increase font size
Te Pari recently released its Racewell HD4, a four-way sheep drafter the company sees progressing the concepts in its HD3 and HD6 units in use in New Zealand and elsewhere.
The sheep handler is said to enhance efficiency by reducing operator and labour requirements, most obviously with its fourth drafting gate.
Te Pari says the extra versatility should require few changes to existing farm infrastructure -- no more than another fence and gate to split one of the yards.
Customer feedback at field days and farm visits by sales and technical reps have brought to light the ideas, says Matt Shieffelbien, who has helped develop the HD4.
“I saw that the drafting process often needs to be done twice to separate the lines my clients needed,” he said.
“With the HD4 it becomes a one-man operation with just one pass to sort weight ranges and to identify stock that may be sick, injured or missing an eartag. Weighing, dagging, vaccinating or drenching and drafting can now be done in the same session with the help of the new, compact multifunction remote.”
A powered backing hook in the lead-up race is activated by a ‘magic eye’ – working with the main sheep clamp – to automatically hold sheep waiting in the lead-up race for improved flow.
The control panel of the HD4 has been updated to simplify use and increase reliability.
A drenching mode turns off the entry gate, allowing for increased output, making drenching faster, easier and less back-breaking.
A revised layout sees cables running along the sides of the races and a protective panel prevents damage by inquisitive animals.
With wearables becoming the “must have” for dairy and, more recently, for beef operations, fitting collars for virtual fencing or health monitoring can be an awkward and potentially risky job in the cattle yards.
With the artificial breeding season creating increased activity and the need to handle cattle safely and efficiently, a dedicated AB race is becoming increasingly popular on New Zealand dairy farms.
With the artificial breeding season creating increased activity and the need to handle cattle safely and efficiently, a dedicated AB race is becoming increasingly popular on New Zealand dairy farms.
Oamaru-headquartered Te Pari’s recent acquisition of Vetmarker from Fenemor Innovations includes all trademarks and patents associated with the sheep docking apparatus.
Proudly carrying the Made in New Zealand badge, Te Pari says the Lenta Cattle Crush range is the result of listening to the needs and feedback of farmers.
Forestry Minister Todd McClay has today congratulated the winners of the 2026 Growing Native Forests Champions Awards at Fieldays.
The Government has announced $60,000 to provide one-off grants of $1,000 to each of the 60 New Zealand Young Farmers (NZYF) clubs across the country.
New Zealand’s rural sector has once again demonstrated its generosity, with the second Rural Industry Leaders Dinner, Debate and Auction raising an impressive $400,000 for the Rural Support Trust.
There has been another twist to the Federated Farmers annual election fiasco.
Analysis of decades of research has revealed the implementation of good farming practices plays a critical role in reducing nutrient losses to improve freshwater outcomes.
Yesterday the Government used the opening of Fieldays to announce a major investment, as part of its Land Use Flexibility package, to support a more productive and sustainable future across six sectors including dairy.
OPINION: While we're on the topic of lumberjacks, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard has no doubt used a chainsaw hundreds of…
OPINION: To a chorus of crying greenies, and not a minute too soon, the Government has moved to put the…
