Livestock trailer with swing door and small ramp

cloudroost

I have been looking for a trailer that I can use to transport cattle (max 2) and calves and also use for carrying a ton of fertilizer/meal (My scale doesn't justify any more than one trailer) . With this in mind I had a look around at the ploughing yesterday and saw an interesting option at the Aerlite stand - It was an 8foot by 4foot seven inch trailer with a swing door and a small ramp also (Could also get this in 8x5 which is what I want) - The ramp is easily detached which means you could load in a pallet.
- Did anybody see this? what did you think?

patsy_mccabe

I have an old timber trailer here, about 8ft x 5ft. I use it to transport 2 x 500kg large bags of fertiliser. Clingfilm holds the bags together. The guys in the COOP load the bags onto a pallet and then put another pallet under this. The top pallet has the openings for the fork on the side and the lower pallet which has them facing the door. That allows the forks to get in under. I unload at home with forks on the back of the tractor.
To be honest 1 tonne is enough for the age of the trailer. Also a side swinging door is that bit harder fro loading cattle. They are that bit more afraid of getting on the trailer.

Buford T. Justice XIX

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I have an old timber trailer here, about 8ft x 5ft. I use it to transport 2 x 500kg large bags of fertiliser. The guys in the COOP load the bags onto a pallet and then put another pallet under this. The top pallet has the openings for the fork on the side and the lower pallet which has them facing the door. That allows the forks to get in under.
To be honest 1 tonne is enough for the age of the trailer. Also a side swinging door is that bit harder fro loading cattle. They are that bit more afraid of getting on the trailer.

And there is always the issue of unloading the trailer with fertiliser or ration on it to use for cattle.

Half ton bags will have to be lifted rather than dragged along the floor before being taken off and 50kg bags will have to be lifted and left on a pallet before using them, more work as against ordering a pallet or part of one and using as needed?

cloudroost

I'm still working with 50kg bags and leaving them on the trailer until I use them probably won't be an issue.
The combination of the short ramp and the swing door did seem to a good idea, as I would also be a bit concerned that not all animals would step up into the trailer...

lakill Farm

cloudroost wrote: »

I'm still working with 50kg bags and leaving them on the trailer until I use them probably won't be an issue.
The combination of the short ramp and the swing door did seem to a good idea, as I would also be a bit concerned that not all animals would step up into the trailer...

Can't see any issue with most animals stepping up 14/16inch onto a trailer and especially if they are on the trailer the odd time.

A few times I have seen an 8x4 trailer that's a builder trailer and has a canopy for turning it into a 2 cow trailer. Seen one recent on donedeal

Grueller

lakill Farm wrote: »

Can't see any issue with most animals stepping up 14/16inch onto a trailer and especially if they are on the trailer the odd time.

A few times I have seen an 8x4 trailer that's a builder trailer and has a canopy for turning it into a 2 cow trailer. Seen one recent on donedeal

I had a two cow box with a swinging door and the cattle are used to being loaded. I also have a 12 x 6 ifor williams. I never used the two cow box because of the back door. They hated going up into it.

Farmer

Big swinging door fan here. If you can get them to step into it, their heads are in at that point and I find its easier to keep them going. The 3-4 inch drop from shed to outside as well as a few nuts on the floor up front and having the side door open helps if you have a second person to close it when they're loaded.

I never has much luck with ramps as they find them a strange sensation when they stand on them and they just turn back or try to push through the side gates

I know that I'm in a minority here but that's what works for me

On the OP's question, I hate lifting heavy bags out of a closed trailer. As well as minding your head, you're lifting while standing on the floor rather than standing on the ground outside which is 12-14 inches lower. If I had to do it, I imagine I wouldn't want a ramp for the above reason and also because, as others have said, I'd be lifting them off with the tractor anyway. Handy for the lawnmower and other stuff though

Hard to beat an open 8 x 4/5 for that kind of stuff and bringing the odd bale of hay or straw

One option, if you had a neighbour in the same boat, you buy one, he buys the other, assuming you both care for them equally

Nice trailers Aitlite