Ava Rooney says young people are keen to head to saleyards more than ever

Ava was selling her first ever pen of cattle at Mortlake's most recent store sale - nine Angus/Friesen-cross steers, 357kg, which sold for 404c/kg or $1442.

She said the whole process of her and her sister rearing and looking after the cattle has been "a great experience."

"I'm keen to do this all over again," she said.

Ava said she wants to keep things simple for now, and wants to simply focus on getting her cattle to a good weight.

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She said she is seeing many young women in her region keen to rear and sell livestock and said friends from high school come by to store sale to have a chat.

"I think it's great that young people keen on farming just can come out here and talk," she said.

"It's really easy to be around in the gallery, learn and be supported."

Ava's dad Steven Rooney, who sold 90 cattle of his own at the sale, said there were important lessons that parents can pass on to kids if they definitely want to continue the family farming tradition.

"The reason for getting both our daughters to do this is to give them a bit of responsibility," he said.

"Having these young calves, breeding them over 12 months, feeding them, caring them, giving them milk - it's all about getting discipline into farming, and I'm pretty proud they've been able to do it all well."

Ella Titmus, who is studying veterinary science at James Cook University in Townsville took the opportunity to travel south and see her grandfather Ian sell his cattle at Mortlake.

"I've been doing a bunch of placements in Warrnambool and Mortlake lately," she said.

"There are very different cattle up in Townsville on a station we are working on to what we have here, and it's been interesting to see the comparisons.

While Ms Titmus is hoping to continue in a career in veterinary science when she graduates, she said visiting the saleyards definitely sure up her interest in large animals.

"Many young students I know are very interested in this sort of environment, and understanding the cattle market," she said.