Trudy Whitaker relishes her dual role at Moura branch and saleyards

Ms Whitaker is the Elders Moura branch manager and also oversees the company owned saleyards and clearing facility.

"I rejoined Elders in 2020 and was initially focussed on rebuilding the retail business leading to massive growth and profits over the past two years and getting our local cattle sales started again, when the saleyards facility manager position became vacant," she said.

She said formerly being a contract musterer, and working on a live export depot and stations in the Northern Territory, had given her the background to handle big mobs of cattle and not panic on the 63-deck days.

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"It was fantastic and refreshing and at times, "full-on", to take on the saleyards role along with the administration," she said.

"I believe I was the only accredited tick certifier in all of Elders until we could fill the role and qualify others."

With the help of two stockmen, Jeff and Dan Dodd, the three of them would push over 140,000 head through the clearing dip annually and feed out hundreds of round bales.

"The boys can walk over 30 kilometres on a big day pushing cattle through the yards," she said.

Ms Whitaker said with a capacity to hold 2000 head, they clear cattle going south into the feedlots through the plunge dip, and if they are visually clean, these cattle can keep moving.

"If cattle are going back into a paddock in a tick-free zone, they have to be physically scratched to check for ticks in three locations such as between the back legs, up under the flank and in the ears before being cleared," she said.

"We've come ahead hugely in the last few years and are re-investing $300,000 into our saleyards and clearing facility with a new double decker ramp, full new saleyards lighting and a major pen-fill program to greatly improve the working and safety conditions.

Ms Whitaker said she relishes the challenges of managing the branch, but still enjoys the cattle work including the interaction with people from a wide range of industry.

"The biggest challenge is to be aware of what we are doing, and taking into consideration the temperament of all cattle breeds when pushing them through the plunge dip with safety.," she said

The saleyards were for many years managed by the late Tom Cuskelly with head stockman, Les Nolan. Mr Cuskelly was largely responsible for building the clearing yards into what it is today.

"We now have a beautiful sandstone memorial at the yards for Tom Cuskelly who was instrumental in the change from "just" a saleyards to the clearing facility and ran it for many years, until his passing," she said.