![Charles Stewart Howard director and auctioneer Shelby Howard believes the Colac sale on January 4 will have great-quality cattle, despite weights being a little lighter than previous years. Charles Stewart Howard director and auctioneer Shelby Howard believes the Colac sale on January 4 will have great-quality cattle, despite weights being a little lighter than previous years.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/166478244/366d02b5-1ef0-4fae-809f-6217ff173e94.jpg/r0_179_4032_2267_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Agents servicing Colac's saleyards say while cattle may be a little lighter, there will be plenty on offer for buyers at their annual Birregurra feature weaner sale.
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The sale will be one of the first weaner sales of the season on January 4, and will have a larger yarding compared to last year, with about 3800-4000 cattle expected.
Charles Stewart Howard director and auctioneer Shelby Howard said there would be a great mix of breeds on offer.
"We are anticipating some great lines which will obviously include Angus, but there will be many Charolais and Limousin weaners too," he said.
"This year's cattle will probably present a little bit lighter that last year, just simply because of the eight to nine months of wet seasons we have had down here."
Mr Howard believes there will be an easing back from record-high prices achieved at weaner sales in Colac the past few years.
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"There is a little bit of a standard to have the prices correct themselves somewhat, and there is a lot of talk of prices being $400-$500 a head cheaper," he said.
"The best black weaners should be around the $2000 mark."
He said the cheaper prices would be viable for everyone from vendors, purchasers, agents to consumers at the supermarket.
"It's an interesting time certainly, but the steam we have seen over the few years probably won't be there," he said.
"I think people will be happy taking home something around the $1800-$1900 mark - it's still bloody good money for them."
Nutrien Ag Solutions agent Phil Douglas said many producers had been holding off for the sale in January due to a number of reasons.
"This year we sold a fair few more calves in November and December," he said.
"There's been a bit of a perceived softening in prices and it has been so wet that people just weren't prepared to yard cattle and felt they weren't ready at that time."
Mr Douglas also believed some cattle would be lighter, but was optimistic many weaners could still make similar weights to last year's sale, and cited a few dry days ahead as an opportunity for producers.
"[The lighter weights are] probably going to be the only downfall, but we've also got a few weeks to go and it's surprising how cattle can put on weight in a few weeks," he said.
"We certainly got no shortage of grass so I'm thinking, as far as weight goes, it may not be as bad as we think it will be."
Both Mr Douglas and Mr Howard were hopeful for outside competition from northern buyers and Gippsland, along with local buyers in the gallery.
"People know they will be buying quality whether it be here, Hamilton or the run of Ballarat sales, and vendors continue to put in a lot of work to improve quality," Mr Douglas said.
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