‘Unbelievable’ year at Katanning Regional Saleyards as prices soar on the back of sheep exodus, strong demand

Rod Bushell says it has been an “unbelievable” year for the Katanning Regional Saleyards, with the more than 20,000 head of sheep penned some weeks reminding staff of sales more than 10 years ago. Mr Bushell, who has managed the facility for more than 20 years, said the surge in yarding started “almost immediately” after June 30 last year, with numbers “nearly doubling overnight”. In the months that followed, prices and the number of sheep penned have continued to rise — with prices smashed at the State’s biggest sheep saleyard a handful of times since June, with its current record at $370 per head. New figures released by Meat and Livestock Australia last week, through its National Saleyard Survey, showed sheep transactions at Katanning Regional Saleyards had increased by 100 per cent year-on-year from 2023-24 to 2024-25. It was the biggest increase of any saleyard in Australia, which Mr Bushell said was “not surprising”. “It almost started as soon as we passed June 30 last year,” he said. “We had a quite year the year before (in 2023-24) and from July last year... our numbers almost doubled overnight. “The number of sheep passing through has remained high for the rest of the year”. Mr Bushell said he believed the increase in yardings was partially due to record and near-record prices being paid for sheep as processors and eastern states buyers go head-to-head at the weekly Wednesday sale. Also weighing in was the Federal Government’s plan to ban live sheep exports by May 2028, a decision that was announced ahead of the 2022 Federal election which quickly sapped farmers’ confidence in the trade. In the year that followed, sheep farmers’ confidence plummeted, with many deciding to reduce their flocks or get out of sheep completely — leading to a serious decline in the number of sheep in WA and sending sheep prices spiralling. Mr Bushell said the Federal Government’s decision had caused the market to “bottom out, but the tide had now turned, with confidence increasing as a lack of supply sending prices soaring this winter. Farmers’ moves to get out of sheep has led to a huge increase in the number of sheep passing through the saleyard — with 20,000 head now “not uncommon” at the weekly sale. “While WA sheep prices have come down a little bit, they are still high and look set to remain that way for now,” Mr Bushell said. “We used to handle 20,000 per week, every week, about three or four years. “More recently, we were doing 7000-10,000... but we have had sales above 10,000 head for a good 12 months now. “It has been a bit of a shock, but our staff have handled the increase really well.” The high prices have led to an increase in the number of buyers and spectators at the yard, Mr Bushell said. “The atmosphere on sale days is quite buoyant at the moment... there is definitely a ripple of excitement,” he said. But while the boost in numbers has been exciting for the saleyard, which is managed by the Shire of Katanning, Mr Bushell said he felt nervous it was partially due to farmers “sending in the last of their sheep”. “That bottom falling out of the market did some serious damage,” he said. “But wool prices are lifting a little and sheep prices are good which might change people’s decision.”