Jump to content
BC Boards

Sheep Handling Unit


Tilly's Handler
 Share

Recommended Posts

Well my right hand man(daughter) went and got herself into university. This meant some changes as to how we had been doing things. I bought a Marweld sheep handling unit(crowding tub ect.) and sorter. When it arrived there were no instructions for assembly. so we dragged everything off the skids it had arrived on and proceeded to try and figure out the way it should go together 1 hour and a can of deep woods off later we had it together we then realised we had set it up the wrong way.

The next morning dis assembled and reassembled the unit in proper location.

It works very well but there is a learning curve. It did make worming and sorting sheep much faster we had all the ewes and lambs done in less then 2 hours and stress for all concerned was much less

I was wondering what others use and there experience with them

 

Dan and Tilly

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a sydell sorting system. I have also used the D-S brand sorting system at our club stock dog trials, which is similar to what I have.

When I first got my system I spent a few days in a row having all the gates open and letting the sheep run through it without stopping them. This way nothing scary was happening to them(shots, hoof trimming, deworming etc.) Once they would go in without a problem then I started using it. All my sheep are comfortable with it, and I love it because I have a scale and tilt table so I can get weights on everyone and trim hooves without killing my back.

 

As soon as I open the crowd gate Meg is ready to go; she loves helping me. I don't have a big enough tub to hold every sheep, so Meg holds everybody by the tub until I can get enough through to close the gate.

 

Samantha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have they same problem I want to build a series of pens were I can hold about 20 at a time

I have 125 ewes right now

We used to catch them all by hand and tip for hoof trimming, Worming ect now I just have to give the tilt table a try it is used have not tried it yet any tips?

 

Smalahundur

 

Before we separated out the lambs and ewes which were sold there was over 200 hundred made life so much easier worth every penny

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a small Sydell system, but because I grazed sheep all over & often needed a pen where the sheep were, I also had 20-30 wooden panels of various sizes. Some I built, some I scavenged, a few were always in the shop for repairs. An old gate from a dog yard I picked up at the dump got worked in there, too. All I needed was a pile of baling twine (like wool, a sometimes annoyingly renewable resource) and my truck, and I could build a sorting pen anywhere. I'd use a few t-posts as anchors if there wasn't a permanent fence post/tree/telephone pole handy. Most of the time, it was me, a dog, and 100 +/- ewes and their lambs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not sure what kind of tilt table you have but the sydell one I have, I bought the crank kit from them that way I didn't have to use much muscle. I'm not a big person so this made it easier. As for the sheep, they aren't crazy about the position the table puts them in but once they've gone through it a few times most realize that thrashing around doesn't get them anywhere. I do have a concrete block to keep the table from tipping too far for the sheeps comfort.

 

Samantha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Mine just has a handle to rotate I was already looking at the crank system on the sydell

How long do the sheep thrash for normally was thinking of doing vaccine at same time

I also found out that head gate will release if ewe jumps up and hits it the right way

I had a ewe in head gate that had not been sheared yet

I shear my sheep standing up because of my back I got about 3 strips down her back and she jumped and popped the head gate open.

She looked interesting till I caught her again

 

Dan & Tilly

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Each sheep will be different, some will just lay there quiet, others will thrash off and on. I find it hard to give shots to my sheep in the tilt table. Its designed is more for trimming hooves since it has the false floor and the rest of the material hold the sheep from falling is solid. I don't have a head gate, but my friend has one from D-S and she has it set up specifically in the system for holding them to give shots. Sorry not much help with that one, is there something you could make to keep help keep it from popping open until you are finished?

For shots I have my dog bring them into the shed and hold them while I catch and give shots.

 

One other note, if you plan on adding any more panels get the ones that drop down, they are so nice when you have lambs or smaller sheep, you don't have to lean as far over to get to them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My friend is a Machinest I asked him to make me a pronged c shaped piece to slide in and out as a safety pin for head gate

If it is dry on sat I am going to try the tilt table and do some trimming.

 

Has anyone else seen the foot bath on youtube were the floor raises up when the sheep are in then drops away so you can avoid all they mess and loss of medication while moving the sheep in and out

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The handling unit tilt table worked well saved a lot of back ache and cursing

If I was to buy one again I would choose one with a floor that tilts with table

I had issues with ewes trying to put there heads down and under while being lowered

also you must watch the back legs don't get caught

the other thing is you do have to help at least with mine

I am not sure if my table does not tilt back enough or it was just me but I found if the ewe started to kick it would drop back into starting postion

I also want to build a small holder for side

with spot for hoof clean tool, small soft bottle brush(between the toes), Bottle of hoof treatment, Hoof Shears, and large Nippers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...