Dipping tanks, your thoughts

iverjohnston

Hello everyone. Am planning on building some kind of handling unit for sheep. nothing fancy, now, just an arrangment of pens to allow some level of control. Is everyone using Click, etc nowadays, and would any of you consider putting in a dipping tank?
If so would you recommend a round or rectangular one?
There used to be a firm down Carlow way (I think) selling fibreglass circular ones, saw a fellow with one installed about 20 years ago, worked well enough, you could direct them round for another "lap" if they were a good swimmer and keeping the head up high.
Can they still be got?
Iver in Cavan

HillFarmer

I've looked for something like that myself.
Could only seem to find the rectangular precast ones.

I think the circular ones are the best, as you say another lap.
Some of the dipping companies have some good websites on setups.

I think Clik is fine for Fly strike but Dip will clean up your flock in no time.
I use neighbours tank for dipping last year.
It was the first time our sheep were dipped in 5 years, great improvement.

Check this out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiJAfjNNvEU

Let me know if you find anyone supplying the round tanks.

docmartin

iverjohnston wrote: »

Hello everyone. Am planning on building some kind of handling unit for sheep. nothing fancy, now, just an arrangment of pens to allow some level of control. Is everyone using Click, etc nowadays, and would any of you consider putting in a dipping tank?
If so would you recommend a round or rectangular one?
There used to be a firm down Carlow way (I think) selling fibreglass circular ones, saw a fellow with one installed about 20 years ago, worked well enough, you could direct them round for another "lap" if they were a good swimmer and keeping the head up high.
Can they still be got?
Iver in Cavan

Hi Iver, i put up a 3 bay sheep house at the begining of the year and put a pen and dipping tank and footbath outside, so far it has proved a great success as we're much more likely to dip when the unit is beside us and the job doesnt seem like such a chore.

my tank is just the simple rectangular type and a seepage area running back into the tank

Askim

What kind of width would you want for a round tank ??

A

HillFarmer

docmartin wrote: »

Hi Iver, i put up a 3 bay sheep house at the begining of the year and put a pen and dipping tank and footbath outside, so far it has proved a great success as we're much more likely to dip when the unit is beside us and the job doesnt seem like such a chore.

my tank is just the simple rectangular type and a seepage area running back into the tank

Any chance of a few pics?

drive it

you could buy a mobile sheep shower i think they are covered under the sheep handling grant i may be wrong

poor farmer

docmartin wrote: »

Hi Iver, i put up a 3 bay sheep house at the begining of the year and put a pen and dipping tank and footbath outside, so far it has proved a great success as we're much more likely to dip when the unit is beside us and the job doesnt seem like such a chore.

my tank is just the simple rectangular type and a seepage area running back into the tank

If you intend to stay at sheep its well worth putting in dipping tank
As the Doc says a pen for the sheep to stand in after dipping, which will drain back into the dip tank is vital
I built one with blocks years ago works fine .

mostatom

yep, i agree with poor farmer, definitely a worthwhile investment, i put in a rectangular one a few years ago with drain pen falling back into the tank, give them 10 or 15 minutes in the pen to drain off. I think the dip gives the sheep a good clean all over and they look fresher after a dip.

Fat Cant

I power wash my sheep and it work great . I put up a few hurdals and let in 5 at a time and wash the sheep all over , takes 4 to 5 min pre pen of 5 sheep. Make sure not to rev the tractor to high . people mite think I'm mad but it does work and its a cheap setup

iverjohnston

http://www.paxtonagri.com/Foot_baths_and_dips/Sheep_dips.aspx

this is the kind of thing I had in mind, any Irish suppliers?

reilig

poor farmer wrote: »

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If you intend to stay at sheep its well worth putting in dipping tank
As the Doc says a pen for the sheep to stand in after dipping, which will drain back into the dip tank is vital
I built one with blocks years ago works fine .

Did you have any problems with seepage from the block tank? We used to use a neighbour's block tank. It was fine when he built it first, but after a few years, the dip corroded some of the plaster on it and leaked out. Now, apart from pollution concerns, the biggest problem was that it was in a tight area and you couldn't get the tanker to it to empty it - you had to bucket it out. As you were bucketing it out, the water that had leaked out was flowing back in and it was a hell of a job to get it emptied out properly.

We put in a precast rectangular tank ourselves since that. It is a great job!

rancher

reilig wrote: »

Did you have any problems with seepage from the block tank? We used to use a neighbour's block tank. It was fine when he built it first, but after a few years, the dip corroded some of the plaster on it and leaked out. Now, apart from pollution concerns, the biggest problem was that it was in a tight area and you couldn't get the tanker to it to empty it - you had to bucket it out. As you were bucketing it out, the water that had leaked out was flowing back in and it was a hell of a job to get it emptied out properly.

We put in a precast rectangular tank ourselves since that. It is a great job!

