Colac Regional Saleyards set to host its one-day weaner sale event

Nutrien livestock agent Phil Douglas said the saleyards' December store cattle sale reflected his expectations of the upcoming Birregurra Premier Weaner Sale.

"The recent store cattle showed as soon as you step into the weaners, you're jumping about 30 or 40 cents a kilogram," he said.

"It happens every year in the November and December sales, it's generally a reflection of what will happen in January."

He said he noticed some vendors had sold earlier in the December sale, but he expected numbers to remain for the annual weaner sale.

"We'll see a lot of calves in that mid-$1500 [a head] mark, people are pushing it along and there was a bloke from Warrnambool [at the December store sale] buying calves, and he reckons he'd have more money to spend later," he said.

"It's not going to be silly, but it certainly will be a lot-more positive."

He said the weaner sale would purely have weaner steers and heifers on offer, the same as its 2023 sale, with about 3000-head of cattle to go under the hammer in one day.

"We had a dry September, a good October and a dry November up until the [big rain]," he said.

"We've been getting enough rain for it to look good."

Charles Stewart & Co livestock agent Matthew Nelson said the sale would have its usual long-time vendors and new starters.

"At the moment there's a bit of positivity about the industry, you talk to people now and they're even saying at the December store sale that it could get dearer as we go," he said.

"It's positive for people going into January looking to sell those weaners, it gives us something to look forward to."

Mr Nelson said he expected agents would yard about 3000 cattle, on par with the 2023 sale.