Co Tyrone-based Nugent manufactures a range of equipment including livestock trailers. The firm says its trailers are hand-built to last, with full type approval (ECWVTA). Nugent uses its patented Dual Drive parabolic suspension system as standard across the range, which it claims overcomes the shortcomings of traditional suspension systems.

Dual Drive uses a secondary rubber damper between the chassis, along with a pivot slipper plate. An additional suspension element means the springs are engaged on compression and rebound cycles to reduce vibration.

A cross-member frame braces the front and rear weldment upon a welded, galvanised chassis. Reinforcement is given where needed by the folded side panels. The steel sub-frame is hot-dip galvanised and fitted with a heavy duty dividing gate. Nugent uses 16in tyres, solid beam axles and LED lights.

The trailers feature standard sectional fold-down front panels and come with a spare wheel. Nugent retails through several agents all over Ireland, all of whom carry stock. They say that stock is generally readily available.

Manufactured in the UK midlands, Bateson Livestock Trailers have been in production for over 70 years. They have been imported and distributed by Breen’s Farm Machinery through the firm’s two branches at Ennis, Co Clare, and Cashel, Co Tipperary. Breen’s noted that it always carries some stock and looks after the Republic through its two branches, while Bateson deals direct with customers in Northern Ireland.

All standard models have a hot-dipped galvanised chassis and are panelled with 2mm toughened alloy sides. They feature a heat reflecting plastic-coated galvanised steel roof, with two rows of recessed vent channels with punched holes for permanent ventilation.

Bateson uses an 18mm floor, which is Phenol-coated and panel-covered with aluminium tread-plate. It says that all trailers up to 3,500kg are fitted with independent suspension axles and auto-reversing brakes. Full road lights, a locking hitch and a spare wheel are all standard. Folding decks, a dividing gate and a fold-down top front section are available as optional extras. Eurostock models come with increased headroom and full spec as standard.

After a decade manufacturing its own trailers, Kildare-based WestWood Trailers was appointed distributor for Ifor Williams Trailers in Ireland in 1968. At that stage, Ifor Williams had been manufacturing livestock trailers for 10 years. Today, the Wales-based manufacturer claims to build 30,000 trailers each year.

It uses galvanised steel chassis and drawbars on all trailers, while the side panels are fabricated from impact-resistant aluminium. Braked models feature steel roof channels and the flooring comprises of pressure-treated timber planking protected by 2mm-thick slip-resistant aluminium treadplate.

The trailers feature the in-house designed beam axle and parabolic spring-leaf suspension system. Height options of 6ft and 7ft are available. The 7ft versions, with optional centre partition fitted, allow two 16.2 HH horses to be transported. Various tyre options are available, such as 6.50R16 or 175/75R16. Other standard features include a lockable hitch head and a spare wheel.

WestWood distributes trailers through approximately 12 dealers covering the North and south. As regards lead time on new trailers, WestWood said that normally trailers are carried in stock, but due to the current environment, some trailers have a lead of 12 weeks and in some cases longer.

Jim Murphy Engineering Ltd manufactures the range of Aerlite trailers. In business for over four decades, the Galway firm builds all types of trailers.

The firm’s livestock trailers are built upon solid beam axles on parabolic springs. Livestock trailers are generally shod on 650x16x10 ply wheels, with braking on four wheels. They use Bradley double-lock coupling and jockey wheels. The trailers are kitted with an aluminium non-slip chequer-plated floor in one sheet with a 63mm turn-up each side. A full opening drop-down front flap and full-height side door come as standard features. All steel framework is galvanised. Some optional extras include sheep decks, a dividing gate, a 7ft-high model for horses and a waste tank.

The firm is currently working off a lead time on new trailers of four to six weeks. It has several dealers throughout the country and also retails directly from its base in Tuam.

Aerlite would not disclose individual prices but said that its trailers average from €3,700 (£3,350) to €6,200 (£5,600) plus VAT.

Indespension, based in Lancashire in the UK, manufactures a wide range of trailers including flatbed and plant trailers. The firm has experience in trailer component manufacturing dating back to 1968, in particular the manufacture of axles and independent suspension units, hence its name Indespension.

For years, the company had an indirect presence on the Irish market, having formerly manufactured trailers for Hudson.

Since this arrangement ended, Indespension has been manufacturing trailers under its own branding for the Irish market, with three subsidiaries here on the island of Ireland looking after distribution – in Belfast, Dublin and Limerick – each of which have a number of dealers spread across the country.

Indespension offers two main sizes of livestock trailers, a tandem axle 12x6ft model and a tri-axle 14x6ft model.

All trailers come fully galvanised, while the floor is comprised of tanalised timber boards with sealed aluminium chequer plate sheeting on top.

Standard features of both models include easy access doors on both sides as well as chequer-plate mudguards, seven-leaf spring suspension, a lockable hitch, spare wheel and auto-adjusting brakes, as well as LED lights.

Optional extras include a fold-down front, various 16in wheels options, slurry tank, sheep decks, dividing gate and an internal light, etc.

Indespension said that trailer lead time if not in dealer stock is currently in the region of 12 weeks.

Humac Engineering based in Dromore, Co Tyrone, has been manufacturing the Tuffmac range of livestock trailers and tractor drawn agricultural and plant trailers since 2008. The firm’s livestock trailers range in size from 8ft to 14ft with a high level of specification offered as standard.

Tuffmac currently has 14 dealers throughout Ireland both North and South, three in the UK and two as far away as New Zealand.

The high standard specification includes a rear tank, spare wheel, front flap, a dividing gate and a seam-welded floor. The main optional extras are fully fold up sheep decks complete with easy load ramps.

The Tuffmac 12ft trailer can be specified as either a tandem axle or tri-axle depending on customer requirements. Trailers come with various tyre and rim options which include smaller 13in rims on a 185x70R13 tyre or a larger 16in rim on either a 185x65R16 or 6.50xR16 tyre, once again depending on the customer.

With regards to lead times and similar to other manufacturers, Tuffmac have said that its dealers all carry a considerable number of units in stock but general time at the moment are anywhere up to 12 weeks.