Buying and selling sheep handling gear.

[Jackov Altraids]

I've been looking for something to help with handling sheep now my knees/hip/ back etc are tiring.
I didn't want to spend a fortune and was happy to get some second hand kit but there seems very little about.
I'm I missing somewhere or do I need to wait for everyone to get their new kit in the latest round of grants?....

 

[Al R]

As in a combi clamp type setup or a turnover crate?
Most people I know that have had newer equipment keep the older equipment for other systems/farms so far less actually get sold second hand.
Post what your after exactly and someone may know of something coming up etc

 

[Jackov Altraids]

As in a combi clamp type setup or a turnover crate?
Most people I know that have had newer equipment keep the older equipment for other systems/farms so far less actually get sold second hand.
Post what your after exactly and someone may know of something coming up etc

Having spend the last few days trawling through the history of TFF, I think I probably want a combi- clamp. I'm more convinced that they must be worth buying because they rarely seem to come up for sale unlike the roll-over crates which are always about and nearly always 'barely used'.

 

[Al R]

Having spend the last few days trawling through the history of TFF, I think I probably want a combi- clamp. I'm more convinced that they must be worth buying because they rarely seem to come up for sale unlike the roll-over crates which are always about and nearly always 'barely used'.

I’m no fan of them except for dagging but my dad who suffers with bad knees and gets battered in the big races will put everything through the combiclamp for bolusing,fluking,needle work etc if he’s by himself, he’s out of the way of the sheep and feels better after albeit quite a bit slower than a bulk race.

They do come up for sale but not very often.

 

[Muddyroads]

I like my combi-clamp, especially having put weigh bars underneath and an electronic weigh head. Wouldn’t be without it.

 

[neilo]

I had a secondhand Scotsqueeze to try out a month ago, but took it back and decided to spend a bit of time and money improving a few things on my CombiClamp. I have made a frame to lift the back of the ramp up by 10”, making the angle far less steep. The same frame has lugs to allow the lead up race to be tapered (as all other handling kit allows!) to stop lambs trying to turn round.
I have removed the daft ‘tripping bar’ from the back and fitted a couple of HectonNZ anti-backing wings in the lead up ramp, with another to fit further back the lead up race once I fabricate a bracket for it.
The variable weighing has been sorted by spot welding the CombiClamp to the weigh bars, making it rigid and reliable.

Lambs are already running through it far better. I weighed & drew/tagged/crutched 230 lambs yesterday afternoon without hardly stepping off the pedal.

Next mod is to remove one side of the lead up ramp and fit it back as a hinged/tapered side, again allowing for a variable width to better fit different sizes of sheep. I’ll soon have it as it should have been built in the first place.

In it’s favour, it’s relatively cheap, simple and quiet in operation, and allows for easy adjustment to the sheep’s position for various tasks. Personally, I don’t think there’s a machine for handling sheep in a static system that ticks more boxes. I’m almost always working sheep with just me and the dogs btw, so good sheep flow is essential.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I had a secondhand Scotsqueeze to try out a month ago, but took it back and decided to spend a bit of time and money improving a few things on my CombiClamp. I have made a frame to lift the back of the ramp up by 10”, making the angle far less steep. The same frame has lugs to allow the lead up race to be tapered (as all other handling kit allows!) to stop lambs trying to turn round.
I have removed the daft ‘tripping bar’ from the back and fitted a couple of HectonNZ anti-backing wings in the lead up ramp, with another to fit further back the lead up race once I fabricate a bracket for it.
The variable weighing has been sorted by spot welding the CombiClamp to the weigh bars, making it rigid and reliable.

Lambs are already running through it far better. I weighed & drew/tagged/crutched 230 lambs yesterday afternoon without hardly stepping off the pedal.

Next mod is to remove one side of the lead up ramp and fit it back as a hinged/tapered side, again allowing for a variable width to better fit different sizes of sheep. I’ll soon have it as it should have been built in the first place.

In it’s favour, it’s relatively cheap, simple and quiet in operation, and allows for easy adjustment to the sheep’s position for various tasks. Personally, I don’t think there’s a machine for handling sheep in a static system that ticks more boxes. I’m almost always working sheep with just me and the dogs btw, so good sheep flow is essential.

