What is the best way to handle animals as a woman?

“I was raised a farmer, not a girl.” That’s what Andrea Brosnan of Offsider Agricultural Equipment says when asked why she works in the agricultural industry. As a generational grazier from southern Queensland, Ms Brosnan knows what being a woman in Ag means.

“My Dad always told my sister and me that we were more than capable of running a place and taught us accordingly. But he really emphasised the idea of doing it smarter, not harder.”

That is a philosophy she and her husband, David Hicks have implemented in their business. “We work together on developing livestock handling equipment to make it easier for everyone on the farm to do all the jobs needed. You don’t need brute strength to be successful – you just need the right gear.”

The Offsider Ag hydraulic alternative cattle crush Tonto specifically takes this into consideration. Developed to allow extended space in the vet section for spaying cattle, this 1.6 ton giant uses mechanical advantage to be light to action.

Adjustable controls give access to even the most vertically challenged team member, and using body weight instead of muscular strength minimises fatigue. A crush of this weight being operational without the need for air, or electricity gives Offsider Ag products the flexibility to work in every set of yards, not just the one that’s on grid.

“When I can use my personal experiences to improve the work life of other women on the land, we all win. Long days in the yards don’t have to exhausting or more over, dangerous. Having equipment to do the heavy work, so you can do the smart work is what we are all about.”

Products like the Meat Sheep Handler which gives the operator control over the animal without having to wrestle the stock, and the Small Ruminant Bulk Handler that keeps goats and sheep contained, and at working height without physical struggle show Offsider Ag Equipment’s commitment to this goal.

 “It’s the reason we started, and the reason we continue.”