SCORE! Sheep Handling Equipment

[Mike CHS]

I used a router to machine some hand holds and they are free.

 

[lilipansy]

Thanks for the clipper/shears review @Ridgetop. I need some, but know nothing about them. @Devonviolet wants to learn how to do fecals too. We can have a poop party while the guys cook on the grill. Only BYH'ers would want to closely examine sheep poop under a microscope, then eat lunch. LOL LOL

@lilipansy do you have a turntable? Can you post a picture of it and how you use it?

We are about to order the flip table once we figure out where to store it. Here's a review of it:

 

[Ridgetop]

Look what I got today!!! @Ridgetop, if you have packed one, you can unload it. Fill that space with something else vitally important.

Another Craigslist bargain. They were asking $250, BJ offered $200 and they took it. I am good at finding the bargains, BJ is good at getting the price down. This will keep me from being all bent over and having an aching back! So now we rig up the sorting gate and make a cowpanel chute to the stanchion, cause I sure got a terrible eye problem with my sheep happily walking up that ramp--I don't see that happening!

ANOTHER SCORE BY BAYMULE! All Hail The Bargain Champion!!!
That stanchion looks identical to mine. Mine is a Sydell by the way, not Premier. Great price since they are up around $600 new without the said rails and ramp. Those side rails are good since sheep like to try to garrotte themselves by falling or leaping off the stanchion and hanging by the neck or head while you hysterically try to free them! Yours have an improvement in the second lower horizontal bar. The bars I had did not have the lower bar and shorter goats and sheep would just fall out from underneath the top rail. The ramp is great since they won't jump onto the stanchion like milk goats. Dairy goats loved the stanchions since they equated it with yummy grain - the only place they ever got any. The sheep would allow themselves to be lifted and shoved onto it, sort of. But that ramp is great since (once you put a couple panels on either side) they will walk straight up to the bucket of grain you will cunningly hang from the head stand. Then you can wisk away the bucked and lock them into the head stand - deal done! I had a ramp, but without a chute, I fell over it more than it was worth to me since I used to shear most of the brood ewes while DH was at work and the kids were all at school. Mostly we shaved goats for shows every couple weeks, and they were trained.

When we get back there we need to do some Craigslist shopping! Sadly, no sheep handling stuff available here since hardly any livestock anymore. I have gotten terrific Craigslist bargains - an entire Red River arena when the kids were still doing playdays! We still use the 10' 8 bar panels for sheep pens. We also gave DS3 half of them for his arena when he moved.
Let's find more buys!

After we shear your sheep and you see the clipper for yourself, you will know what to look for when one is offered. By the way, always ask any sheep equipment sellers if they have anything else to sell. often they will have odds and ends that they didn't bother to list because they were not big dollar items and you can pick them up for a couple $$. Extra halters, grain feeders, salt or mineral holders, etc. Lots of time people just toss them into the barn and only list the larger equipment for sale. Occasionally they will give them to you if you buy the advertised stuff and they are not keeping sheep any more.

MORE JEALOUS THAN EVER!!! You are getting a great set up and not spending much $$$! MY HERO!

 

[Baymule]

We are about to order the flip table once we figure out where to store it. Here's a review of it:

That ought to make it so much easier for you!!

 

[Ridgetop]

We are about to order the flip table once we figure out where to store it. Here's a review of it:

I have seen these tables in use for cattle only. They were trimming hooves on a dairy herd. It is actually a squeeze where the 2 sides moved in and that squashed the cow in place while the table rotates to the side. There is a brake on it to lock it in place until the animal is locked in. It looked like it took some strength to roll the cow over but we are talking about a 1500 lb. cow so maybe not so bad with a 200 lb. sheep. The tables come in different sizes. At the time, while the farrier made quick of the hooves, I wanted one badly. Sure beats bending over to trim a lot of animals. But it was large, like LILIPANSY we had no place to store it, and it was too expensive for our small flock.

Let us know how it works!

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

re: worm load- a high amount of worms in the fecal says nothing about how well the sheep can withstand having worms. Some sheep struggle with say 50 worms, some sheep are doing great and have 5000 worms.
Different aspects of it. I think there is some terms for these in NSIP now?

 

[Baymule]

@Ridgetop and her husband came over, they are camped in Weatherford, TX about 2 1/2 hours from here. We had quite the party. Our husbands sat comfortably ensconced in their outdoor chairs, watching their wives having fun. I got to use my stanchion!

We ran the sheep in the chute and 1 at a time, halters and dragged them up on the stanchion. Needless to say, they were less than thrilled. They laid down, attempted to jump over, under, sideways, upside down, collapsed and were downright uncooperative. Fancy that!

Ridgetop showed me how to shear and guided my tentative efforts. I was afraid I would cut them. We got those “BAD TOUPEES” sheared off! @Bruce. LOL

I had so much fun learning how to shear and not wind up with a carcass hanging up for butchering. My Sheep survived! I did not cut off a finger either!

The shade from the huge cedar tree was most welcome in the heat. A breeze blew most of the time.

Since we had them up there. I trimmed feet. Moon Pie thought that was a terrible idea and kept jerking her feet, resulting in me stabbing myself at the base of my thumbnail. After that, washing up, a bandaid and gloves seemed like a pretty good idea.

Ridgetop and I got pooped and peed on, at one point pee was dripping down her arm and my husband, ever the gentleman, kindly wiped it off. I got kicked in the ribs. I was filthy, poopy, blood on my shirt, I woke up with a myriad of interesting bruises. Gosh we had FUN!

We only sheared 5 Sheep, the lambs going to slaughter can keep their BAD TOUPEES.

 

[AmberLops]

Looks like you guys had tons of fun!!

 

[Baymule]

We did have fun! @Ridgetop and her husband will come back again before heading back home. @Devonviolet and her husband will come over and we will have lunch, visit and do fecal exams. I tell ya' I know how to throw a party! What could be more fun than digging in doo-doo? DV will bring fecal samples from her goats and we'll look for worm eggs. Great topic for lunch, huh?

 

[Mike CHS]

I can't say I've ever had a Poop Party.