Thanks for such a comprehensive and helpful reply.
I had been reading your posts from a few years ago and had been wondering if you were still as pleased with the combi-clamp.
The reason I didn't go for a grant application is that I'm not sure how and if I will use anything. I've been using a fixed race for decades and it works well for most things but I need to try and make other jobs easier before I have to.
Rather than try and plan and purchase a whole set-up like the grant tempts you, I would rather buy a piece of kit and play/ modify it to see how it works and suits me. I would hope to then add to and improve it so that in years to come, I can still handle sheep or will have left a good legacy for the kids. Perhaps I should just offer to buy yours!!!!

 

[tinsheet]

This is what I use, got it 2nd hand off EBay for £300
Do anything with it that combi clamp can. Self locking yoke at the front so it catches, with me pushing the sheep up, good if your on your own.

https://iae.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/F051-2817-10-Sheep-Self-Closing-Docking-Crate-1024x546.jpg

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

I had a secondhand Scotsqueeze to try out a month ago, but took it back and decided to spend a bit of time and money improving a few things on my CombiClamp. I have made a frame to lift the back of the ramp up by 10”, making the angle far less steep. The same frame has lugs to allow the lead up race to be tapered (as all other handling kit allows!) to stop lambs trying to turn round.
I have removed the daft ‘tripping bar’ from the back and fitted a couple of HectonNZ anti-backing wings in the lead up ramp, with another to fit further back the lead up race once I fabricate a bracket for it.
The variable weighing has been sorted by spot welding the CombiClamp to the weigh bars, making it rigid and reliable.

Lambs are already running through it far better. I weighed & drew/tagged/crutched 230 lambs yesterday afternoon without hardly stepping off the pedal.

Next mod is to remove one side of the lead up ramp and fit it back as a hinged/tapered side, again allowing for a variable width to better fit different sizes of sheep. I’ll soon have it as it should have been built in the first place.

In it’s favour, it’s relatively cheap, simple and quiet in operation, and allows for easy adjustment to the sheep’s position for various tasks. Personally, I don’t think there’s a machine for handling sheep in a static system that ticks more boxes. I’m almost always working sheep with just me and the dogs btw, so good sheep flow is essential.

Do you have any photos of your modifications you could post if possible please ?

 

[Northern territory]

I had a secondhand Scotsqueeze to try out a month ago, but took it back and decided to spend a bit of time and money improving a few things on my CombiClamp. I have made a frame to lift the back of the ramp up by 10”, making the angle far less steep. The same frame has lugs to allow the lead up race to be tapered (as all other handling kit allows!) to stop lambs trying to turn round.
I have removed the daft ‘tripping bar’ from the back and fitted a couple of HectonNZ anti-backing wings in the lead up ramp, with another to fit further back the lead up race once I fabricate a bracket for it.
The variable weighing has been sorted by spot welding the CombiClamp to the weigh bars, making it rigid and reliable.

Lambs are already running through it far better. I weighed & drew/tagged/crutched 230 lambs yesterday afternoon without hardly stepping off the pedal.

Next mod is to remove one side of the lead up ramp and fit it back as a hinged/tapered side, again allowing for a variable width to better fit different sizes of sheep. I’ll soon have it as it should have been built in the first place.

In it’s favour, it’s relatively cheap, simple and quiet in operation, and allows for easy adjustment to the sheep’s position for various tasks. Personally, I don’t think there’s a machine for handling sheep in a static system that ticks more boxes. I’m almost always working sheep with just me and the dogs btw, so good sheep flow is essential.

What didn’t you like about the scottsqueeze @neilo, I have put in for grant again and it is between combi clamp and rappa one that goes in the race.

 

[Bill dog]

The combi clamp has the added bonus here, that if I ever get help from the Mrs, or the kids, then they can work it. While I can chase up, or do anything else. It takes little effort to hold them, and they see it as a game, so are more willing to help.
I like the sound of the raised ramp and tapered sides alterations @neilo !
I’ll be using mine tomorrow to change the crayons on the tups , easier than wrestling char tups in a pen !

 

[sean m]

The combi clamp has the added bonus here, that if I ever get help from the Mrs, or the kids, then they can work it. While I can chase up, or do anything else. It takes little effort to hold them, and they see it as a game, so are more willing to help.
I like the sound of the raised ramp and tapered sides alterations @neilo !
I’ll be using mine tomorrow to change the crayons on the tups , easier than wrestling char tups in a pen !

