Author: Todd Miles
Date: 09-18-06 10:26
The Premier headgate used to force a ewe to nurse lambs is a good product. Because it is galvanized, mine is still like new after about 5 seasons of use. I should have bought one 20 years ago.
It could be made even better. It is easy to train Mom to put her head in the gate with a grain reward, but she is still less than delighted to nurse lambs that are not her own. (how does she "know", she can't see them....lol). I put mine in a corner, and the ewe will generally move to one side or another, making it difficult to graft more than one lamb at a time. If she stayed centered in the gate, 2 lambs could nurse at the same time. A small hinged bar, with a chain over her back to the other side would do it. I have thought of adding them to mine, but I hate to burn the zinc off where I weld. Maybe you could offer a bolt on (galvanized) option for new, and a retrofit for older ones like mine.
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