The Central West Livestock Exchange is a state of the art facility and a proven choice for buying and selling premium quality cattle, sheep and pigs. The complex opened in 2006 when the brand new $10.4 million cattle auction facility
was completed. The $15 million sheep auction facility was opened in late 2010 and $1.2 million pig auction facility in 2011.
Deputy Mayor Graeme Miller is the Chairman of the Saleyards Advisory Committee, which is the governing body of the Central West Livestock Exchange. Also on the committee are Mayor Phyllis Miller OAM, Councillor Brian Mattiske, Saleyards Supervisor Cassi Walmsley, Council senior staff, representatives from the local stock and station agents, vendors, a local carrier and a member of Local Land Services.
Cr Miller said in terms of numbers through the Central West Livestock Exchange, it was ranked second for sheep sales last year and was ranked in the top 10 for cattle sales. The facility is one of two pig selling centres in NSW and has the highest ranking for pig sales. Council has recently submitted an application for grant funding to expand the
cattle yards to cater for the larger numbers coming through the yards.
“When the facility was built nine years ago, the plan was to take us into the next 20 years, however the business has
grown to the point where we need to expand, which has exceeded all expectations,” Cr Miller said. “At the moment Council is completing a master plan for future development and an overall look at the site to take it into the next 20 years. “We will be looking at market trends and the usage of the yards.”
Cr Miller is also a member of the Australian Livestock Marketing Association Board, which is the peak national industry body in relation to conducting saleyards business and lobbying with interest groups and governments. “We are always looking at different ways that we can optimise the centre,” he said. The Central West Livestock Exchange also has canteen facilities, a six-bay high pressure truck wash, amenities including showers, ample truck and car parking and grazing paddocks for holding stock and resting stock.
State of the Art Facility is what the Local Agent’s have to say. Murray Reid from V.C. Reid and Son said, “The new livestok centre is a great asset to the town and also to all of the agents, buy ers, and vendors who use the facility each
week.” Geoff Rice, Landmark Langlands Hanlon, said,” the new livestock centre is a terrific centre to work from, and is just such a great improvement compared to the old one. With these improvements, it has attracted more and more business which is benefitting all of the local agents. It is one of the only Council owned saleyards left in the state, and a big benefit to this are the fees which the vendors pay, making it more attractive than other centres.”
Tim Mackay, agent from Forbes Livestock & Agency Co said,’ the centre is so much more superior than the previous one, and whilst we still get a little congested when the numbers are high, the sheep yards are working magnificently.” He agreed with Geoff Rice, that there are now more stock coming to Forbes since the new selling centre has been in place. Tim said,” there are now better facilities for the people handling the livestock and for the buyers and vendors.”
Luke Whitty, director of KMWL said, “Having worked at the old yards for a very long period of time, I view the new centre as state of the art. The hard cover over the cattleyards, along with the sawdust floor gives this centre a big advantage over other centres. It means that the cattle are very comfortable, and don’t get lame or sore footed whilst in the yards. The buyer’s walkways enabling them to view the cattle prior to purchase is an added advantage.
The sheep facility enables the agents to present the sheep in a better environment, and overall is just fantastic for vendors and carriers. I believe that we are attracting more business from further afield with this facility since we moved here.”