I put off buying a combi clamp for years because I felt we wouldn't use it enough, then I had the chance to buy one secondhand so had it to try it, brilliant bit of kit, on a trailer and weigh cells etc we use it for everything, if we have a small group anywhere don't even take the alligator, just put a few hurdles on the side of it and set up in a corner

 

[neilo]

Do you have any photos of your modifications you could post if possible please ?

I'll sort something, but haven't modified the side of the lead up race yet. Steel arrived for that and a few other jobs the other day, so just waiting on a time to start tinkering again.

 

[neilo]

What didn’t you like about the scottsqueeze @neilo, I have put in for grant again and it is between combi clamp and rappa one that goes in the race.

1. I ran a bunch of fat lambs through it to drench and weigh. They were 200 of them, all 40-48kg, so a reasonably level bunch. If a lamb was fast/lively/a Charollais it would go through at speed, getting caught at the hips, or missed. If the next lamb that went through was hesitant/slower/a Beltex , it would catch it at the shoulder. I found it impossible to set up the magic eye placing and clamping speed to suit all lambs, and I can only imagine it would be worse if you had a mix of woolly and shedding sheep in, or a more unevenly sized mob. Tieing the shedding gate across so that sheep had to turn as they came out slowed them down enough to stop any escaping, but stops you having 3 way shedding.
2. If it caught them in the wrong place, you could release the clamp and recatch by pressing a button but, if you were holding their heads (to push them backwards/stop them escaping), the clamp opening smacks you in the stomach/chest. On the CombiClamp you can just feather the pedal with one foot while you adjust their position.
3. The clamping action is very fast and effective, but that makes for quite a violent action. I can't see how the sheep will be very happy to run through it regularly, but OK as a lamb weigher before sale.

It is a very cleverly designed bit of kit though, and very well built. I would imagine the variation in clamping position would likely be an issue with any 'magic eye' autocatching system, where you have sheep that don't all run at the same speed, so not necessarily just an issue with that manufacturer. Sometimes extra tech isn't necessarily a good thing?
It works well enough as a lamb weigher, but too dear to have just for that IMO.


One the RAPPA vs CombiClamp question, the CombiClamp is a good machine in a static set up, but a PITA to move about unless on a purpose built (expensive?) trailer. If you are always working away from the yards with a RAPPA, then their RaceGrip might be a better option.
I'm assuming they are still making & selling them? Somebody told me they had stopped them as they were having issues with them. That was a competitor though, so may well have been BS?

 

[Northern territory]

1. I ran a bunch of fat lambs through it to drench and weigh. They were 200 of them, all 40-48kg, so a reasonably level bunch. If a lamb was fast/lively/a Charollais it would go through at speed, getting caught at the hips, or missed. If the next lamb that went through was hesitant/slower/a Beltex , it would catch it at the shoulder. I found it impossible to set up the magic eye placing and clamping speed to suit all lambs, and I can only imagine it would be worse if you had a mix of woolly and shedding sheep in, or a more unevenly sized mob. Tieing the shedding gate across so that sheep had to turn as they came out slowed them down enough to stop any escaping, but stops you having 3 way shedding.
2. If it caught them in the wrong place, you could release the clamp and recatch by pressing a button but, if you were holding their heads (to push them backwards/stop them escaping), the clamp opening smacks you in the stomach/chest. On the CombiClamp you can just feather the pedal with one foot while you adjust their position.
3. The clamping action is very fast and effective, but that makes for quite a violent action. I can't see how the sheep will be very happy to run through it regularly, but OK as a lamb weigher before sale.

It is a very cleverly designed bit of kit though, and very well built. I would imagine the variation in clamping position would likely be an issue with any 'magic eye' autocatching system, where you have sheep that don't all run at the same speed, so not necessarily just an issue with that manufacturer. Sometimes extra tech isn't necessarily a good thing?
It works well enough as a lamb weigher, but too dear to have just for that IMO.


