Warrnambool Livestock Exchange manager Paul White confirmed the store sale would not go ahead.

"The store sale is not on Friday. I think we would have yarded 3000 cattle," he said.

"But, we couldn't guarantee the safety of the buyers.

"You need competition and buyers and I think we would have got them, but we can't guarantee their safety."

Mr White said he expected that Wednesday sales would continue after strict protocols were put in place this week.

"With the prime sale we are pretty sure we can guarantee social distancing," he said.

"We implemented those protocols yesterday and pretty much every buyer was happy.

"We restricted entry, put in place hand wash stations, there was one person in the office at a time and we had a sign-in and sign-out book.

"We also had a limit of two people in the canteen at a time and the canteen is just doing takeaways."

Mr White said the system worked well.

"We understand that each saleyard is different and we're not trying to reinvent the wheel," he said.

"We had a couple of vendors who would normally attend who were a bit peeved, but we need strong protocols in place for the sake of everybody.

"We're at a stage now where we believe we have an ongoing operational system."

The exchange manager said the social side of the saleyards was greatly restricted and those indirectly involved in the operation would be denied entry.

"All the meat companies have said to their buyers that if they are not comfortable then leave. It's been a very clear directive," he said.

"We also some of the cow, bullock and vealer sales streaming live on our Facebook page. People were watching on their electronic devices and while they can't bid, they can see what's going on."

"It's now very important that vendors have contact with their agents prior to sales."

Warrnambool City Council chief executive officer Peter Schneider confirmed the store sale was cancelled.

"The store sales typically draw large numbers of people and we simply can't ensure we create a low-risk environment at such a sale," he said.

Midfield Group general manager Dean McKenna said Midfield Direct was still buying.

"We need to turn over cattle, we are buying and there's plenty of numbers around," he said.

Saleyard operators have cancelled or postponed a series of major Victorian livestock sales after Prime Minister Scott Morrison tightened social distancing rules earlier this week.

The 4000-head cattle sale at Leongatha was cancelled on Wednesday as Ballarat's 3000-head female sale was postponed and is expected to be rescheduled within weeks.

It follows the cancellation of the monthly store sale scheduled at Echuca on Monday.

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