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With less people around to help when it comes to handling livestock, many farmers may have to look at upgrading their handling units and this sheep handler from Clipex is the Rolls Royce option. The handler is available in either a mobile or a fixed form depending what would suit the facilities on the farm.
Having originally seen the unit when it launched at the Ploughing in September, the Irish Farmers Journal visited the farm of Jimmy Kelly near Roundfort in Co Mayo to see it in action.
The handler is made up of a pre-catch platform, the main clamp and turnover platform and a drafting platform. It is controlled pneumatically by compressed air.
The handler can be set to automatically catch sheep in the clamp.
A fixed power source or a 12v battery is needed and a compressor is required.
A good lead-up race is also important.
You want a long narrow lead-in where sheep are not able to turn. You also want to have a straight runup so sheep can see straight through the unit as this will help with sheep flow.
The system comes with a tru-test indicator which is needed for weighing and drafting sheep. Other indicators can also be fitted if desired.
Setting up the handler
Both the drafting and pre-catch platforms can be folded up to transport the unit. The handler is fitted with electric jacks which can be raised or lowered to suit the operating height for the farmer.
It is also used when putting on and off wheels for transport.
Once caught the turnover platform can open up to give better access to the sheep.
The width of the clamp can be adjusted at the bottom and the top depending on the size of the sheep going through. Above the clamp are two adjustable sensors. These should be at least 200mm apart to work correctly.
The sensor closest to the entry gate controls when the gate closes. If you move it closer to the pre-catch platform it will close the gate quicker. This will prevent two sheep from getting to the clamp at one time if they are moving quickly.
The sensor nearer to the drafting gate will control when the clamp closes to catch the sheep. This way the sheep can be caught at the front or the back of the clamp depending on what they are being caught for.
For example, when dagging sheep, they would be caught near the back, while if dosing they would be caught at the front. Once the sheep is caught, the operator can turn over the platform to get better access. The platform will turn towards the operator.
When turned over, the back access panel will automatically open while the front one can be opened manually.
Pressing the tilt return button will close all the flaps and turn the table back to its upright position. When the sheep are caught the clamp can be tightened to ensure sheep cannot get through. The pressure of the clamp can be adjusted depending on the size of the sheep.
The pre-catch unit will hold a sheep before it enters the clamp. It is fitted with adjustible anti-jump bars.
Smaller sheep or lambs would require lower pressure than larger sheep. Changing the pressure will not change how quick the clamp closes; this can only be changed by moving the sensor.
While at the demonstration, farmers raised concerns about running horned sheep through the unit but different sides can be used to suit horned sheep.
Before sheep enter the clamp, there is a pre-catch area. The gates on the pre-catch are fully automatic. It also has adjustable anti-jump rails fitted to it.
Operating the handler
There are three operating modes: manual, semi-automatic and automatic.
In manual, the system is operated with the use of the control panel on the handler. It can also be controlled with foot pedals and a remote control. The clamp must be opened and closed manually. The wireless remote control can open and close both drafting gates and be used to open and close the clamp.
In semi-automatic mode, the handler will automatically sense the sheep as it runs through and close the clamp. If you have the drafting gates set up to draft on weight, the gates will move but the clamp will not release the sheep until the switch is manually toggled.
This allows the operator roll over the crate if the sheep needs to be examined. The drafting gates can be overridden in this mode.
The system is fitted with a True-test indicator which is used to weigh and draft sheep.
When the handler is toggled into fully automatic, the catching, releasing and drafting will be done automatically by the tru-test indicator. This is predominantly used if a farmer wishes to draft sheep on weight and does not need to handle them.
Cost
The handler is an expensive unit at €17,500 plus VAT for the mobile version while the fixed version is €15,000 plus VAT.
Large numbers would need to be running through the unit to justify the cost involved.
TAMS reference costs are not really comparable with such a unit.
However, the handler could be applied under TAMS as a “portable sheep handling race with wheels” which has a reference cost of €3,186.54/item. It can also be applied as a “sheep weighing scales”, which has a reference cost of €845.92/item, and a “sheep rollover crate”, which has a reference cost of €847.92/item. This would give a total reference cost, for TAMS purposes, of €4,880.38. A farmer would be entitled to grant aid of 40% as a general applicant or 60% as a young farmer, meaning they could get €1,952.15 or €2,928.23 respectively.
Clipex is trying to get the reference costs for such a unit increased as this level of funding still leaves the unit out of reach for the majority of farmers.
The safety benefits with such a unit cannot be argued as it eliminates any heavy lifting when handling sheep. However, the cost will continue to be a major stumbling block.
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