National Stockyard Systems has donated a draft system that allows producers to efficiently process cattle with less people, as the major prize of the 2020 NSW Beef Spectacular Feedback Trial.
The CCC Speed Drafter enables five gates to be worked from the one location, allowing producers to draft as quickly as their scales will tare out.
Coming on board for the first time this year, National Stockyard Systems (NSS) managing director Murray Schaefer said the the trial provided the perfect opportunity to expose products to more potential customers.
"At home we trade 1500 steers per year through our feedlot backgrounding operation," Mr Schaefer said.
"We are constantly weighing and drafting cattle.
"With this unit in our home yards, Deb and I can very comfortably weigh and three way draft 200 steers per hour."
He said other operators that have purchased the drafter and associated products boasted they could consistently process 300 head per hour by having an additional personal in the yards.
Mr Schaefer said there were small margins for background steers as more people start to do it instead of running cow/calf operations and their equipment could help producers maximise their profits.
"The closer cattle get to the 500 kilogram curfew weight, the more profit they retain," he said.
The CCC Speed Drafter has a manual lever control attached to the two front draft gates via cables enabling a three way draft whilst standing at the back of the crush.
If a NSS V-Race is incorporated leading into the crush, the sliding gate on the V-Race section prior to the crush can also be opened and closed via a direct linkage from this point.
"The crush entrance and exit can also be operated from this single position," he said.
"If access to the head is required, there is an additional manual three way draft between the baulk gate and the speed gates.
"These draft gates operate the sale as the NSS Hunter Vallery Draft." The product allows all types of drafting including weighing, mouthing, sexing and culling.
