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Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2005 2:40 pm
by Caroline
What is the best size cattle trailer for dexters, mainly to be used for transportation to slaughter house. We have a discovery with lowerable back and top range tow bar.
Cheers
Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2005 3:35 pm
by PeterO
Caroline
An 8x5 will comfortably take two Dexters, If you get an Ifor Williams you usually get an internal front partition which will comfortably take a calf as well (sideways). I prefer the old style with larger wheels (LR or slightly smaller car size) as they don't get stuck in fields like the new small wheels). If you buy second hand make sure it has been serviced (or make it part of the deal) as farmers leave them for years in the yard unserviced and just use them for a short run to market).
Peter
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2005 7:02 pm
by Duncan MacIntyre
Think very carefully about all the possible uses you will have for the trailer - I managed for years with a tiny trailer specially made to take two dexters side by side but found lots of other jobs for which it was too small. For one thing herds which start as one house cow to provide milk for the house and a follower to fill the freezer have an almost unstoppable tendency to get bigger ( one dexter to ~14 in my case). I also have to get rid of dung after the winter and now use an Ifor Williams demountable livestock trailer which takes short sides for such jobs.It can also shift 50 bales with body on, many more as a flatbed trailer. Not too easy getting the livestock body off the base without lifting gear and Ifor Williams were less than helpful. I got the blacksmith to make two small brackets which attatch to the side of the body at the back to keep the livestock body in place as I slide it backwards to tipping point, the let it tip till back is on ground, and can lift each side onto an axle stand. One unexpected snag was the discovery of a plate inside the trailer after I had bought it saying that it should not do more than 25 mph with livestock on board. I think that was a recommendation when they were first produced with very poor (forklift?) wheels, but they are better now
In short, get the largest and most adaptable trailer that you can handle, you have room for, and that you have the pulling power and weight for. Weight of vehicle that is, no reflection on yourself!!
Duncan
Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2005 10:50 pm
by Peter thornton
Just to re-inforce the point about buying an old trailer:
You can easily spend over £500 and a lot of effort to "do up" an old trailer. If possible, take off the wheels and pull the brake drum off to check the condition of the backplates ( or you can get some idea by crawling underneath with a torch)
If you are doing fairly short journeys then get a larger trailer than you think you will need. If you regularily take animals a long way then a large trailer will push up your fuel bills.