The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: EP90 on July 17, 2013, 11:32:13 am
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I haven’t got a livestock trailer so I’m thinking of ways to adapt an existing trailer, will it be suitable or advice please?
I have an 8 x 4 trailer with aluminium sides 2 feet high. I was thinking of securing a 6 x 4 by 4 feet high, framed and with 2 inch wire mesh ‘cage’ inside the existing trailer. This would be a custom built by a ‘dog run’ manufacturer at a reasonable price. The 4 panels (including door) would be bolted together with a fifth for a ‘roof’. It would only be used a couple of times a year for a maximum of 4 sheep, so the panels could then be unbolted and used as hurdles. Is there any reason not to use mesh?
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You can get a horn or a foot stuck in 2" mesh - I'd opt for solid sides.
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Hmm, good point. What about side rails as in a hurdle and without the mesh? I’d like it to be multifunctional but wonder if transporting without solid sides is stressful over a short distance at slow speed (couple of miles of country lanes).
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you can always put the hurdles type side in then pop rivet some tin to it
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you can always put the hurdles type side in then pop rivet some tin to it
Or Stokbord
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So, your advice is not to have an open trailer. Not heard of stokbord so will investigate a source, while tin would be ok I’d prefer something that didn’t rust.
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or galvanised sheet metal? Only thing that went through my mind- are there any legal requirements on livestock trailers- i.e. if you were pulled over by vosa or the police would they have a set of guidelines to tick off to make the trailer suitable for carrying livestock? Also check the gross weight on the actual trailer chasis once you've built the cage type thing to carry sheep in.
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I bought 2 sheets of stokbord this morning from mole country stores you can use 6mm it's about 33 quid.... i'm not exactly sure of exact price ..as on account... shrugs .... also comes in 9mm and 12 mm the 12 mm i use for arks front and rear but that's about 70 quid.
On our livestock trailer an Ifor Williams TA510 it has little vents half way up and at the top. The bottom ones we never open as it then saves having to scrub dried on poo that's run down the side and baked on.
The only legal requirements I know of is about is ramp angle, depends on calves or cattle, the back door needs side gates and you must us the partition for journeys over 8 hours. but it is best practice to always use.
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We were going to do something like this with an old ifor Williams trailer but to bo honest it was easier and not much more expensive just to get a livestock trailer. Ours didn't have a non slip floor.
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What about just getting a roof canopy to fit?
We have an Ifor Williams 8x5, sounds similar to yours, low solid sides, and it had a big roof canopy on (for moving house) then we swapped it for mesh sides for other jobs. It isn't used for livestock although I suspect it could be with a few mods.
We also got an IW canopy/cab for our pick up so I know they come in all shapes and sizes.
IW may only do canopies for their own standard size trailers bur a trailer manufacturer could knock up something to fit properly, with vents etc, and it would be much safer.
Yes don't forget loading gates, ramp angle shouldn't be an issue seeing as sheep go in the double decker jobs easy enough and non-slip flooring.
Failing all that any chance you can borrow one?!
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Thanks for all the suggestions. The trailer is German made so finding accessory attachments to fit, especially in Ireland, isn’t viable. The trailer is only a few years old so I would like to use it. I think adapting it along your suggestion is the economic way of going. Haven’t found a suitable one to borrow yet but will keep looking, majority of livestock gets moved in wagons.