Wodonga weaner sales: Here's what’s different about the iconic summer sales this year

Nearly 19,000 weaner calves will be offered at Wodonga’s annual summer sales this year, after the selling centre announced a huge change to proceedings.

Another flush of young weaner calves under 250kg liveweight were yarded at Wodonga at summer sales last year.

NORTHERN Victoria and the Western District will go head-to-head in January, with both centres offering weaner calves in the same week.

A major change to Wodonga’s weaner sale program will see up to 19,000 being offered within four consecutive days, putting pressure on transporters.

The normal sale regime, where Angus weaners are sold in the first week and all other breeds in the second week at Wodonga, has been overhauled.

Five sales — four at Wodonga and one at Wangaratta — have been scheduled is to provide buyers with the opportunity to acquire as many cattle as possible within a short period within North East Victoria in a move expected to suit northern NSW and Queensland buyers with big orders.

Nutrien livestock development manager Ron Rutledge said there would be enough competition for all weaner sales despite the fixtures clash.

“Often sales are held in different centres on the same day and I can’t see it having any real impact on rates,” Mr Rutledge said.

“We’ve heard that northern agents will drop one person in Wodonga and head down to Hamilton so they can be active at both sales.”

Mr Rutledge said it would be a challenge to handle so many cattle through both centres, and spelling depots would play their part in ensuring high animal welfare.

“We need to be mindful of the condition of the cattle, the carriers and the agents,” he said.

Albury Wodonga Stock Agents Association president Peter Ruaro said the group decided to push all sales into one week.

“The way the dates fell, we would have had only one sale in the first week and it made sense to have all the sales the following week,” Mr Ruaro said. “There may be big numbers, but we have done it before (handled big numbers) and we can do it again.”

Mr Ruaro said he did expect the move to attract buyers who could fill orders over four consecutive days.

“We are not sure how it will affect the southern sales, but I am sure buyers will have it sorted,” he said.

LMB director Bernie Grant, from Hamilton, said the decision to have Wodonga’s sales competing with Hamilton’s week-long weaner offering was “interesting”.

“It will certainly stretch the buyers, but we are interfaced with AuctionsPlus this year, so that will help with northern competition and the people who know our calves,” Mr Grant said.

“What it will do is put pressure on transport operators who need to move the cattle, so I am not sure it is the smartest move.”

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