Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Sheep Handling equipment  (Read 2021 times)

Cuddles

  • Joined Feb 2014
Sheep Handling equipment
« on: November 14, 2016, 03:23:09 pm »
Hi All,

I'm looking for some thoughts on how you would set up your sheep handling system if you were to do it again. I only have a small flock that will eventually get up to about 20 breeding ewes - so keep this in mind.  :)

Would you have it inside or out?  I was planning on having something outdoors but I'm building a small lambing shed and now I'm wondering if it would make sense to keep everything under one roof?

What do you do with equipment like weigh crates or turnover crates etc. if your handling pens are outside?  They look like expensive bits of kits to leave outside and exposed to the weather all year round.

I've seen a few pen designs on here for outdoor systems that I may well be borrowing, so I'll say thank you in advance for that help!

Cheers,
Cuddles

.

pharnorth

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Cambridgeshire
Re: Sheep Handling equipment
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2016, 10:10:42 am »
My flock is about that size, 13 ar present but will be about 25 once the lambs all arrive. I expect you have see Wombles excellent outdoor arrangement?

I bought a second hand run and have used hurdles to create a collecting pen and a couple of holding pens.  I do use it occasionally but have to say with a dozen sheep it is actually quite tricky getting the pen size right such that they don't just wander around rather than go through the race. I positioned it by the gate between two fields, but even after thinking hard where to,put it I often find it easier to take a few hurdles to the field they are in and work with them in the field.

As to the big equipment, I keep mine in the barn and use it after they are in for lambing then again later in the summer out in the field. As it is very dry here it is ok to leave out through the summer

So to summarise, although I love the look of the sheep run with under 20 sheep I haven't found it as useful as I thought I would and a shepherd crook is just as effective for sorting the sheep when I need to split them up.

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Sheep Handling equipment
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2016, 05:24:52 pm »
I have just invested in a short race and shedding gate from a farm sale.  I have set it up in the field with a hurdle pen at the end for catching the ewes to feed them. they run along the race to get into the pen for some nuts, while I am able to shed out the ewe lambs who do not need the feed.

The first day it took two of us to get 6 ewes into the pen before the nuts were all eaten.  Day two and those 6 were in the pen like a shot and I wrestled another 2 ewes in, day three and 8 straight into the pen and another made it as well.  Just the last one to twig why she is missing the grub.  A couple of the lambs have tried the race but ended back in the field.  Works a treat and looks like it is going to save me a lot of effort this winter.

 

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