Hamilton Handler
for sheep or goats
We often have traded 2nd Hand Units for sale, please enquire
CRUTCHING MADE EASY
Carry
out crutching wigging and ringing with practically no effort- no back bending,
no dragging.
Sheep
enter the unit readily and with a quick pull are automatically held in an upside
down position.
One sheep counter balances the other.
For
crutching, both hind legs are fully restrained in an ideal crutching position-
no fighting or
manipulating the sheep.
Restraint
is so effective that both hands of the operator are left free to work on the
animal.
Ideal
for a one or two person operation.
Using
wide gear, four blows are all that is necessary for a full crutch on dry
merinos.
Ewes
forward in lamb are safely crutched with no damage to ewe or unborn lamb.
No
time lost releasing finished sheep. Release is completely automatic as the
next sheep is pulled into position.
FOOT PARING AND INSPECTION
Special
races and pens are not necessary but as with all sheep and goat handling, the
better the layout, the easies the animals will move into position.
Each
sheep or goat readily walks in, is held firmly and safely upside down, the
operator can easily check or treat each animal.
As
one animal is turned upside down ready for trimming or inspection, the finished
animal is automatically released, the waiting animal follows into the Handler.
It
is possible to check the feet of 2000 sheep per day through the HAMILTON HANDLER
provided the feet have been previously pared and are clean and dry.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
LOCATING THE HAMILTON HANDLER
1. It is not necessary to spend any money initially setting up the HAMILTON HANDLER. Existing portable panels, unused gates, sheets of mesh etc., suffice until the final situation is decided, perhaps after trying several locations to see where the animals flow best.
2. Cross fences which prevent access to the rear of the forcing pen or even pens behind the forcing pen should be avoided.
3. Ideally, the HAMILTON HANDLER should eventually be set up in a permanent position so that it is readily available to handle even the smallest group of animals. However in some situations it may be more practical to take the machine to the animals rather than the animals to the machine.
4. Setting up the machine in the shed has the advantage of being out of the weather but the animals may not flow as well as they might if the machine is set up out side.
ADJUSTING THE HAMILTON HANDLER
1. Set up the HAMILTON HANDLER so that it is a comfortable working height for the operator to have minimum back bending.
2. Fit either goat assembly, belly bars or weaner plates according to the animals to be handled.
3 Adjust the height of the cradle to the mob by turning the adjusting handle so that the slides just clear the backs of the tallest animals.
4. Adjust the leg hooks so they are level with the top of the centre wall.
5. It is important to adjust the belly bars so that they catch the animal low on the belly.
6. The panel at the front of each cradle is left in place for most work but it is removed for wigging or tooth grinding.
MAINTAINING THE HAMILTON HANDLER
1. The cradle slides and ratchet rods need to be kept well oiled at all times.
2. Keep the pawls, which grip the teeth of the ratchet rods, very well oiled at all times.
3. A drop of oil needs to be regularly applied to all other moving parts, especially the striker plate.
OPERATING THE HAMILTON HANDLER
1. Before placing any animals in the unit, pull the cradle over a number of times to become quite familiar with the action.
2. With the front gate closed and the cradle fully open, walk an animal into the unit. REMEMBER: A "pinch of the tail" is worth a dozen pushes in getting sheep to move.
3. Close the back gate when the animal has entered the machine.
4. Have another animal ready to enter the cradle.
5. Close the cradle firmly onto the animal by using the overhead squeeze handle before rotating it over.
6. Pull the cradle over smartly. The first cradle takes a stronger pull than when there are two animals in the unit.
7. If ringing wethers, perform this operation first before hooking the back legs.
8. Blow in front of the udder- complete this blow before hooking the legs.
9. Crutching- hook both back legs (inside one first) into the leg hooks.
10. Footparing- hook outside back leg into leg hook.
11. Mulesing - pull the sheep back a few inches before hooking up the legs.
12. Drenching, vaccinating, udder checking, mouthing etc., can also be carried out at this stage.
13. After the next sheep entersthe unit, repeat the above. The finished animal is released automatically and walks out.