Sheep And Lamb Crate Offers Farmers Solutions

Sheep And Lamb Crate Offers Farmers Solutions LIVESTOCK Handling Brothers Nick and Jack Cotter of Limerick of Abbeyfeale Ireland have developed a new handling and weighing system for sheep and lamb farmers called the Cotter Crate This equipment is now combined with a targeted worming system “Vaccinating lambs is a difficult job ” says Nick Cotter “It takes a long time plus everyone has to be around to help On top of this you’re constantly bent over at 90 degrees It’s very physically demanding ” The Cotter Crate design makes management tasks like dosing vaccinating tagging and weighing easier and safer for handlers and animals The handling system brings the animals in a single file to the height of the standing operator It uses V-shaped sides and a drop floor taking their legs out from under and fully immobilizing sheep and lambs The Crate began as a college project winning a few innovation awards before undergoing remakes and alterations in response to farmer feasibility studies and recommendations The final version included lead-up ramps with anti-slip rubber mats anti-backing flaps a wheel kit and holders for EID readers weigh heads and tablets Once satisfied with the unit the brothers added a Bluetooth mobile phone application as a low-cost weighing option rather than owners having to buy a standalone weigh head On the heels of the weigh option the brothers launched their SmartWorm app to combine animal weight with nutrition potential growth rainfall temperature pasture availability and quality Controlling worms is one of the biggest challenges sheep farmers face as modern controls are becoming unsustainable due to expensive drug resistance issues The SmartWorm algorithm predicts which animals need deworming treatment and suggests a targeted selective worming procedure “Our hardware and software solutions are the most practical simplest and complete ways of reducing wormer use on-farm by 40 to 60 percent without compromising productivity or welfare ” Nick says “It’s a game-changer in terms of labor because you’re only having to drench half or less of your flock For the average Irish sheep flock 109 breeding ewes a return on investment using our software solution is delivered within 18 mos ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Cotter Agritech Ltd Dromtrasna North Abbeyfeale Co Limerick Ireland V94 A3H3 ph +353 86 330 1490; info@cotteragritech com; www cotteragritech com

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