Sheep Handling Facilities | East Leicestershire | United Kingdom
At “Launde,” a picturesque sheep property located in East Leicestershire, United Kingdom, Gareth Owen and his family tend to their flock of 1,600 ewes, with an emphasis on producing finished lambs off grass for a family operated butcher. Their commitment to improving sheep handling efficiency led them across the globe to Australia, where they discovered ProWay.
Gareth’s journey with ProWay began in 2015, following discussions with his brother-in-law, who had recently installed a set of ProWay yards. Intrigued by the prospect of a site specific yard design, Gareth and his family visited the ProWay Headquarters in Wagga Wagga, NSW, during a planned Christmas trip to Australia. For Gareth, this visit marked the beginning of the design process and subsequent sheep handling facilities installed at Launde.
“By the time we got back in January 2016 it became evident this was a realistic proposition and things moved relatively quickly from there. As a result, we’ve ended up with a set of yards here in the UK that work really well for us.”
Prior to engaging ProWay, Gareth faced the challenge of finding a supplier locally that could supply a quality set of yards, but more importantly design a facility that integrated his existing infrastructure.
“We struggled to find anyone to design something that would meet our requirements here in the UK. The ProWay yards offer a massive time saving, the jobs we do now are carried out a lot more efficiently.”
One of the unique aspects of his operation was a 6-way auto drafter that he needed to factor into his proposed yard design. ProWay’s expertise and commitment to tailored solutions was the deciding factor to commission an Australian made facility.
6M ProWay Bulk Handler
During the visit to Australia, Gareth was introduced to the Sheep Bulk Handler on southern NSW property. After seeing it in use the 6m Bulk Handler was factored into the Launde design. Now that it’s installed, Gareth is glad they made the call to include it.
After much consideration, the advantages of the facilities and bulk handler justified the investment.
"It’s greatly improved our efficiency and something we simply wouldn't want to live without now."
To make this project a reality, stock yard designer Troy Brose worked closely with Gareth to hone the design and incorporate the existing sheds, fence lines and auto-drafter.
“Troy and the team at ProWay understand the movement of stock and how to make our job easier. We were heavily involved in the design process to facilitate what we wanted to achieve out of the yards. The real proof is in the working of them.”
“Undoubtedly there’s cost savings long term, you’re buying a quality product that will out see my lifetime and hopefully future generations as well.”
Gareth’s story at “Launde” is a testament to ProWay’s continued innovation in livestock handling. By designing facilities tailored to the Owen family operation, the ProWay yards have transformed the way they manage sheep with an impact for years to come. For Gareth, he’s more than happy to recommend them.
“It’s a quality product. ProWay have been absolutely fantastic, from the initial contact right through to the present day with support and backup, I’d have absolutely no hesitation in recommending them.”
