Sheep pen

tm120

Well-Known Member
I've only got about 30 ewes and every time I bring them in to dose etc I've the same problem. The floor gets dirty very quickly and then their slipping and sliding and covered in sh-t . I work them myself so wouldn't be the quickest. Powerwashed after every time their in . What could I do to over come back this problem
 
Where I work the sheep is actually the easy feed of a shed so wouldn't really like to groove.
What would be ideal is to work them in the field because it takes a fair bit of effort to get them to the yard . I've a good number of hurdles gathered up but the ground would get muddy very quickly. Anyway to over come this ?
 
I'm not a sheep man but would some hardcore along a ditch help then if you could it mainly in one area.

It really depends on how spread out your grazing land is I suppose.
 
Build a small race off the main pen, will get dirty just the same, but less moving about means you won't be slipping and sliding, for 30 sheep a short race would do, maybe 4 or 5 sheep at once, keep it narrow.

And whilst your at it put a piece of steel/ wood etc up to hold the drench bottle etc, even better a length of some kind of sliding rail setup.
 
Build a small race off the main pen, will get dirty just the same, but less moving about means you won't be slipping and sliding, for 30 sheep a short race would do, maybe 4 or 5 sheep at once, keep it narrow.

And whilst your at it put a piece of steel/ wood etc up to hold the drench bottle etc, even better a length of some kind of sliding rail setup.


Do u have a race. Any chance of some pics ?
 
Yup, here you go:

20150729_165053.jpg

Sheep load in from the far end, have a sorting gate as they enter so can draught out ewes if we want to drench lambs etc, also really useful after drenching lambs as they tend to turn round in the race so acts as a quick exit (opens both ways) We usually just start at the end, open the door as we pass then race is empty by the time we do the last lamb.
another sorting gate half way so we can run big groups through to take a few out, having a short length of race before it means you get a chance to see what's coming.
Then at the end (closest in the pic) a concertina gate with another sorting gate behind it, so we can get a raceful in, pick through what we want out, then sort.

20150729_165123.jpg

Also have a length of sliding rail above to carry drench bottles, and have shearing machine on it for doing tales in the race, saves a lot of turning sheep over!

Keep in mind this is for 1200 sheep + lambs! 30 sheep does not require anything like it, two hurdles with something you can open and close at the end would do.
 
Yup, here you go:



View attachment 31003



Sheep load in from the far end, have a sorting gate as they enter so can draught out ewes if we want to drench lambs etc, also really useful after drenching lambs as they tend to turn round in the race so acts as a quick exit (opens both ways) We usually just start at the end, open the door as we pass then race is empty by the time we do the last lamb.

another sorting gate half way so we can run big groups through to take a few out, having a short length of race before it means you get a chance to see what's coming.

Then at the end (closest in the pic) a concertina gate with another sorting gate behind it, so we can get a raceful in, pick through what we want out, then sort.



View attachment 31004



Also have a length of sliding rail above to carry drench bottles, and have shearing machine on it for doing tales in the race, saves a lot of turning sheep over!



Keep in mind this is for 1200 sheep + lambs! 30 sheep does not require anything like it, two hurdles with something you can open and close at the end would do.


I notice your gates are sheeted. Does that make the sheep easier to go up the race
 
Yup, less they see the better!

Tbh our's isn't the best race, I have big plans to alter it but time is never on my side! With someone elses chequebook I could go crazy on the job!
ours has too much light showing in the wrong places, small gaps by the dividing gate makes them slow down or reverse.
And it gets from too wide to narrower towards the end which doesn't help.

Ideal world I'd have a race with a curve in it and same width all the way.

I recon for yourself two 8-10ft sheeted hurdles. or even one hurdle down a wall of some kind, with a small gate at the end would work well. If you have a place where you could have them leaving the race into seperate pens then you could put a shedding gate at the end.
 
@AYF . Random question for you on sheep . Taking ewes to the factory in the morning for a neighbour. There’s a grid across the back of the truck to let sh1t in to the tank . Spaces between the bars is 30/40 mm . Could there feet get stuck in the openings . Tia
 
@AYF . Random question for you on sheep . Taking ewes to the factory in the morning for a neighbour. There’s a grid across the back of the truck to let sh1t in to the tank . Spaces between the bars is 30/40 mm . Could there feet get stuck in the openings . Tia
Does sound a bit wide.
What make is the trailer?
If it's a fairly run of the mill make (Ifor Williams etc) it should surely be designed with sheep in mind. Even cattle boxes are pressed in to action for sheep sometimes!
 
Does sound a bit wide.
What make is the trailer?
If it's a fairly run of the mill make (Ifor Williams etc) it should surely be designed with sheep in mind. Even cattle boxes are pressed in to action for sheep sometimes!
There been moved in a cattle truck . Was never built with sheep in mind . I’ve a plank of timber put across it now . Thought it was safer . Have a single 25 mm gap along it now .
 
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