During a tour of the facility Cowra Shire Services manager Chris Cannard told local sellers, buyers and agents showed off the facility’s new truck wash, double decker loading ramp and improved bathrooms.

Grants received over the last couple of years, Mr Cannard said, have enabled Cowra to upgrade facilities for transport operators which have lead to the installation of a double decker truck cattle ramp at the saleyards.

The latest round of funding, he said, had seen an upgrade of the truck wash at the yards.

“We’ve put in extra lighting, put in extra cameras, we've widened the facility, put in improved hosing facilities.

“The B double double decker truck ramp, the truck wash, these facilities have improved the facility for truck drivers and the transport industry.

“We’ve also completed a renovation of the bathrooms for the truck drivers, again improving the quality of the facility for the transport operators.

“Leading on from that, with the truck wash, we’ve done a lot of work to be able to use the water from the truck wash to irrigate our holding paddocks.”

Mr Cannard said the new loading arrangements met all the latest animal welfare requirements.

“”Everything we’ve done, we’ve tried to integrate it back to help out the agents and help out the stock,” he said.

“It’s a lot better for animal welfare and the welfare of people handing the stocks as well.

“It was all integrated to improve the safety of the whole yards.”

Mr Cannard said the truck wash also allowed drivers to wash their trucks 24 hours a day.

“It’s better for driver fatigue and we’ve put in a lot of lighting for safety and security.

“We’ve upgrade the pumps for a lot stronger flow, trucks can be washed down easier and quicker.

“It’s more convenient for operators which is what the grant was all about, fixing truck washes for the the transport industry,” Mr Cannard said.