The cattle price lifted dramatically at Wagga Wagga saleyards in southern New South Wales when Rodney the Murray Grey steer sold for a staggering $12,000.

The steer was sold as a fundraiser to help buy a wheelchair-accessible bus for the students at Willans Hill School at Wagga Wagga.

Students of Willans Hill School at Wagga Wagga enjoy an excursion to the cattle sale in their new bus that Rodney helped pay for. ( ABC Rural: Cara Jeffery )

The Student Representative Council and students in years 11 and 12 at the school visited the Wagga Wagga cattle sale to see the steer they named Rodney go under the hammer.

Willans Hill School principal Gabby Sheather said a trip to the saleyards was an excursion the students, from the special needs school, always looked forward to.

"It's about our students getting out in our community and our community supporting our school," Ms Sheather said.

The school holds a competition to name the steer and the students voted to call him Rodney after one of the school's cleaners.

"Rodney the cleaner is pretty stoked and it just goes to show what a great little community we have up at our school and the cleaners are important to the students at our school," Ms Sheather said.

Students from Willans Hill School at Wagga Wagga were excited to visit the cattle sale at Wagga and watch their steer Rodney get sold for $12,000. ( ABC Rural: Cara Jeffery )

Wagga Wagga cattleman John Rodd prepared the steer for auction, a job he has been doing for 15 years with his daughters, Kimberley and Nicole, for various charities.

"He's a good steer, almost good enough to be a show steer," Mr Rodd said.

Rodney tipped the scales at half a tonne at just 16 months old.

"At that age and weighing 555 kilograms is a pretty good weight for a young steer," Mr Rodd said.

Murray Grey steer Rodney ready to be sold at the Wagga Wagga cattle sale. ( ABC Rural: Cara Jeffery )

Mr Rodd said Rodney the steer was in top shape due to feeding him cattle nuts as there was not much grass about due to the dry seasonal conditions.

Willans Hill primary school students are also involved with Rodney's journey and visited him at Mr Rodd's farm.

Rural news in your inbox? Subscribe for the national headlines of the day.

The high school students attend the auction to see Rodney go under the hammer.

When Rodney entered they sale ring to be sold the students were very excited and some sang out "Rodney!".

Ms Sheather said agriculture was well suited to students at the school.

"It's a good subject for our students to get involved with as it's very hands on, and they are able to see the process from start to end," she said.

Livestock auctioneer and agent Peter Cabot and his team taking bids for Rodney the steer at the sale. ( ABC Rural: Cara Jeffery )

Ahead of their visit to the saleyards the students were taught what to expect at the rowdy venue.

"We are very mindful of the students that we bring out to the yards, and we make sure they are well prepared and understand that it's going to be noisy, smelly and quite hot," Ms Sheather said.

"Some students wore headphones and some students brought sensory toys to help them stay calm, as we wanted to be able to take them out in our community and for them to enjoy events," she said.

The steer was bought by Aristocrat Gaming Technologies, and will end up in the freezer.

The Rodds are keen to prepare another steer for the auction next year.