One the RAPPA vs CombiClamp question, the CombiClamp is a good machine in a static set up, but a PITA to move about unless on a purpose built (expensive?) trailer. If you are always working away from the yards with a RAPPA, then their RaceGrip might be a better option.
I'm assuming they are still making & selling them? Somebody told me they had stopped them as they were having issues with them. That was a competitor though, so may well have been BS?

Thanks for that very comprehensive review. I have mulled over all three options but price was the limiting factor for the scottsqueeze. When I rang Rappa they said they were available which was a month or so ago. Always wanted a combi clamp but been put off by the reasons you give of manoeuvrability.

 

[hally]

1. I ran a bunch of fat lambs through it to drench and weigh. They were 200 of them, all 40-48kg, so a reasonably level bunch. If a lamb was fast/lively/a Charollais it would go through at speed, getting caught at the hips, or missed. If the next lamb that went through was hesitant/slower/a Beltex , it would catch it at the shoulder. I found it impossible to set up the magic eye placing and clamping speed to suit all lambs, and I can only imagine it would be worse if you had a mix of woolly and shedding sheep in, or a more unevenly sized mob. Tieing the shedding gate across so that sheep had to turn as they came out slowed them down enough to stop any escaping, but stops you having 3 way shedding.
2. If it caught them in the wrong place, you could release the clamp and recatch by pressing a button but, if you were holding their heads (to push them backwards/stop them escaping), the clamp opening smacks you in the stomach/chest. On the CombiClamp you can just feather the pedal with one foot while you adjust their position.
3. The clamping action is very fast and effective, but that makes for quite a violent action. I can't see how the sheep will be very happy to run through it regularly, but OK as a lamb weigher before sale.

It is a very cleverly designed bit of kit though, and very well built. I would imagine the variation in clamping position would likely be an issue with any 'magic eye' autocatching system, where you have sheep that don't all run at the same speed, so not necessarily just an issue with that manufacturer. Sometimes extra tech isn't necessarily a good thing?
It works well enough as a lamb weigher, but too dear to have just for that IMO.


One the RAPPA vs CombiClamp question, the CombiClamp is a good machine in a static set up, but a PITA to move about unless on a purpose built (expensive?) trailer. If you are always working away from the yards with a RAPPA, then their RaceGrip might be a better option.
I'm assuming they are still making & selling them? Somebody told me they had stopped them as they were having issues with them. That was a competitor though, so may well have been BS?

tbh catching the sheep is pretty accurate on our racewell but it takes experience to learn where to put the eyes to shut the gate and close the ramp and we have had it long enough now that the ewes have been through it many times and still run well through it. The worst is this time of year we put our lambs through once a week for weighing and because every one is clamped automatically, they start and get a bit wary of running in, but the magic eye means that I can be in the feeding pen doing an odd lame one or treating an odd eye ( problem of the month at the moment here) . Although I have been told to send them all through occasionally with it turned off before you start and this helps flow but I haven’t tried this yet.
A few scotsqueeze around here, one friend likes his but it has needed a bit of welding done due to weld failures, as you say it is pretty aggressive on the catch gate, another belongs to a customer with a lot of sheep and he is not getting away with it at all and says it would be sold if not that it was bought under the grant.

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I wonder what peoples thoughts are on handling ewes when they get close to lambing?

The pneumatic systems sound like they could be a bit heavy handed.
I've never used a roll over crate but is this the one circumstance when they would be the safest option?

 

[Muddyroads]

I wonder what peoples thoughts are on handling ewes when they get close to lambing?

The pneumatic systems sound like they could be a bit heavy handed.
I've never used a roll over crate but is this the one circumstance when they would be the safest option?

Not sure where in Devon you are, but you’re welcome to have a look at our combi in use if you like. I’ll be running heavily in lamb ewes through it in the next couple of days to number them and do a couple of bad feet.

 

[Al R]

I wonder what peoples thoughts are on handling ewes when they get close to lambing?

The pneumatic systems sound like they could be a bit heavy handed.
I've never used a roll over crate but is this the one circumstance when they would be the safest option?

Combi clamp is fine handling triplets 2 weeks off. There are loads of adjustments i think but they’ve rusted solid on mine so the only adjustment I have is the board lifts out so I can alter between ewes and lambs

 

[primmiemoo]

From memory, doesn't @Nithsdale Farmer have a variant on a combi-clamp in his set up?