“Down Under” Chute Works Sheep Fast

“Down Under” Chute Works Sheep Fast LIVESTOCK Handling Managing a flock of 11 000 ewes and 14 000 lambs that needed to be worked multiple times a year prompted Wayne Coffey to find a better way to handle sheep The platform and squeeze system he calls Combi Clamp did the job so well that his neighbors wanted one too As word spread he stopped working with sheep and concentrated on making and marketing Combi Clamps “There are a lot of pneumatic systems out there but there is too much to go wrong with them and they are noisy ” says Coffey “The Combi Clamp is quiet sells for 1/3 to 1/2 the cost of the competition and is faster The sheep aren’t afraid of it because it doesn’t grab them and roll them over ” As a sheep enters the Combi Clamp the operator steps down on a foot treadle plate The plate activates a framework fitted with a flexible rubber mat that wraps around the sheep pressing it against the padded panel on the operator’s side No head gate is needed Once the operator locks the panel in place with the foot pedal front and rear feet as well as the head and rump are free of restraints and are easy to access Coffey designed the Combi Clamp for ease of use putting the sheep at a handy working height It can be set up for left or right hand operation and is adjustable for the size of the animals being worked A 3-way shedding gate can be attached to the exit end allowing the operator to sort animals in one of 3 directions An auxiliary frame assembly can also be added to hold various tools and supplies as well as a scale Other options include a wheel kit for easily moving the unit around the yard behind an ATV A trailer unit is also available for road transport “Simplicity is a big thing with the Combi Clamp ” says Coffey “A sheep producer can buy just the handler and then add on as they find more uses for it ” Coffey started out selling the Combi Clamp in New Zealand and Australia largely by word of mouth Huber Ag Equipment a Ritchie dealer in Alberta is now introducing it to the North American market The basic Combi Clamp is priced at $4 995 Canadian plus shipping “We have a few out in North America now ” says Coffey “People find out what it can do after they have it We tell prospects they’ll be able to handle 150 to 200 animals an hour and they think that’s good Once they have it they’ll realize they can do 250 to 300 head an hour They wouldn’t have believed us if we had told them We have one customer who runs 500 head an hour through his ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Wayne and Lynley Coffey 1009 Taonui Road Feilding  New Zealand toll free 64 0800 227 228; wayne@combiclamp co nz; www combiclamp co nz ; or Huber Ag Equipment R R #3 Coronation Alta Canada T0C 1C0 ph 403 578-8359 or 403 575-1977; www huberequipment com

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.