A livestock exchange in the state's south-east will reschedule a store sale due to an influx of prime and store cattle through Victorian sale yards.
The fortnightly Leongatha store sale at the Victorian Livestock Exchange will shift to Friday, March 27 - a day later than scheduled - after the facility struggled to process 7500 cattle in 48 hours last week.
In a statement, the South Gippsland Stock Agents' Association confirmed the market would be moved back 24 hours.
The decision is expected to ease pressure at the sale yard by allowing an extra day between the Wednesday prime market.
Stock & Land understands the decision was made by agents during a meeting on Wednesday afternoon and will inevitably improve animal welfare by freeing up additional pens.
It means the sale will clash with Ballarat's 2500-head store heifer sale, which was moved back a week, so agents could sell up to 4500 steers on Friday, as well as the fortnightly Bairnsdale store sale held on Fridays.
The mega yarding caused logistical headaches for the VLE - who were weighing cattle up until midnight last Wednesday - as well as agents who were forced to move cattle around the facility.
It's likely the Leongatha store sale will return to a Thursday sale the following fortnight to avoid Good Friday.
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Bryce Eishold
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
Bryce is a senior journalist with Australian Community Media's Stock & Land where he reports on all aspects of agriculture. Bryce is also the president of the Rural Press Club of Victoria. Email Bryce at bryce.eishold@stockandland.com.au.
