Burbridge and Straight Board Sheds

ProWay shearing sheds and shearing shed fitouts are designed to minimise stress on operators, maximise stock flow and provide a safe working environment.

Occupational, Health and Safety is a major criterion when ProWay design a shearing shed. ProWay Burbidge Sawtooth Shearing Sheds are regarded as the safest available.

As with all ProWay products strength and longevity are assured by the quality of materials used.

ProWay build two shearing shed layouts. The Burbidge Sawtooth design and The Straight Board, lane fill catching pen design.

ProWay also fitout existing sheds.

Burbidge Sawtooth Design Shearing Board

Features and OH & S Advantages

• Catching pens slope forward to make dragging out easier.
• Sheep fill catching pens at 45 degrees and not towards catching pen doors.
• The design minimises shearers turning while dragging sheep.
• Wide recessed chutes for easy sheep exit.
• Large shearers shelf for gear.
• 1.6m high board front aids filling of catching pens.
• Slide swing gate eliminate sheep getting caught behind gates.
• Gates between catching pens for transfer of sheep at cut outs.
• Shearers have an individual work area. This minimises injury from escaped sheep.
• Support arms for back supports.
• Cut out switch can be mounted on board front.
• Raised board with access to two sides of shearer.
• Handrail to protect shearers on raised board.
• Softwood board to minimise damage to combs.
• Optional leftie chute (can be used to pre-crutch sheep which shearing and return sheep on grating).
• Sheeted internal fences to aid sheep flow.
• Space for lock bins under board.

Straight Board, lane fill catching pen design

Features and OH & S Advantages

• Wide recessed chutes for easy sheep exit.
• Large shearers shelf for gear.
• 1.6m high board front.
• Slide swing gates eliminates sheep getting caught behind gates.
• Lane fill catching pens make filling catching pens easier.
• Raised board minimises bending for roustabouts.
• Split catching pen doors.
• Support arms for back support to be mounted on board front.
• Handrail to protect shearers on raised board.
• Softwood board to minimise damage to combs.
• Sheeted internal fences to aid sheep flow.
• Space for lock bins under board.

Custom Design

ProWay offer a custom design service for genuine clients. The shearing shed design service covers the following issues:

• Correctly positioning the new shed.
• Determining the shearing shed size based on required sheep and wool storage.
• Discussing what site preparation is required.
• Incorporating the existing sheepyards and the new shearing shed or designing new sheepyards with the new shearing shed.
• Considering all shearing shed design options such as skillion over the yards or loading facilities out of the shed etc.
• Discussing occupational, health and safety requirements.

Access Laneway to Sheep Area

Key Design Features

• Operator Safety
• In the Burbidge Sawtooth each shearer has a separate work area. This minimises the chance of injury caused by the lost sheep and out of position shearers.
• The Burbidge design is unique in that it minimises the length of the drag for each shearer but most importantly minimises the need to turn when dragging. Research has shown that turning while dragging is a major cause of back and knee injury.
• Each shearer has a large shelf for combs, cutters, tool boxes etc.
• The chutes are recessed into the board and down from the board. Sheep tend to fall down the chute rather than needing to be pushed. The chutes are 600mm wide providing plenty of room for rams and larger sheep.
• There is a handrail along the board to protect shearers.
• The Burbidge Sawtooth design meets all relevant occupational, health and safety codes. It has been described by Workcover as the safest design they have seen.

Laserlite in gable for natural light and shutters for air flow

The Shed

• ProWay build a traditional shed. Depending on the sheds size, shed columns are usually UB. C section gal purlins and wall girts are used. 0.47 corrugates iron is used as the cladding.
• ProWay sheds use RHS web trusses.
• Engineer drawings can be provided.
• By using the above materials you can be sure your shed will stand the test of time.

Orientation

• The orientation of your shearing shed is an important consideration.
• Correctly positioned shutters, doors and removable lower panels maximise ventilation for cooling and drying stock when required.
• Laserlite panelling in southern walls provides excellent natural light without creating heat. Natural light improves stock flow as it minimises the contrast from above and below grating.

The Board

• The board front is 1.6m. this improves stock flow as sheep entering catching pens cannot see shearers and activity on the board.
• The raised sawtooth board provides access to two sides of the shearer. Lock bins can be placed under the board. Push cut out switches can be mounted on the front of the board.
• Back support swing arms are mounted from the plant pole.
• Research has shown that the correct positioning of the down tube in relation to the catching pen doors and the let go chute is vital in making a shearer’s job as easy as possible.
• Some shearers using the Burbidge Sawtooth remain in their back support while catching a new sheep.
• A leftie stand is an option. This stand can be used for a right of left hand shearer. It can also be used to put shorn sheep back on the grating. Some clients use it to do a pre-shearing crutch.

Catching Pens

• Catching pens are sloped to aid dragging out sheep.
• The catching pens are at 45 degrees so sheep do not enter towards the catching pen doors. Sheep are drawn into the pens by sheep in the adjoining pen. Gates between catching pens allow for moving sheep at cut outs.
• The back gates of catching pens are slide swing, making filling easier.
• The grating used is a 65 x 38 Mountain Ash (Cypress is an option).

Sheep Area

• The grating has a taper on it to ensure it till not get blocked with manure. Melwire flooring is also an option.
• Sheeted fences are used strategically to promote sheep flow. Gates where required, are slide swing. Most gates are braced above for extra strength.
• ProWay include a complete fence around the shed wall to avoid any chance of damage to iron caused by sheep hitting it.
• In most designs we incorporate an access laneway though the sheep area. This is especially useful to get back to the wool room after penning up.
• Pipe rail count out pens are included under the shed. Count out pens beside the shed are an option.

Ramp into ProWay shearing shed near Wagga Wagga, NSW

Ramp into sheds

• A concrete floor sheeted side ramp is an ideal ramp into a shearing shed.
• Timber based ramps will deteriorate over time and need replacing.

The Wool Room

Most ProWay shearing sheds have a concrete wool room. This allows the shed to be used for storage etc. throughout the year. A timber wool room is an option.

Shearing Shed Options Available

• Fit out only
• Straight board, lane fill catching pen design
• Skillion over sheepyards
• All timber to be cypress (white ant proof)
• Timber wool room
• Raised shed with sheep storage under wool room
• Loading ramp or door from grating
• Melwire flooring
• Expanded mesh entry platform (to clean boots before entering)
• Count out pens outside of shed
• ProWay can supply wool bins and shearing plants.

Installation

ProWay have experienced shearing shed erection crews.

Each shearing shed is fully drawn on our 3D CAD program. These plans and products go through several checks before getting to site.

Our construction crews have CAD drawings on all components showing how they go together. The result is a stream lined professional service.

Finance

New shearing sheds can give cost savings when running a livestock enterprise as well as optimising returns over a long number of years.

More producers are electing to finance the purchase of shearing sheds in the same fashion as tractors, vehicles and other capital items.

This brings payment for the shearing shed more into line with the cost savings and tax deductions.

ProWay have a regular finance broker who can arrange either leasing or asset purchase type financing of shearing sheds, to approved clients. People should also check with their own finance provider, who can probably do the same.

You should speak to your accountant to confirm your situation.

ProWay shearing sheds have gained a reputation as being the safest and most innovative available. To discuss your shearing shed requirements call 1300 655383
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