How can I safely handle my shedding sheep? How can I safely drench and tag my goats?
“Offsider Ag Equipment have customers all over the country, from King Island to the Atherton Tablelands, it is a real testament to the durability of our gear and the resilience of the Australian sheep industry.”
“We saw that farmers having to handle their Dorpers and Aussie White sheep like Merinos was causing harm to operators and animals, so we started designing and building equipment specifically for these breeds, and so Offsider Agricultural Equipment was born.”
Launching the business in 2017 with the Meat Sheep Handler, Offsider Agricultural Equipment sheep handling pedigree is strong. “We worked with commercial and stud breeders of Dorpers and Aussie Whites to make sure that our meat sheep handling equipment does what it says it will.”
It is that commitment that saw the team win The Land Machine of the year at ANFD for the third time in 2023, with the Small Ruminant Bulk Handler. “We could see there would be a need for a mechanical bulk handling option to meet NLIS eID requirements. Making regular husbandry tasks like drenching, tagging and foot maintenance easier and safer leads to better numbers in the sale ring.”
Called the Small Ruminant Bulk Handler, because of its capacity to handle goats, shedding sheep, hair sheep and fibre sheep, the Handler comes as a single operating unit, ready to put straight into your yard system.
A single feed up race measuring 6m long, with a drop away floor, gives operators access to head, body and feet of their animals. V baffle sides that have an adjustable width for different breeds and a drop away floor, make restraining animals easier and safer, and remote operation end gate operation makes work processes smoother with less energy expended by the operator. “The sheep run up a ramp to the working height of the machine, which sits at 1100mm. Roll away race sides contain animals when entering the V race, so they cannot jump out. These sides roll away to give operator full access to head and upper body of the animal, giving you no bend access to their heads, for drenching and needling. The animals are caught on their brisket, with their legs suspended, so they are unable to get any purchase to wriggle or escape.
“The Small Ruminant Bulk Handler can also be used to mark lambs that have been missed in the main run, by tipping the animal on their back, into the V race, you have access to band them.”
The Small Ruminant Bulk Handler is driven by mechanical levers, negating the need for a power pack of air or electricity. This makes the handler much quieter for those rarely handled mobs, and more flexible in the location of use. “You can put the Small Ruminant Bulk Handler into any set of yards, regardless of their access to electricity or shelter. The only power pack it uses is what every you ate for smoko!” said David.
There is clear visual access to hooves, for nothing for further treatment, or to complete immediate treatment, making a single muster and draft a real possibility. “
The Small Ruminant Bulk Handler sits as part of the Offsider Agricultural Equipment Sheep Handling portfolio, along with the Meat Sheep Handler, the Stud Sheep Handler, Double Feed Up Race and full yard design.