Since the COVID-19 restrictions, many people in the livestock industry have had to adapt quickly to the world of online bidding.
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Including 91-year-old saleyard veteran Bill Weidner, Bungowannah Park, near Albury who supported by his daughter Gayle Quinn, recently purchased $75,000 worth of stock at the Wodonga store sale via online platform StockLive.
Bill and Gayle said despite frustration with not being able to attend the saleyard, they were happy to purchase online.
"At almost 92 my father is fit, healthy and very involved in the day-to-day running of our business and this doesn't stop even with the COVD-19 pandemic," Ms Quinn said.
"And while I click the bids, it's very much under the direction of dad sitting beside me doing the selection and purchasing, just as he has always done.
"He's been in the stock industry all his life and has relied on his own judgement and likes it that way."
Ms Quinn said they bought in cows and calves and mostly Angus weaner steers, growing them out for the feedlot or processor markets, they also ran their own 60 to 80 cows and calves.
She said they had lightened their numbers prior to the hot weather but now had good crops coming up.
"We have been wanting cattle since March however COVID-19 has caused havoc with health and businesses everywhere including ours," Ms Quinn said.
"Our bidding in online auction sales has allowed us to keep trading.
"Without seeing the cattle in person we rely on having good descriptions of the cattle as you are looking at a picture approximately 3 inches by three inches.
"We are new to this system and our reception is not always the best. However, the auctioneers who are used to working with StockLive have improved their acknowledgement of the online bids."
