DON'T panic - Western Australia's cattle and sheep markets aren't going to fall off the edge of the earth.
In fact, the gradual decline in prices should provide restockers and producers with some confidence in market stability.
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Nutrien Livestock State manager Leon Giglia (pictured) said a correction was expected.
This correction or easing has taken price uncertainty out of the market.
"This time last year, each and every week the cattle market was reaching another level," Mr Giglia said.
"We were unsure and uncertain as to where the peak was and when the right time was to enter the market.
"I firmly believe that there's going to be good opportunities in transacting livestock this spring, not to say that the market is going to fall significantly.
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"But it's probably going to stabilise and level out and provide that certainty for producers to do their math."
Mr Giglia said WA's southern offtake would likely peak at the same time as northern - particularly Pilbara and Gascoyne - cattle hit the market.
He said this had not happened for a long time and meant there would not be a shortage of cattle.
"With the past seasons being drier in our north, the cattle have come out a lot earlier," Mr Giglia said.
"With a larger number of cattle being available during our spring flush, the consensus is that naturally the market is going to be easier due to numbers.
"In their restocking programs, people are considering that, and making the necessary adjustments to their current and future purchases."
As WA cattle and sheep abattoirs continue to grapple with labour shortages - throughput and old season lambs were suppressing the market.
Mr Giglia said it was an Australia-wide issue, and some abattoirs were unable to process to capacity.
He said this could be carried into the spring flush with predictions of a strong lambing season.
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"We have anywhere between 15 to 20 per cent extra lambs to be processed this year, or transacted, in some form," Mr Giglia said.
"All indications are with the season we're having here in the west, that our lambs are going to have weight and there will be a lot of good quality lambs.
"We are already receiving early indications on pricing from feedlotters/restockers that pricing won't be at the levels seen in past years.
"So we do have a little bit of a lack of competition, but I think that's only short-term in both cattle and sheep."
Mr Giglia predicted there would be a price increase next year, where the market could return to autumn traditions - where people are paid a premium for production of fat stock over summer and autumn.
He said this hadn't been seen because the market had been very constant.
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"Here in Western Australia, the past two years, the east coast restocking, whether it be sheep or cattle has underpinned the market, to some extent," he said.
"That's not going to be the case this year."
