The Victorian Livestock Exchange will change the day store and prime cattle sales are held at Leongatha from July 2024.
The VLE, which owns and operates the Leongatha and Pakenham saleyards, has revealed its South Gippsland facility will move its store sales a day earlier from Friday to Thursday from July 4.
In addition, Leongatha store sales will move to a weekly basis, as opposed to a fortnightly schedule, and be brought forward an hour to start at 9am.
VLE managing director Brian Paynter said the decision followed an "exhaustive consultation process" with industry stakeholders including agents, buyers, livestock carrier and vendors.
"There was a broad range of views expressed during the consultation process," he said.
South Gippsland Stock Agents Association president and Phelan & Henderson & Co director Simon Henderson said the decision to move the prime and store sales a day forward was met with mixed reaction.
"There are a greater proportion of people across the industry that support the changes," he said.
"We were consulted and the VLE made it clear that they would make the decision and the decision would be final."
It follows the impending closure of the Pakenham saleyards which is due to close in June after the VLE reported last year it was spending $10,000 a week in land tax to keep the complex open.
Meanwhile, prime sales, also known as fat sales, will move to Tuesdays from July 2 and start at 8.30am.
Mr Paynter said agencies at Pakenham would move across to Leongatha in the coming months.
He said Everitt Seeley & Bennetts and Baw Baw Livestock would join existing agencies Alex Scott & Staff, Nutrien South Gippsland Livestock, Elders Leongatha and Korumburra, SEJ, and Phelan & Henderson & Co at the South Gippsland complex.
Some agents will move into temporary buildings while renovations take place.
"It's a very temporary thing, but what we will be doing is building a new agents' block, a complete new building, with agents' officers, a boardroom and amenities," Mr Paynter said.
"In the meantime, four agents will shift into portable buildings while seating capacity in the canteen is increased."
He said the decision to bring store sale times forward an hour to 9am followed industry-wide consultation.
"We just feel that they're long days and with increased numbers, we need to start the sale earlier so we can get the cattle out earlier," he said.
It is unclear how many cattle are expected to pass through the Leongatha yards once Pakenham closes.
"It's very difficult to estimate the numbers, but what we do know is if you took the very best year at Leongatha, you've got 150,000 cattle," Mr Paynter said.
"If you took the average throughput at Pakenham, it's 100,000 so there's 250,000.
"We don't know how much of those cattle previously sold at Pakenham will come to Leongatha, but these next five months will be critical by getting people used to using Leongatha and the new days."
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.
