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mobile handling unit

  • 09-06-2016 09:27PM
    #1
    nagshead
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33 ✭


    Hi lads still doing all work with sheep the hard way, that is in a pen with no race or crate will need a handling unit soon as i am planning to go from 70 ewes to 120 , i dont know much about any of them but i did see an add on done deal for shepards mate , i like the idea of having an all in one set up . thank you.


Comments

  • #2
    390kid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 409 ✭✭390kid


    nagshead wrote: »
    Hi lads still doing all work with sheep the hard way, that is in a pen with no race or crate will need a handling unit soon as i am planning to go from 70 ewes to 120 , i dont know much about any of them but i did see an add on done deal for shepards mate , i like the idea of having an all in one set up . thank you.

    The shepherds mate looks a decent one alright but cormac and Stanley are other brands that make them too as far as I know, so it would be worth looking into them aswell and pricing the difference


  • #3
    Jonny303
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 635 ✭✭✭Jonny303


    Did you do any more on this?

    We are currently in a dilema. We are making some investments around the yard and while we were going to build/put in a handling system, it got us thinking that maybe a good mobile one would be better as our land is scattered a bit.

    I have a scales and turnover crate but ideally if buying would like to get rid of these and get an all in one job. Shepherdsmate seems the only mobile option that I have come across. Any suggestions?


  • #4
    nagshead
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33 ✭nagshead


    Decided against a mobile unit , even with the grant it was hard to justify the cost for 80 odd ewes, instead i bought a basic scales , 2 race gates( 1 guillotine ) , 3 race joiners cost e 700 , already had 5 ft pin drop hurdles and plastic footbath. all my sheep are away from the yard all the time so i load the gates and scales etc into the trailer and set up in the corner of the field using the hurdles to make a 15 ft race up to the scales the ewes and lambs are dosed clicked tagged or what ever in the scales then out of the scales to a 10 ft race with the footbath where they stand for a few minutes while i dose or weigh the next one then release ewes or lambs not fit through the guillotine gate diverting fit lambs into a small side pen , i can fit all the gear into the front of the trailer and still fit 10 -12 lambs that are for the factory in the back which is a big time saving rather than having to drop a mobile unit home then bring back trailer to bring lambs to the factory, i made 12 ft timber hurdles from old roofing 4 x 2 which i leave in the field and these do for making the holding pen not having to worry about the risk of the steel ones being robbed, not as fancy as a proper unit but works quite well, i dont foot pair so turning them is not an issue except the odd one which doesnt break the back. I invested the money instead on some lovely replacement lambs and 2 x 5 star rams also going to vaccinate against toxo which has given me grief last year.


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