Saleyards Master Plan 2020 - 2030

As a producer who sells cattle through the saleyards in 5.1.2 you say your fees are competitive, but in table 7.2 you are equal dearest and if everyone one increases at CPI you will remain in that position and the gap with your most direct competitor Naracoorte will widen. I know it is a balance of income and expense but maintaining throughput is very important to maintaining income and desire for producers to use you.
I am also a professional cattle transporter the main issues are:-
1. The washdown is the worst of the 3 saleyards in the Limestone coast, the pressure is dismal and transport operators do wash out elsewhere if they can. As your figures in the plan show it is a cash flow positive part of the saleyards so the quicker you can improve the washdown the better for everyone including your own bottomline.. All 6 bays need to be usable by Avdata key as on large sale delivery days the waiting time becomes unacceptable and drivers leave. Naracoorte washdown pressure and nozzles really are the benchmark, their cost per minute is more than Mount Gambier but you can washout much faster.
2. Loading out cattle after sales can be a very time consuming exercise. Currently most of the delivery pens are a long way from the ramps. I often get cattle out of 235 and 236 and they do not want to come out as they are going towards the weighbridge infrastructure, a race along the northern side would be safer and easier. This would improve efficiency on sale day because early weighed cattle could be transported prior to all cattle being weighed. This hopefully is a consideration to the new ramp plans.
Ramp C is better to load 2 decks with currently, movement in and about the ramp is easiest but dust there is a hard to work with in the lights after dark and could be adverse to health, also the dirt and manure that collects at the bottom of the ramp around the rollers needs to be cleaned out much more regularly. Ramps A and B are harder to back a B double into but also stock movement is much more difficult and movement by the operator around the ramp while loading is slow and difficult. All 3 ramps safety gates are not very safe. The gate swings so a cranky cow kicking it causes it to rebound and hit you in the head. This has happened to me and even when it was latched was able to be flexed open. This is magnified for the top deck which when operating at the top level angles towards the user. Sliding gates would be a gold standard and would help prevent serious injury.
Things to consider with the proposed new outloading ramps are
1. Easy cattle movement to the ramp area holding pens from all dirt pens.
2. New ramps and force should follow the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) published Guide for Safe Design of Livestock Loading Ramps and Forcing Yards. The main areas are 1) sliding safety gates are better, 2) the force needs to hold a long pen of cattle with plenty of room to spare 3) the operator needs easy access around the ramp and force. (Ramp C is a good example of sufficient access).