I have a JFC tank in and it was very hard to stop it collapsing when backfilling, would've liked a precast, but the concrete companies didn't have a lot of interest in making them during the 'celtic tiger' years

docmartin

HillFarmer wrote: »

Any chance of a few pics?

will try yo get a few pictures up of my outdoor system, but i've got football the next few evenings plus a work meeting tomorrow night so it could be close to the weekend before i'd get them up

HillFarmer

docmartin wrote: »

will try yo get a few pictures up of my outdoor system, but i've got football the next few evenings plus a work meeting tomorrow night so it could be close to the weekend before i'd get them up

Cheers Doc, would like to see it

iverjohnston

http://www.paxtonagri.com/Foot_baths_and_dips/Sheep_dips.aspx

Regarding the above company link, I rang one of their N I suppliers today. Stinsons of Aughnacloy, and he is quoting£675 plus the vat for the 1200 litre circular model. The vat is refundable as it would be a fixed piece of infrastructure. Still end up near €1000 for the tank.
Iver

jobseek

Was just thinking of this today and seen this thread,how does it go with planning and that with putting in a dipping trough

iverjohnston

Well, I won't say anything if you dont!

jobseek

iverjohnston wrote: »

Well, I won't say anything if you dont!

aye,but would there be any regulations regarding what you do with the dip thats left once you have them dipped

iverjohnston

When you're finished dipping,(throw in the dog when you are at it) most people suck it out and dump it into a slatted tank, where it would be greatly diluted. If you havent got a tank, you would have to spread directly on the land.

Conmaicne Mara

I think you can spread it on the land, not sure of the dilution rate though. It may not be practical for hill farms without machinery though.

Could try to see if those trucks that empty sceptic tanks can take it.

HillFarmer

iverjohnston wrote: »

When you're finished dipping,(throw in the dog when you are at it) most people suck it out and dump it into a slatted tank, where it would be greatly diluted. If you havent got a tank, you would have to spread directly on the land.

Dip is poisanous to dogs

Conmaicne Mara

HillFarmer wrote: »

Dip is poisanous to dogs

We used to always dip the dogs, but I cannot remember whether it was a weak solution before more was added for the sheep, or whether it was after the sheep were done. Never killed any dogs But now that I think of it I think the normal dip rating for sheep is too strong for dogs, it'll burn them, so it was probably the former.

Jack180570

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/sheep/1482603

great value, 495e inc vat, just bought two

sea12

Jack180570 wrote: »

http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/sheep/1482603

great value, 495e inc vat, just bought two

Why would you need 2 now jack??
Are u connected to the company???

Jack180570

[IMG]http://C:\Users\User\Desktop\New folder\Dip 1.jpg[/IMG]Smiling... no, not connected to the company at all, just have two farms, one hill and one lowland and they are about 50 miles apart. Just not practical to move the sheep from one location to the other for dipping.

I have since bought the two tanks and installed one on the hill farm, a really simple setup that a local contractor down there did for me. a few pics attached. Dont know how much the setup cost as have not got the bill from the contractor yet.

It was something I was thinking about for a while as its difficult to keep sheep clean and since the withdrawal of dectomax it was even more difficult. All in all as our sheep numbers are over 220ewes it will work out far less expensive than the dectomax and the dip kills ectoparasites that the dectomax wasnt gettting.

Comparing it to a plastic tank it works out WAY less expensive as you dont have to pour a foundation or lean mix up the outside of the plastic tank. ALso on a very simple level, the plastic tank was 600 V 495 for the precast tank.

On the downside, the precast tank is awful difficult to transport as it has a high centre of gravity. another upside is that the seller gave us four eye hooks that screw into the four corners of the tank so loading or dropping tank into position is easy.

Username John

Jack180570 wrote: »

[IMG]http://C:\Users\User\Desktop\New folder\Dip 1.jpg[/IMG]Smiling... no, not connected to the company at all, just have two farms, one hill and one lowland and they are about 50 miles apart. Just not practical to move the sheep from one location to the other for dipping.

I have since bought the two tanks and installed one on the hill farm, a really simple setup that a local contractor down there did for me. a few pics attached. Dont know how much the setup cost as have not got the bill from the contractor yet.

It was something I was thinking about for a while as its difficult to keep sheep clean and since the withdrawal of dectomax it was even more difficult. All in all as our sheep numbers are over 220ewes it will work out far less expensive than the dectomax and the dip kills ectoparasites that the dectomax wasnt gettting.

Comparing it to a plastic tank it works out WAY less expensive as you dont have to pour a foundation or lean mix up the outside of the plastic tank. ALso on a very simple level, the plastic tank was 600 V 495 for the precast tank.

On the downside, the precast tank is awful difficult to transport as it has a high centre of gravity. another upside is that the seller gave us four eye hooks that screw into the four corners of the tank so loading or dropping tank into position is easy.

no pics.

iverjohnston

Well, just an update on the dipping tank. I really like the look of those Paxton circular ones, but at about 1000 Euro, plus drive to Tyrone to collect, I have another scheme in place. A farmer about 10 miles away used to have sheep, and now lets the land. He had a fibreglass circular tank installed, but its not needed now. I can have it if I can get it lifted out intact. Will post a few pics later. Mack in Cavan

Jack180570

Pics attached now, hopefully!

supersean1999

im in the process of building one too, ill fire a few pics up when i get it finished, prob wont be before christmas, iv done mine above ground , iv a run up on a slope leading to a small holding area , ill prob double it up as a dosing run to get the sheep used to running up the shoot and off to freedom instead of going up it once or twice a year and getting a soaking, id hope to have the whole lot done for less than 500, money well spent in my opinion, the lift in tub i have was a nightmare,