Saleyards are public delivery and collection points to which animals are transported to be sold to the highest bidder and from where animals are then transported to their final destination.

There are a number of key factors that influence the welfare of animals at saleyards. These include:

• The person in charge of the saleyard should be responsible for ensuring the welfare of all animals at the premises.
• The saleyard should be designed, constructed and maintained to facilitate the natural flow of movement of animals and in a manner that does not cause injury.
• The provision of water, feed, shade and shelter should take into consideration the physiological needs of the specific class of animal, the individual animal, and the local climatic conditions.
• The principles of low-stress animal handling should be applied in which an understanding of animal behaviour and the animal’s flight zone, in particular, are used to encourage rather than force an animal in the required direction.
• Arrangements should be in place for the care of sick or injured animals and other animals unsuitable for sale.
• Animals should be fit for transport before being sold.

Because transport is inherently stressful to the animals concerned, RSPCA Australia strongly encourages the direct consignment of farm animals to their point of destination be that an abattoir or another property. However, saleyards – although declining in number – remain a common form of trading in farm animals.