Scales for weighing sheep

Sheepdog

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What are your experiences with scales for weighing sheep, goats etc. What brands have you found the best and why and where have you purchased them without spending an arm and a leg!!!

Have been searching for a set of used scales and also looked on ebay and craigslist, but I it would be helpful to know what are the more reliable brands, models, makes etc and the pros and the cons with them.:)
 
ShadyAcres

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http://www.palletscales.net/ps250_hog_sheep_scale.htm

After searching and deliberating for a few years we finally purchased this one. Rather than paying for the cage that goes around it I made one out of scrap lumber. I have it in line after the chute and before the turn table. My working system is in the barn and on very sloped ground so had to build up fot the bottom if not level it is not accurate. Does have adjustable legs but only gives minimal adjustment. It works well and have been happy with it. Even use it to weigh the dogs to ensure proper dosage on heart worm prevention etc.

3472_livest1.jpg
 
SheepGirl

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ShadyAcres said:
http://www.palletscales.net/ps250_hog_sheep_scale.htm

After searching and deliberating for a few years we finally purchased this one. Rather than paying for the cage that goes around it I made one out of scrap lumber. I have it in line after the chute and before the turn table. My working system is in the barn and on very sloped ground so had to build up fot the bottom if not level it is not accurate. Does have adjustable legs but only gives minimal adjustment. It works well and have been happy with it. Even use it to weigh the dogs to ensure proper dosage on heart worm prevention etc.

http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/3472_livest1.jpg
Click to expand...
That's actually not a bad price for a scale. I have looked at this one (and then I would build a cage around it), but my concern is that it would be too small. But maybe if I did something where the walls of the cages were slanted (so it's like a bowl or something), so it would provide just enough room for a sheep to squish their feet together at the base, but give them enough room for their head and body (so that the top dimensions are larger than the base). I hope that made sense :)
 
ShadyAcres

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That's actually not a bad price for a scale. I have looked at this one (and then I would build a cage around it), but my concern is that it would be too small. But maybe if I did something where the walls of the cages were slanted (so it's like a bowl or something), so it would provide just enough room for a sheep to squish their feet together at the base, but give them enough room for their head and body (so that the top dimensions are larger than the base). I hope that made sense
Click to expand...
I can picture exactally what you are saying, but I think the concern would be more of the length - mine is 42 x 22 and the one you are looking at is 28 x 16. Would 28 be long enough? The width you certainly could do as you describe which would also keep the lambs from turning around (mine can and do), but then again what if you need to weigh a large ram? Those were my concerns when I was looking. Mainly wanted it for weighing lambs, but as it is in line in my chute all sheep need to at least pass through it, even if not being weighed.

If it is to be used as a separate unit and only for lambs it should work fine, depending again on how big / old the lambs are.
 
SheepGirl

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Yah, the length was what I was worried about. I will have to go down to the barn tomorrow to measure how far a part their legs are...and how close together I can get their legs without them losing balance XD But the largest sheep I ever plan on having are Katahdins (hopefully I will get some soon :fl but IDK) and they are roughly the size of my 1/2 Montadale ewe. So I will check. If that length won't work out, then I think I will go with the scale you recommended. (Scales around here go for $700+.)
 
Sheepdog

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Thanks Shady, that is the best price I have seen... my fiance can make a cage to go around it so that won't be a problem, or we can put an extra couple removable gates in our chute as we have some old cattle pens here which were converted to goat pens at some stage.. and a chute etc.. already installed. Thanks again, I will definitely get these scales I think... as a matter of interest, how sturdy have you found them to be? I see that they are made for hogs etc, so they should be able to withstand a little rough treatment from the sheep when they jump around.
 
ShadyAcres

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Sheepdog said:
Thanks Shady, that is the best price I have seen... my fiance can make a cage to go around it so that won't be a problem, or we can put an extra couple removable gates in our chute as we have some old cattle pens here which were converted to goat pens at some stage.. and a chute etc.. already installed. Thanks again, I will definitely get these scales I think... as a matter of interest, how sturdy have you found them to be? I see that they are made for hogs etc, so they should be able to withstand a little rough treatment from the sheep when they jump around.
Click to expand...
I have not used them much. First time I used them set up a temp area with portable panels in barn alleyway to weigh lambs before sale. Used scrap lumber to set it on to get it level. Was a %&$ to get it level, then every time it got bumped level got off enough to not be accurate (constantly weighed myself to see if was consistant). Re-did my whole working chute this fall and got an area built up and scales are keeping their level now. Recently ran whole flock - 50 ewes and 1 ram - through for foot trimming and had no problems except need to re-do my side panels that I built. Slats to far apart and lambs could climb through. Lambs also able to turn around, but is hard to find something to fit both lambs and adults....

Other than that works great and easy to use. Have a ram lamb I bring over every now and again to check his weight - freezer getting low!
 
Sheepdog

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ShadyAcres said:
Sheepdog said:
Thanks Shady, that is the best price I have seen... my fiance can make a cage to go around it so that won't be a problem, or we can put an extra couple removable gates in our chute as we have some old cattle pens here which were converted to goat pens at some stage.. and a chute etc.. already installed. Thanks again, I will definitely get these scales I think... as a matter of interest, how sturdy have you found them to be? I see that they are made for hogs etc, so they should be able to withstand a little rough treatment from the sheep when they jump around.
Click to expand...
I have not used them much. First time I used them set up a temp area with portable panels in barn alleyway to weigh lambs before sale. Used scrap lumber to set it on to get it level. Was a %&$ to get it level, then every time it got bumped level got off enough to not be accurate (constantly weighed myself to see if was consistant). Re-did my whole working chute this fall and got an area built up and scales are keeping their level now. Recently ran whole flock - 50 ewes and 1 ram - through for foot trimming and had no problems except need to re-do my side panels that I built. Slats to far apart and lambs could climb through. Lambs also able to turn around, but is hard to find something to fit both lambs and adults....

Other than that works great and easy to use. Have a ram lamb I bring over every now and again to check his weight - freezer getting low!
Click to expand...
okay, well we will make sure it is level, might lay a small concrete slab down and make a chute in a permanent fixture so this way I can just put scales down when needed. I thought about the lambs and adults thing too.... will have to figure something out on that one.

I have called our ram that is to go in the freezer... Kelvin... short for Kelvinator... which is a brand of refrigerator/freezer in Australia :lol: ... not sure if we have that brand over here.... but I will hae to weigh him soon too. I want to get scales before lambing season, so will have a little bit of work to do before spring, which is really just around the corner.

Thanks for all the info. :)
 
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