away.
The state government-run panel discussing the proposed Central Victorian Livestock Exchange development has finished, but Ballarat Mayor John Philips said a report detailing the recommendations of the hearing could take between six and eight weeks to be handed to councillors.
Many residents at the new location of Miners Rest remain dissatisfied with the livestock selling centre being built in their region, and livestock agents and buyers say the design of the new yards is not up to scratch.
"Everyone seems to be more concerned about jumping up and down about where the yards are going instead of worrying about what is actually going on at the current yards," Mr Toohey said.
