Alastair Hall’s mobile race has won third place in the intermediate category.

Armed with an old Ifor Williams stock trailer purchased for £700 on eBay and a healthy dose of enthusiasm, Alastair Hall converted it into an elaborate mobile race.

The aim was to streamline the dosing of ewes and weighing of lambs for market, which is made difficult by the fragmented nature of his farm in County Antrim.

See also: Custom-made cattle handling system improves speed and safety

Work started by stripping away the body – taking care to save materials for reuse later – before adding a 2.4m chassis extension.

He formed this from 3mm plate folded into a C shape, before shifting the axle rearward to improve weight balance.

By chopping out the centre section of the tailgate he was able to create separate loading and unloading ramps, with side rails made out of the original gates.

Versatile gates

The outside frame was then fabricated using box-section steel clad with aluminium panels salvaged from the original trailer body.

At the entrance and exit, both conventional and vertical gates were added with ropes so that they can be opened from anywhere in the race.

He also incorporated a drafting gate and a fashioned a set of home-made scales by putting weigh cells under a folded aluminium deck.

As for the floor, this was formed out of expanded metal, with a wooden boarded area to the side that can accommodate 15-18 lambs.

Other features include a steel rope for hanging medicines, a frame for holding loading gates and hurdles, plus a holder for marker cans.

All in, it took some three weeks to build with help from his sons Aaron and Ewan.

A few lengths of box section, flat steel and round bar were the only additional materials required, putting the total build cost at about £1,000.