Allflex has announced the launch of a new version of its Alligator mobile sheep handling system. The Alligator PRO is designed for the handling, treatment and sorting of large groups of sheep and features a number of design improvements which enhance the system’s ease of operation and improves the movement of sheep through the system.

The Alligator PRO is an updated version of the existing Alligator system: along with larger diameter 13” wheels for improved road holding and better off-road clearance, the addition of a manual or electric winch which is capable of easily raising and lowering the steel chassis onto and off its wheels further enhances the proven design of the current system.

The new Alligator PRO also features redesigned hurdles which retain the original Alligator’s round-profile corners (for ease of pulling groups of hurdles over rough ground) and which now include upright bars between the upper and second rails to improve the flow of sheep through the system.  After welding, each aluminium hurdle is solution heat treated to T6 standard: this involves the entire hurdle and its welds being heated to around 526 degrees Celsius and then gradually cooled to give an intrinsic strength to the product whilst remaining both lightweight and durable.

The Alligator PRO is available in three sizes: the Alligator PRO 250 is equipped with enough hurdles to create a yard capable of holding up to 250 sheep, the Alligator PRO 500 with a hurdle yard capable of holding up to 500 sheep, and the Alligator PRO 750 with a hurdle yard capable of holding 750 sheep.  Each system also includes a 5ft forcing gate and pen for 8-12 sheep, a three-way drafting race, anda treatment, worming and drenching race (10ft long for the Alligator PRO 250, or 15ft for the Alligator PRO 500 and 750).

The Alligator PRO system is also compatible with a wide choice of manual or electronic flock management, recording and weighing equipment, making it the perfect handling system for professional sheep farmers and contract shepherds who need to worm, drench, foot bathe, weigh, sort, tag and vaccinate large numbers of sheep.  A shearing pen is also available as an optional extra.

“Like previous Alligator systems, the Alligator PRO uses a modular design which can easily be tailored to suit individual flock requirements,”  explains Chris Byrne, Allflex’s stock management systems specialist.  “The winch-operated chassis is handmade in Oxford, with production of the new-style hurdles and gates moving to a specialist fabricator, making the new Alligator PRO longer-lasting, harder-wearing and more durable than ever before.”

“We’ve listened to feedback from a number of existing Alligator users and made some subtle but key design improvements to create a strong yet lightweight system which can be operated by a single user to handle and treat large groups of sheep.

“The new upright-barred gates, larger wheels, and winching mechanism make the Alligator PRO the simplest, easiest and quickest mobile sheep handling system on the market, while the hot-dip galvanised steel drafting race with non-slip, self-cleaning mesh floor retain the Alligator’s reputation for durability and longevity.”

Alligator PRO specifications:

The new Alligator PRO system comes as standard with the following equipment:

• Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) approved trailer/drafting race: hot-dip galvanised and equipped with a non-slip, self-cleaning mesh floor
• Manually operated winch: aids lifting/lowering the chassis onto/off its 13” wheels (electronic winch available as an option)
• 3-way drafting race
• Alligator PRO 250: 24 x 5ft by 36in heat-treated aluminium hurdles with upright rails
• Alligator PRO 500: 30 x 5ft by 36in heat-treated aluminium hurdles with upright rails
• Alligator PRO 750: 36 x 5ft by 36in heat-treated aluminium hurdles with upright rails
• 15ft by 33in drafting race consisting of 6 x 5’ sheeted hurdles (Alligator PRO 500 and Alligator PRO 750)
• 10ft by 33in drafting race consisting of 4 x 5’ sheeted hurdles (Alligator PRO 250)
• 2 x drop/guillotine gates
• Forcing pen with 5’ gate
• Lighting board