Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

Thought i would highlight the ads page, some interesting items come along every now and then but i am sure a lot of you don't check.

guilty! Thanks for bringing these things to our attention

Thanks Mark - I've contacted the trailer seller, but could use some advice on trailer size. How many Dexters could one fit in a TA510 12ft? Or should I be looking at a 10ft? And would a Welsh pony or two be happy in a 6ft high trailer, or do they need the 7ft headroom? Basically I need a trailer for about 3 max Dexters and two max Welsh ponies!

Should read "3 max Dexters OR 2 max Welsh ponies" - ie not together!

You should put a breast bar in for ponies, you can do that in a 12 foot but not in a 10 foot. If you are looking for a trailer to transport ponies and cattle, we have an Ivor Williams 505 horse trailer to sell which whilst it is a horse trailer we have had gates that can be fitted, so that it can legally carry cattle or sheep - although I think we are a bit of a long way from you!

Stephanie

Hi Mark,

I sent you an e-mail a while back for a 'wanted' ad - did you receive it or have I lost a reply in my junk mail, or something?

Sorry Rob, just found it, it is now uploaded so expect lots of calls!

JohnnyP wrote:Should read "3 max Dexters OR 2 max Welsh ponies" - ie not together!

That's a big trailer for max 3 Dexters. They'll be able to have a ball in the back. You'd need a divider to confine them otherwise they'd be too loose inside. You'd be using 1/2 or max 2/3rds of the space. You could go for the smaller IW trailer (can't remember the name, not made any more I think, it's narrower) but if you ever get any big cows, they can't turn around in the smaller version, people still use them though.

Stephanie's converted horse trailer sounds good to me. Slightly easier/smoother to tow IMO.

Whatever you do, I wouldn't buy a DP (wheels underneath trailer). I saw 2 on their sides in one journey down the M5 once and it wasn't even that windy!

Mark Bowles wrote:Sorry Rob, just found it, it is now uploaded so expect lots of calls!

Thanks- hopefully that'll do the trick & I won't have to keep ringing people up only to find out that I'm too late... (despite the ads being up only a matter of hours)

Thanks Stephanie and Clive - good advice. I didn't like the look of the DP range axle either. And I had suspected 12ft was too big. I need to buy something before the end of the summer when our first steer goes for slaughter, so I'll keep looking. Stephanie - Abergavenny is a bit far, but I have fond memories of drinking Brains SA bitter there, which we used to call Skull Attack, and walking up Sugar Loaf.

Well Johnny P if you are ever going to be in the area again let us know! As for your trailer needs, why not look for a horse trailer similar to ours and put some decent stock gates on it like we have? That way you have the best of both worlds as far as trailer needs go.

Chris says it isn't difficult if you are good at DIY.

Stephanie

Any idea how much would it cost to add stock gates to a horse trailer? I cannot DIY!

The timber would cost about £100, plus fittings and nuts and bolts, so allow £130 to £140 for materials and then a local carpenter would need a day to do it - day rates will vary.

Chris

Or see if you can get some Ifor Williams stock gates from a local IW dealer? I bought some for my little mini-trailer to make suitable for sheep. Didn't cost a lot, £100-150 including fitting at the dealers workshops. But yours would be bigger of course. Might be too wide though?

I have had a 10ft Ifor Williams with the demountable livestock body and short sides for general use for about 10 years, never turned it over yet, and it goes much better since i removed the plate inside saying don't go more than 25mph - I was told that was there because originally they had wheels which were pretty useless and were meant for warehouse fork lift trucks. It has shifted stock from Devon, Cheshire, Herefordshire, Melton Mowbray, Northumberland, East Lothian, crush form Cumbria, endless running back and forth on Bute.

The body is much wider that those with the big wheels, I can get five calves in front of the partition and their mums behind, lose for a short journey. If going a long distance I like to tie them on halters along the sides, maybe two in front of partition and three behind.

I got the local blacksmith to make a pair of little brackets that go on the outside of the back of the body so I can slide it off backwards without it falling to the side, sit ithe tailgate on the ground and prop up mid way along the body with axel stands, and drive the flat trailer out with no mechanical assistance except for a fence post to lift each side onto the axel stand. This leaves the front sitting up in the air, probably not ideal but it works for me.

Duncan