Prospective buyers had a one-hour viewing window at Sale on Friday as agents implemented social distancing measures in line with federal government's COVID-19 restrictions.
About 500 cattle were sold at the market with vendors and potential buyers offered the opportunity to view the cattle an hour before the sale.
Landmark Greenwood managing director Ben Greenwood, who sold a majority of the cattle on offer, said agents spread the cattle through the saleyard to allow for the 1.5-metre social distancing requirement.
"We had a few people who came along and left an order with their agent and when the sale commenced we had a limited buying group but all the cattle made really good results," Mr Greenwood said.
"We tried to encourage people if they weren't involved in any transnational business to leave an order with agent or a commission buyer to reduce the number of people at the market."
Mr Greenwood said about 30 people stayed for sale itself.
"It was a bit of an odd feeling to have a store sale without a group but everything got moving," he said.
"If we could find a positive from the drought we've got no numbers about and the lack of numbers is helping us spread cattle out because if we had 1000 cattle it would have been more challenging to manage."
Elders Bairnsdale livestock manager Morgan Davies, who sold at the sale, said East Gippsland had experienced an ordinary start to the year.
"First with the fires and now with COVID-19 it hasn't been a very inspiring start to 2020," Mr Davies said.
"We hope the back end of the year will be much better."
Mr Davies said the market experienced a softer trend but the yarding of cattle presented well.
"We had some good 517 kilo steers by Robert Cooke from Briagolong and they made $1540," he said.
"For clients it's going to take some time for them to get used to these new saleyard restrictions because a lot of people like to buy their own cattle.
"Some are comfortable with it - others aren't - and that will be part of a change we will see during coronavirus."
Prices ease as buyers hold off
Prices across most lines of cattle softened as purchasers exercised caution amid the pandemic.
Nicholls and McNee, Stradbroke, sold 30 Angus steers including a top pen of 16, 372kg, for $1450 or 389c/kg.
Their second pen of 14 steers, 330kg, sold for $1355 or 410c/kg.
Andrew Pigot Farms, Wurruk, sold 11 Angus and Black Baldy steers, 380kg, for $1400 or 368c/kg.
"The market was easier and I think it is due to the coronavirus because people don't know which way to pull and are being very conservative," Mr Greenwood said.
MD and MA Killeen, Bushy Park, sold eight Hereford steers, 469kg, for $1430 or 304c/kg.
DJ and J Keil, Boisdale, sold 12 Angus steers, 427kg, for $1460 or 341c/kg.
AR Chomley, Fulham, 17 Hereford steers, 338klg, for $1090 or 322c/kg.
RA and EG Newnham, Longford, sold 10 Angus and Black Baldy heifers, 344kg, for $1100 or 319c/kg.
P and S Ashdown, Tanjil, sold 17 Angus heifers, 282kg, for $940 or 333c/kg.
Narrang Pty Ltd, Stratford, sold 12 Angus heifers, 309kg, for $870 or 281c/kg.
MH and MY Riley Pty Ltd, Upper Maffra, sold 13 Angus heifers, 363kg, for $950 or 261c/kg.
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