Shearing doesn’t have to be a drag!
The innovative ShearMaster race delivery system from Perkinz not only delivers the sheep directly to the shearer, it also offers crutching cradles as well as traditional shearing all in the one unit.
The Perkinz ShearMaster is another new shearing system that eliminates the catching pen and instead delivers sheep to the shearer via a race delivery system, greatly reducing the distance the shearer needs to drag the animal and thereby making shearing faster, easier and safer.
A significant feature of the ShearMaster compared to other race delivery systems is the no-hands race latch that allows the shearer to remove sheep quickly and safely from the race just by leaning their hip against a flap. There is no latch to flick or gate to pull open; the shearer just has to lean over to get the sheep and the flap will unlock automatically allowing gravity to tip the sheep out of the race.
But arguably the most innovative feature of the ShearMaster is the height adjustability of the shearing board which means when you lower it down, and attach the Perkinz CrutchMaster cradles, it becomes an upright sheep crutching system that eliminates not only bending over but the catch and drag as well, enabling the fast and easy crutching of sheep and lambs.
The ShearMaster uses a long race system that allows a decent number of sheep to be readily available, hence reducing how often the system needs filling from the forcing pens. A five-stand ShearMaster race can hold about 35 to 40 sheep which is about seven to eight sheep per shearer. An added bonus of the long race is that it positions the sheep in the right direction, so the shearer does not need to turn the animal around once they have taken it from the race.
The ShearMaster requires less space than traditional shearing designs which allows for a smaller new shed to be built, or an older shed to be retrofitted. It also allows for a shed to become a multi-purpose shed in which farm equipment can be stored when the shearing system is not in use, making it a cost-effective option.
A five-stand Perkinz ShearMaster performing well at Formosa Estate at Cressy in Tasmania.
Rapidly growing customer base
Perkinz specialises in manufacturing sheep handling equipment. Based in New Zealand, but with a warehouse in Melbourne, the company has a rapidly growing customer base in Australia. The ShearMaster has gained particular attention, with set-ups having been recently installed in Victoria and Tasmania, and more currently under construction.
With fifteen years of shearing behind him and a solid farming background, Perkinz Manager Wayne Perkins has significant experience in the sheep industry.
“During my shearing career, I did five seasons shearing in the United Kingdom, on race type systems that eliminated the traditional catch and drag, and I have always maintained that they were the best, fastest, and easiest shearing set-ups I had ever shorn on,” Wayne said.
“The ShearMaster draws on that experience and the feedback from many other shearers. I believe it offers a much better and simpler solution for shearers and farmers than traditional woolsheds with catching pens.”
A five-stand Perkinz ShearMaster has been installed at Formosa Estate at Cressy in Tasmania. Farm manager John Heard says he is very pleased with the result.
“Overall numbers through for the day increased when compared to our old traditional system, keeping the rest of the shed quite busy. The short little drag allowed things to be in the best position possible to shear the animal,” John said.
“Working with Wayne and the team is something we couldn’t fault – we wanted to make some changes to the release system and made this clear from the start – it wasn’t a problem – in fact nothing ever was!”
More information: www.perkinz.com.au/collections/shearmaster
This article appeared in the December 2023 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
