Tagline Mobile Sheep Dipping, located in Kenmare, Co Kerry, has introduced the first truck-mounted and hydraulically-operated plunge dipping unit to Ireland.

The unit was imported from the UK in 2018 and can hold 10 adult sheep in its cage which can then be lowered into a tank with a 1,500l capacity.

The dipping part of the business is operated by Jerry McCarthy who explained that the unit also has the ability to record electronic tags and provide farmers with a tag reading of treated sheep.

The unit is approved by the Department of Agriculture and certified for use in Northern Ireland.

Jerry says he can dip in excess of 1,500 sheep in a day using the mobile dipper.

Jeep dipper

Meanwhile, Meath-based dipping contractor Kevin Sheridan is introducing a new trailed unit to his mobile plunge dipping business. The unit can be pulled by a jeep and also operates via sheep entering a cage which is raised in and out of the tank.

Kevin already has a mobile plunge dipping unit where sheep are manually fed into the dipping tank. He says the move to introduce a hydraulically-operated unit stems from being able to handle higher numbers on a daily basis and satisfy growing demand, while also taking pressure off the operator in dipping sheep.

Kevin has seen demand grow from two areas – farmers who do not have access to a dipping tank and want to reduce their use of injectable and pour-on products and from farmers with dipping tanks on the farm who struggle to find sufficient labour. Kevin says these farmers happy to pay for the service as it makes dipping more efficient for them.

Both of Kevin's mobile units will be present on the day for live demonstrations.

Open day

The Irish Farmers Journal Beef & Sheep open day on Tullamore Farm will take place on Wednesday 24 July from 11am-4pm, Eircode R35 AT81.