Emerald Livestock Selling Association (ELSA) spokesman Tim Maguire, Maguires Real Estate and Livestock, said the move from fortnightly separate prime and store sales was one the seven agents in the association would stick with.

Ahead of the first sale for 2012 next Thursday, Mr Maguire said the association would convert another 40 to 48 selling pens at the Central Highlands Regional Council-owned saleyards.

The ELSA hopes to increase annual numbers sold to 100,000 in coming years, Mr Maguire said.

He said the new configuration, and additional selling pens, would cut down on labour on sale day as less stock would need to be moved around.

Mr Maguire hopes the 2012 selling season will start as 2011 finished.

"The market is very sound and was probably at its highest at the close. It has been a very stable cattle market for years and is probably in as good a condition as it has been in a while," he said.

"The season has been good and there are still good cattle out there, the works are all cranking up again and there is good store demand."

Mr Maguire said the shift to a weekly combined sale had attracted new vendors and buyers.

"This past year we've seen a lot of cattle that used to go passed us on the off week stopping and selling here," he said.