Forbes is an important stock selling centre. Its new Central West Livestock Exchange is one of the world's most state of the art saleyards and Australia’s largest under cover cattle selling centres.
The yards can hold a maximum of 3,000 cattle.
Forbes Shire Council secured a major award for Engineering excellence, for the construction of the Central West livestock Exchange.
The judges citation stated “Construction of the new Central West Livestock Exchange at Forbes has raised the bar significantly on the standard of stock selling centres, with its focus on animal welfare, environmental compliance, OH&S and functional design.”
The international market expects management of livestock biosecurity, processes to manage an emergency disease outbreak and measures to prevent it occurring in the first place.
The Forbes saleyard’s biosecurity measures were developed during the planning and construction process and not as an afterthought and show significant foresight creating saleyards that meet the biosecurity needs of both domestic and international markets.
A ‘clean and green’ image shows in the areas of technology, waste management, animal welfare and transport.
Unlike most modern saleyards, which have concrete floors, the new Forbes facility has floors made of compacted sawdust, rice hulls and sand. The soft stand floor will mean that if we see foot problems in an animal, it won't be associated with standing on a concrete floor. Sore feet - an early sign of foot-and-mouth disease, one of the most feared of the emergency diseases with the potential to enter Australia.
The integrated National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) software provides the technology to trace livestock movements forwards and backwards and Animal Health Australia was impressed with the waste disposal plan and truck wash areas.