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Fawteen
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Loading sheep into a trailer
08/26/03 01:28 PM
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My regular butcher, who used to pick up my animals with his own livestock trailer, has retired. I'm now faced with transporting my own animals to my new butcher.
I have an 18' utility trailer that I'm making a "cage" for, so I can set it onto the trailer, bolt it down and use it to transport sheep once a year, then take it off.
My trailer has a two piece full width expanded metal ramp. Folded up and pinned in place, it would make a dandy back door for the cage.
My question is this: Would sheep walk up an expanded metal ramp? It's very small mesh, no problem with their feets falling through.
When we loaded onto the other fellers trailer, we just grabbed the wooly boogers and hefted them up into his trailer. I'd like to use a chute, drive 'em up into the trailer, lift and pin the ramps and be done with it.
Think it'd work?
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Bird
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: Fawteen]
08/26/03 04:49 PM
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I don't have any experience with sheep, but I'm bettin' they won't walk on that expanded metal if they can possibly avoid it. Can you not lay a sheet of plywood on it? Just uneducated thoughts on my part. 
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Fawteen
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: Bird]
08/26/03 06:17 PM
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Yeah, that ocurred to me after I posted. I'll just fasten a piece of plywood to it and nail some cleats to it, they should go up that no problem, the way they leapfrog around on the various steps, platforms, trailers and sheds around here. Looks like a dang circus some days...
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daedong
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: Fawteen]
08/26/03 08:25 PM
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I have had many years of experience with sheep and would have no doubt that they would walk on it if it is fine enough. You will find that you will probably have to put the first sheep on the trailer. this is often done because sheep will run to other sheep. the best way to do this is to put the first one in the front corner of the trailer and hold it there with a sheet of steel mesh.
 made in Korea Vin
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Fawteen
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: daedong]
08/27/03 05:35 AM
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Thanks, daedong.
Another question has come up. I'm building the cage with 6x6 welded wire, so it will be open all around, visually. Do I need to put some sort of view block up (plywood panels, probably) to keep them from spooking when I'm travelling down the road at 55?
Several folks (on other boards) have said that cows will spook badly and hurt themselves if they can see out while travelling.
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daedong
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: Fawteen]
08/27/03 08:10 AM
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No you will not need anything as a veiw block, for years i have carted sheep in weld mesh cage trailers without any problems.
made in Korea Vin
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Fawteen
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: daedong]
08/27/03 11:35 AM
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Great! Thanks for the quick reply. I guess I'm all set then.
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Fawteen
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: Fawteen]
10/02/03 04:55 PM
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Thought I'd post a followup. Took the sheep to the slaughterhouse today, and the trailer worked slick as a smelt. I modified it slightly from the original plan by putting a gate 2/3 of the way back from the front to act as an "airlock" to hold the sheep while I opened and closed the tailgate/ramps.
Sheep didn't mind the metal tailgate at all, and took the trip in stride. As soon as I hit about 30 MPH or so, they turned their butts into the wind, laid down and watched the world go whizzing by.
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Bird
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: Fawteen]
10/02/03 06:12 PM
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Nice looking sheep hauler.
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wiltat2
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: Bird]
10/02/03 11:32 PM
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Ditto
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daedong
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: Fawteen]
10/05/03 04:15 PM
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Hi
Nice trailer mate, In Australia we would put a sliding gate on the back just in front of where your ramps are. Instead of a swing gate it's much easier to use with sheep.
A sliding gate is simple to make, there are many designs, one is to simply weld up a gate frame and weld some steel mesh inside the frame. then put the gate between a top and bottom channel.
made in Korea Vin
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Fawteen
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Re: Loading sheep into a trailer
[re: daedong]
10/06/03 07:27 PM
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Yup, that'd be slick alright. But, this trailer only does "sheep duty" once a year, and the swing gate 2/3rds of the way up worked fine and was cheaper to install.
I need to disassemble the cage and store it away for next year before it gets too cold to mess with it. I use the trailer as a flatbed to transport my tractor and various attachments, and also to haul hay a couple of times a year, so I need the versatility.
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