Sheep and cattle stockyards are an essential facility for raising healthy and profitable animals…so getting it right is vital.

A well made and well planned stockyard saves on manpower, enables efficient handling of your sheep, cattle or other stock, minimise bruising and are a pleasure to work in.

Whereas a poorly designed set of stockyards could lead to years of inconvenience and frustration.

There are many stockyard designs, our team of experts at Midland Stockyards can help you select and design the best stockyard suitable for your operations.

There are several reasons why workplace health and safety in sheep or cattle stockyard designs should be considered:

• the safety of workers, family and visitors.

• legislative requirements.

• defence in common law litigation.

• work efficiency.

Many injuries result from kicks and gate accidents because of the unpredictable nature of animals, poor stockmanship, badly designed stockyards or poorly maintained facilities.

Animal stress is a major cause of worker injury, as well as having a negative impact on carcass quality.

Midland Stockyards can assist you with advise for site location which is vital for efficient handling, you should considering the following points:

• Arrange access to laneways and/or as many paddocks as possible.

• Keep stockyards away from living areas to minimise noise, flies, dust and smell.

• Allow for all-weather access of trucks to and from market. Remember, the best prices are often paid on wet days because many farmers cannot get their stock out.

• Water and power should be laid on, or close at hand.

• Good drainage is essential, build on a gravel rise if possible, or build up the site with gravel.

• Shade trees make working your animals more pleasant especially in summer.

Midland Stockyards will help you reduce the chance of worker injury and animal stress.

A good set of stockyards positively encourages sound farm management and herd health due to the ease of animal handling. Where as if they are difficult to work or do not exist, essential animal management is often not undertaken.

Be it cattle, sheep, goat or horse yards, Midland Stockyards can assist with your stockyard.