3 way manual drafting

[Allied Weighing]

We are currently developing a 3 way manual drafting crate
We would appreciate any input that may help us with our project

 

[Danllan]

We are currently developing a 3 way manual drafting crate
We would appreciate any input that may help us with our project

Stating the bl**ding obvious, but keep the price down. Not just being beneficial to the farmer, but to you too, this could mean - he suggests helpfully... - supplying it as a self-assembly kit, we can all use a spanner.

Less man-hours welding etc. for you, lower delivery costs, easy parts' repair or replacement etc. etc.. It could also mean it will be easy to add on / replace stuff if you get technical, EID scanning etc., and allow for a 'modular' future.

And... make it compatible with major brands already out, lugs, rods, width etc.. *



*You can buy me pint some time.

 

[Allied Weighing]

Cheers
All being considered .
For cost what would a farmers best price be ?.I know the competition costs so were looking at a competitive price .
Affordable hopefully
Cheers Adam

 

[TripleSix]

Ease of use.
It must be easy to find the correct handle when rushing and easy to move the gates swiftly.

No finger traps

Needs to withstand that 100kg ewe ramming it at 100mph too

 

[Danllan]

Cheers
All being considered .
For cost what would a farmers best price be ?.I know the competition costs so were looking at a competitive price .
Affordable hopefully
Cheers Adam

F*cking hell! Are you the one advising the Government to take 'no deal' off the table?

Can't say, work out your costs and then undercut the others as best you can, if it is by enough and your kit is compatible with everyone else's you'll corner the market; I forgot to write that it must be easily ambidextrous.

 

[Allied Weighing]

Fair comment
Really appreciate it
Cheers Adam

 

[Kiwi Pete]

That's the one - make it simple, modular, and expandable over time.
But make it strong, over-engineered weigh crates are a must, really; not only for better longetivity but better weighing, too.

Most of the guys I know with weighing systems were quite annoyed with spending so much on something that couldn't grow with their needs, without total unit replacement... so ideally you'd design something that could be built up as needs change, IMO

 

[Allied Weighing]

Cheers

 

[Allied Weighing]

Thats our intention.
Compatibility and able to upgrade easily and cost effectively
Cheers

 

[JD-Kid]

no rusting. light weight to move around
quite in use
good placement of. top rails so hands not. hit if put in side. of crate
some. crates. bad for knocking out lambs front. bar in wrong place. and lambs jump up. knocking them selfs out
sides adjustable. for. lambs. up to big rams
scale mount in right place so ease of. use reading etc
this may sound strange but a spring loaded. entry door. would be. good. so if animal. hit it it closes. the number of times have to go back down a race to. bring a shy animal up would make. the job easer.

 

[TL100]

Try to make it fairly open top so you can still handle and tag/mark a lamb.

 

[Gulli]

That's the one - make it simple, modular, and expandable over time.
But make it strong, over-engineered weigh crates are a must, really; not only for better longetivity but better weighing, too.

Most of the guys I know with weighing systems were quite annoyed with spending so much on something that couldn't grow with their needs, without total unit replacement... so ideally you'd design something that could be built up as needs change, IMO

The biggest issue with pretty much any weighing system is that if you're a small producer with under 100 or 50 ewes you most likely still need to weigh lambs, but weigh systems are hard to justify the cost even for a basic model, then if you expand the weigh system can't keep up. So you need to buy a similarly overpriced system.

So you either need to spend a lot of money early on when you can't justify it and hope things work out so you can expand. Or spend a bit too much several times as you go.

Maybe a trade in system for the old model would be good

 

[Allied Weighing]

The biggest issue with pretty much any weighing system is that if you're a small producer with under 100 or 50 ewes you most likely still need to weigh lambs, but weigh systems are hard to justify the cost even for a basic model, then if you expand the weigh system can't keep up. So you need to buy a similarly overpriced system.

So you either need to spend a lot of money early on when you can't justify it and hope things work out so you can expand. Or spend a bit too much several times as you go.

Maybe a trade in system for the old model would be good

We understand the requirements but as you can probably imagine its going to be difficult to please all of the people all of the time and keep the cost down, these answers are really helpful especially for the small to medium size farms ie 100 ton1000 head.
cheers
adam

 

[Gulli]

We understand the requirements but as you can probably imagine its going to be difficult to please all of the people all of the time and keep the cost down, these answers are really helpful especially for the small to medium size farms ie 100 ton1000 head.
cheers
adam

Don't worry I realise everyone has to make money. Just a bit of a gripe of mine about sheep systems in general.
Your weigh beams are still going strong here probably the most useful thing I've bought, and I can stick bits of scrap together well enough to make my own stuff that does the job, although a working head yoke is causing some head scratching at the moment

 

[Danllan]

Don't worry I realise everyone has to make money. Just a bit of a gripe of mine about sheep systems in general.
Your weigh beams are still going strong here probably the most useful thing I've bought, and I can stick bits of scrap together well enough to make my own stuff that does the job, although a working head yoke is causing some head scratching at the moment

If you can have a head yoke as an add on it would be good.

 

[neilo]

I would suggest that the electricery needs to be compatible with the major software programs on the market, so basically output the same as Trutest head units.

Collecting data on things like dlwg isn't much use if you can't make good use of it.

 

[Al R]

The biggest issue with pretty much any weighing system is that if you're a small producer with under 100 or 50 ewes you most likely still need to weigh lambs, but weigh systems are hard to justify the cost even for a basic model, then if you expand the weigh system can't keep up. So you need to buy a similarly overpriced system.

So you either need to spend a lot of money early on when you can't justify it and hope things work out so you can expand. Or spend a bit too much several times as you go.

Maybe a trade in system for the old model would be good

1200 ewes here and only started using “weights” as a guide last year, the animal has to feel right before killing, weight is a separate matter.

@Allied Weighing
Having not used anything for weighing apart from a CombiClamp (not the greatest machine for weighing) and a neighbours old IAE spring balance (due to buy your upgrade kit soon) I can’t say what to build it on but I would say use plastic stockboard on the sides. No one one here has mentioned competitors so far but I think a lot of people rate the pharmweigh crate and others the FarmIT and border software crates. The new IAE scanweigh crate looks reasonable too - I have seen a price for it that I thought was reasonable for a full EID weigh crate.

 

[Dyffryn]

Just bought a Ritchie draft pro. Looks a good idea. Haven't used it yet though.

 

[Allied Weighing]

I would suggest that the electricery needs to be compatible with the major software programs on the market, so basically output the same as Trutest head units.

Collecting data on things like dlwg isn't much use if you can't make good use of it.

Choice of weight displays would be available inc tru test units. Hopefully this will give good compatibility with various programs.

 

[scottish-lleyn]

Just bought a Ritchie draft pro. Looks a good idea. Haven't used it yet though.

i have one of them the only issue is the bar that keeps the crate closed at the front is pretty slack if a lamb hits it hard it bounces open. Bend it down slightly to make it sit flat against the crate and make sure its pushed up against the stop before and animal goes in.