What cattle yards cost in Australia

Cattle yards in Australia are priced by the part: a 2.1 m panel is about $77 ex GST, a crush runs from $5,955 to $35,860, and a loading ramp from $6,690. Our three worked setups total $9,495 to $58,075 in materials before freight, concrete and installation, and Te Pari's published whole-yard estimates run to $110,000 for 200 head.

A set of cattle yards is a list of parts that gets bolted and poured into one working system, and each part is priced differently. A 2.1 m panel costs under $100, a crush from about $6,000 to over $35,000, and a loading ramp from under $7,000 to well over $60,000. Herd size, panel height, finish, the crush and ramp you choose, and the concrete and installation around them move the total. This guide sets out published prices for each part, three worked setups for a small, medium and large herd, what moves the price, what used yards sell for, and how the purchase is funded.

What cattle yard parts cost

Yard prices are published by the part, not by the yard, so the honest way to price a set is to add up its parts. The table below uses a ProWay price list dated 16 April 2026 for crushes, ProWay's list dated 21 May 2025 for ramps, Te Pari's online shop for headbails and gates, and dealer and classified listings for forcing yards and panels. Figures are indicative market data, not Ventas offers. Check the GST column: dealers quote both ways.

Two things stand out. Crush prices spread more than any other part: $5,955 for a hobby-herd unit to $35,860 ex GST for a Breckon pneumatic crush on the same list, and the difference is the headbail, the squeeze, the floor and weigh bar mounts. And panels are the cheap part per metre but the bulk of a big yard: ProWay's lists price crushes and ramps, but panels and race rails are quoted per design. The only panel prices we could open were the two classified listings above, so get a quote with your layout.

What a complete setup costs

Te Pari, a manufacturer of permanent steel yards, publishes ranges for a whole yard by herd size: $35,000 to $70,000 for 100 head, $63,000 to $90,000 for 150 head and $80,000 to $110,000 for 200 head, with crushes at $7,000 to $20,000 and a headbail from $500 to $5,000 (Te Pari blog, 26 March 2024, so two years old). It does not say what each range includes. Its yards come with delivery and installation of 3 to 5 days, and earthworks, drainage and concrete are a separate scope.

To see how the parts add up, here are three setups priced from the table above. Our arithmetic. Materials only, ex GST, before freight, installation, earthworks and concrete.

The medium set lands below Te Pari's $63,000 to $90,000 range for 150 head, which is the gap that concrete, earthworks, freight and installation fill. Concrete alone is quoted by Te Pari at $250 to $400 a cubic metre to supply, before labour to box and lay it. At the top end, Beef Central reported on 6 August 2025 that Kalyeeda Station in the Kimberley, WA spent $900,000 on yards built to handle up to 1,000 breeders a day, with about $160,000 for the pneumatic gates and crush and about a third of the cost in labour. That is a station build, not a typical farm set.

What moves the price

Five choices move the total more than the brand does.

• Panel height and rail count. National Stockyards, an Australian maker, offers 5 to 8 rail panels in heights of 1,600 to 1,800 mm and lengths of 2.2 to 4.0 m. Taller, heavier rails cost more steel.
• Galvanised or painted. Galvanised steel costs more up front and lasts longer with less upkeep. Te Pari's permanent yards carry a 5 year warranty on bent rails. Check the finish on every quote.
• Head bail and crush type. Headbails alone run from $3,750 at Te Pari, and a crush from $5,955 for a basic unit to $35,860 ex GST for a pneumatic one on the ProWay list. Weigh bars and scales are extra and quoted separately.
• Loading ramp. A ramp ranges from $6,690 ex GST for a fixed 19 degree unit to $17,525 for a 12.5 degree ramp with level extension and dual walkways, and over $60,000 for a 9 m adjustable ramp (ProWay, May 2025).
• Installation and site. Concrete, drainage, earthworks and freight are the line most buyers forget. Freight is extra on both Arrowquip listings above, and Te Pari says many clients use their own contractor for site preparation. Installation labour is not published, so get it in writing.

Who buys: beef and dairy producers building a first proper set or replacing timber yards, backgrounders and agistment operators who need a safe, quick way to process mobs, and livestock contractors who want portable panels. If you are also buying the land, read our guide to buying a cattle property, and for the shed next to the yards see farm shed costs.

Used cattle yards

Second-hand yards sell cheaply because they are heavy, local and hard to move. The table shows what we could open. Two lots are undated and two are sold, so they show where used values sit, not what is on offer.

A used crush only holds its value if the headbail and gates still work. Look for bent rails, worn pins and latches, and rust at the base of posts and welds. The cost of moving a yard is the catch: the Cobram lots are cheap because the buyer pays for removal and cartage.

Financing a cattle yard build

Yards are a modest purchase beside land or machinery, and lenders treat them that way. A crush, forcing yard or ramp that is bolted down or movable is equipment, and an equipment lender may fund it against the item itself. Concrete, earthworks and permanent panels are part of the property and resell poorly, so they are usually funded from cash or against land. Appetite is generally fair for a producer with a trading history and equity. It is cautious for new operators, leased land or an agistment business with no security, and some lenders will not write very small loans, so a $9,000 yard may be better paid from cash flow. Ventas is a broker, not a lender, so we do not quote rates. They depend on the lender, the security and the file.

Illustrative only, subject to lender assessment. A medium setup, before GST. Suppliers do not publish freight, installation or site works for a standard yard, so those are quoted separately and left out of the totals here:

And how it might be funded across lender types:

Equipment lenders value used gear on what it would resell for, which is less than a new price, so expect them to fund a share rather than the full amount. A GST registered business may be able to claim credits on the purchase, and any deduction treatment depends on your circumstances, so ask your accountant.

What makes a yard deal fundable:

• Trading history. Farm financials and BAS showing cash flow to repay.
• Security. Property equity, or equipment with a clear resale value.
• The quote. An itemised supplier quote that separates equipment, install and site works, and shows GST.
• Purpose. A herd or contract that needs the yards, not a speculative build.

To get a number from Ventas, send the supplier quote, whether installation and freight are included, your herd size, the property you can offer and your last two years of financials. Start at agricultural finance, or read how finance works when buying livestock. Finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.

This is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Figures are indicative market data from the sources listed, not Ventas offers, and move with the market. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a professional. All finance is subject to lender assessment and approval.

This article is general information only and not financial, credit, or tax advice. Ventas Asset Lending is a finance broker, not a lender. Approvals are subject to lender assessment. Consider your own circumstances and speak to a qualified professional, including your accountant for any tax questions.