Rubber Mats: The Saleyards Game-Changer for IRLX
Quick Snapshot
Cattle slipping on the previous concrete and wire mesh surface, leading to inefficiency during sales and high maintenance costs for granite areas.
Result? Significantly increased sale day weighing efficiency while simultaneously fostering a safer environment by achieving a significant reduction in slipping incidents, improving both team safety and animal welfare through reduced stress.
Client Profile
Client
Inverell Regional Livestock Exchange.
Contact
Anna Adams.
Location
Inverell, New South Wales, Australia.
Operational Scope
70,000 cattle and 70,000 sheep per year.
The Technical Advantage of YoungStar
The successful transformation at IRLX is rooted in how YoungStar Matting addresses the facility’s specific challenges head-on, delivering immediate, quantifiable returns.
Calmer cattle mean less stress and a safer environment for the yard team, improving their safety and reducing handling friction.
At IRLX, the high-quality, heavy-duty mats have paid off with improved efficiency and a big reduction in maintenance costs. Anna Adams noted that the matting is built to “stand the test of time,” requiring only a simple weekly washdown instead of the regular, costly upkeep of traditional granite and concrete areas. The high-quality rubber offers durability as a reliable, low-cost asset.
Better welfare, lower costs, higher returns. Simple as that.
"We've also had a big reduction in maintenance costs where previously we had to regularly upkeep those high-traffic areas with granite"
The Numat solution
Five years ago, IRLX installed YoungStar rubber matting from NumatAGRI in the problem area. Designed for heavy-duty use in livestock environments, YoungStar provides a non-slip, durable alternative to concrete. Made from high-quality recycled rubber, it offers superior grip and cushioning while withstanding intense wear.
The matting was fitted to cover the weighbridge turn, creating a safer pathway for cattle. Weekly hosing keeps it clean and functional, with no need for frequent repairs. As part of Regional Livestock Exchanges (RLX), IRLX has since expanded the use of YoungStar to multiple sites across its network.
Post-installation data shows clear improvements. Weighing efficiency rose, allowing more lots per hour over the bridge. Animal slipping incidents dropped significantly, reducing stress and enhancing welfare. Staff safety improved as cattle flowed smoothly on and off the weighbridge, minimizing handling interventions.
Project details
IRLX first trialed the YoungStar rubber matting five years ago, installing it specifically in the initial problem area on the old weighbridge and seeing “immediate improvements”.
Based on this success, the decision was made to install the matting extensively during the construction of a new weighbridge. The rubber matting was laid across the entryway, the weighbridge itself, and the exit path where the cattle turn off.
Anna Adams affirmed the long-term value of the investment: “We found it’s a really high quality product, it provides a safe alternative to concrete and it really stands the test of time.”
Results & benefits
Reduction in Slips: Slipping incidents dropped after installation, cutting animal stress and injury risks in a high-traffic 90-degree turn area.
Faster Weighing Efficiency: More lots processed per hour during sale days, improving cow flow and overall throughput for 70,000 cattle and 70,000 sheep annually.
Staff Safety Boost: Smoother cattle movement reduces handling needs, lowering risks to team members in busy saleyard operations.
Maintenance Costs Slashed: No more regular granite upkeep; weekly hosing keeps mats looking brand new, saving time and money long-term.
Proven Durability: High quality product, safe alternative to concrete that really stands the test of time.
“Some of the results and impacts that we've seen are an efficiency in our sale day weighing so we can actually weigh more lots per hour over our weighbridge”
Why YoungStar 32
For Inverell Regional Livestock Exchange, YoungStar 32 offered the best combination of grip, durability, and long-term performance.
Designed with the needs of stock yards, sale yards and abattoirs, in mind. YoungStar is a built-tough rubber matting system that’s simple to install, easy to clean, and an exceptional performer under pressure. Its well-placed lugs are designed to stop cattle slipping and dramatically reduce the incidence of falls and injuries.
Features
• 18mm thick base with 14mm high square lugs (total thickness 32mm)
• Fully vulcanised sealed rubber (doesn’t hold moisture or bacteria)
• Stainless-steel fixing system (no protruding metal parts)
